Throughout the expedition, OceanGybe accessed coastlines and beaches that infrequently saw human visitors, let alone a visitor who had the opportunity to visit many of these places all over the globe. This unique opportunity allowed Ryan, Bryson and Hugh to document the polluted state of many of these coastlines and the effect of this pollution on the people who depend on the ocean for survival.
When they arrived at each designated study locations, they determined the dominant wind direction at the time of year then venturing over to the windward side of the island; they performed a basic scientific study to analyze the pollution present on the beach. Over predetermined study areas, they collected all garbage, refuse and general ocean borne flotsam in order to categorize it by the following characteristics:
- What type of garbage?
- What is it constructed from?
- Where was it manufactured?
- Where did it originate?
- How long had it been in the ocean?
Once they collected the data and had summarized their findings, they connected with scientists, teachers and other educators to bring awareness to the growing pollution database and create a tool for them to educate others to their own impact in terms of ocean pollution.
