Charles Moore

Captain Charles Moore is an oceanographer, surfer, scientist, and sea captain whose discovery of widespread plastic pollution in the North Pacific Gyre significantly influenced the global conversation about marine debris and environmental sustainability. While returning to Southern California after the Los Angeles-to-Hawaii Transpac sailing race, Moore and his crew encountered floating trash in the North Pacific Gyre, a remote region often described as an "oceanic desert." Navigating through the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, Moore observed his catamaran surrounded by a "plastic soup," which he identified as the largest accumulation of marine debris on the planet. This experience shaped the direction of Moore's career in oceanography and environmental research.

Moore's subsequent studies revealed that plastic outweighed zooplankton by a factor of six to one in this part of the ocean, and even off the coast of California, plastic outweighed zooplankton by a factor of 5:2. These findings, which exceeded expectations within the scientific community, highlighted the scale of marine plastic pollution. Moore founded Algalita Marine Research and Education in Long Beach, California, using the organization as a platform for ongoing research expeditions and public education about the plastic crisis. He has logged more than 100,000 miles on research voyages, contributing valuable data to the field of marine science.

Moore's research papers, published in Marine Pollution Bulletin, and his review article "Synthetic polymers in the marine environment: A rapidly increasing, long term threat" in Environmental Research, have established him as a leading investigator in oceanic plastic particulate pollution. He later reported the discovery of another large plastic accumulation in the South Pacific, making him a two-time garbage patch discoverer. During subsequent expeditions, Moore and his team used aerial drones to assess the extent of marine debris, finding 100 times more plastic by weight than previously measured and identifying semi-permanent plastic features, some exceeding 50 feet in length.

Moore also founded The Moore Institute for Plastic Pollution Research, where he serves as research director, bringing decades of experience in marine pollution research. His book, "Plastic Ocean: How a Sea Captain's Chance Discovery Launched a Determined Quest to Save the Oceans," co-authored with Cassandra Phillips, chronicles his work in oceanography and his efforts to raise awareness about plastic pollution in marine environments. The book has been recognized for its impact, with The New York Times describing Moore as "the first person to have pursued serious scientific research by sampling the garbage patch." His advocacy has been compared to the influence of Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring" on the environmental movement.

Moore has appeared in media outlets such as The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, The Today Show, National Geographic Channel, Animal Planet, Discovery, The New York Times Magazine, and the Los Angeles Times. He has delivered a widely viewed TED Talk, sharing his message about the environmental impact of plastic pollution with global audiences. Moore's work continues to drive public understanding of plastic's pervasive presence in the ocean and supports calls for systemic change to address the environmental challenges of the modern Plastic Age.