7 women on a voyage to document plastic pollution in the Saint Lawrence River
An all-female research expedition is leaving Sept-Îles, Que., on Aug. 26 on a mission to highlight the environmental issues of plastic pollution in Quebec.
According to the group, 80 per cent of the pollution found in oceans comes from rivers and streams.
Aboard their boat, the seven women taking part in Expédition Bleue say they plan to discover the natural richness of the Saint Lawrence Gulf over 17 days, from the Mingan Archipelago to the Magdalen Islands via Tête-à-la-Baleine.
POLLUTION WITHOUT BORDERS
Anne-Marie Asselin, Expédition Bleue mission leader, says, "there are several large marine currents [in the area] that accumulate plastic materials, so this pollution is very much present and has already reached alarming levels."
The scientific team says it plans to gather various samples to document and quantify the extent of pollution in the region.
"This expedition will allow us to take a look at the situation because to do research, we need scientific data," explained Asselin.
Meanwhile, content creators on the trip will be in charge of sharing the results of the expedition through art and literature.
For Asselin, the objective is to raise awareness through various platforms, including creative writing, postcards, poetry, podcasts and a documentary.
The expedition is organized by l'Organisation Bleue, founded by Asselin four years ago to promote scientific knowledge, especially to those aged 18 to 35.
The organization relies on technology and social media to popularize science and raise awareness in different ways.
-- This report was first published by Ma Côte-Nord in French on Aug. 15, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Explosion at train station leads to discovery of stolen car on Montreal's South Shore: police
Police are investigating after a BMW exploded in the St-Lambert Exo train station parking lot on Montreal's South Shore.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
A candidate for Germany's key party was beaten up while campaigning for European elections
A candidate for Chancellor Olaf Scholz's center-left party in next month's election for the European Parliament was beaten up and seriously injured while campaigning in an eastern city, the party said Saturday.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.