nurdles!

introduction to nurdles

pop quiz: do you know what these things are?

you're right, these are nurdles! they're what makes up nearly all plastic products, with billions produced every year. however, they leak out of transit and wash up on our shores. due to their miniscule size, they can cover a lot of ground--traveling as far as antarctica. nurdles can hitch a ride in drains, ocean currents, and even on the wind. despite their smallness, they come in droves. thousands of metric tons of these microplastics spill directly into the ocean as they are transported by ship. as they pour forth into the ocean, they're mistaken for food by sea animals and spread harmful chemicals.

why do you care?

when i was a toddler, i would collect nurdles from the dirt in public parks. i could find them everywhere, strewn about in places miles from the beach. i wasn't aware of their environmental impact at the time, i just liked collecting things. typically, the ones i'd find were small, opaque colored spheres. i remember imagining the Legendary Nurdle that must have been hidden away in the trees far away from the playground; i thought it would be rainbow.

once i grew a little older, i learned about the harm nurdles caused to the environment. this motivated me to collect them even harder, as i was passionate about environmental activism (especially for the ocean). i had been unaware that my nurdle collection habit was actually helpful.

what can we do about it?

a lot! you can participate in beach cleanups organized by your local aquarium or environmental charity. there's also the great nurdle hunt, organizing nurdle cleanups all across the world. young kids are great at hunting for nurdles, so bring your younger siblings or cousins along!

nurdle collecting is fun, but also serves a greater purpose. next time you visit your local beach (or any outdoors area), keep your eyes peeled for nurdles! you'll make a difference.

tdlr: nurdles are bad and picking them up is good