Giving Compass' Take:

• Shannon Waters reports that a study from the University of Hawaii revealed that greenhouse gases are released by plastic that is exposed to water and sunlight, contributing to climate change. 

• What upstream solutions can prevent plastic from degrading in this manner? How can funders support the removal of plastic from the ocean? 

• Learn what donors can do about ocean plastic. 

In August, a team of researchers from the University of Hawaii published a ground-breaking study revealing that plastic, when exposed to the elements, releases methane and ethylene - two powerful greenhouse gases that can exacerbate climate change.

The study examined the seven most common types of plastic - polycarbonate (PC), acrylic (AC), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene (PS), high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE).

The study examined the seven most common types of plastic - polycarbonate (PC), acrylic (AC), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene (PS), high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE). Each type of plastic was measured after being submerged in seawater and exposed to the sun for several days. The type of plastic shown to release the most methane and ethylene was LDPE. LDPE, which is used to make grocery bags among other things, is one of the most commonly produced, consumed, and discarded types of plastic, and also one of the lightest, shown to float at the surface of the ocean.

Read the full article about plastic's contributions to climate change by Shannon Waters at Surfrider Foundation.