SustyVibes

Refugee Crisis Creates Ghostly Ocean Debris

By Jennifer A. Wagner-Lawlor for Plastic Pollution Coalition

They came from Pakistan and Syria, the four refugees I met in Mytilene, a small city on the east coast of Greece, on the island of Lesbos. The conference I was attending in May was hosted by the International Small Islands Association and focused, a bit ironically, on the topic of islands and utopia. For many, the “Greek Islands” conjures an image of Utopia — and I can tell you that for visitors like myself, they are.

A slightly closer look, however, revealed something less than utopic: plastic pollution. It is found on every Greek island, Lesbos included. Indeed, especially Lesbos, which is a primary landing point for climate and war refugees from Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Somalia and other African nations. While I was there, Mytilene refugee camp coordinators were hearing rumors of two boats full of people who risked everything to escape the dire circumstances which make up their lives.