in the process, lars gutow discovered that these isopods have fewer problems than many. this has to do with their specialized digestive systems. but a look at other creatures shows dramatic consequences. take gulls, for instance. scientists have examined the stomachs of dead gulls and found large pieces of plastic waste in them. some gulls simply starved to death. >> this waste accumulates in their stomachs and induces a feeling of fullness in the birds, so that they no longer feel hungry and they stop eating. >> there are projects in which scientists, activists, and even fishermen collect ocean waste. but debris left from fishing, such as nets that have been thrown overboard or lost in the water, is just part of the problem. most of the waste isn't thrown into the ocean. it drifts there from the land. 80%, according to one estimate, is carried into the oceans by rivers and the wind. there are initiatives worldwide to collect waste on the beaches before it gets into the ocean. >> we can't remove the waste that's already in the oceans. of course we can collect trash on th