Trash Shouldn’t Splash Toolkit

This toolkit, created by Falmouth Water Stewards/Skip the Straw and Sea Education Association (SEA) with funding provided by the NOAA Marine Debris Program, provides strategies, best practices, and examples of successful, student-driven campaigns to reduce single-use plastics in communities. The materials in this toolkit include educational information about marine debris types, sources, and prevention; suggestions for creating logos and other communication materials; tips and scripts for interacting with restaurants; and templates for letters to community members and organizations to promote student efforts. 

These resources were inspired by a 2015 “Skip the Straw” campaign in Falmouth, Massachusetts. Five middle school students, in partnership with Falmouth Water Stewards, developed and used communication tools that reached various audiences for the campaign, such as surveys and scorecards for restaurant owners and managers. This campaign, paired with ocean research conducted by undergraduate students studying with SEA Semester, created the Trash Shouldn’t Splash partnership. Ten restaurants in Woods Hole posted signage supporting the “Trash Shouldn't Splash” single-use plastic reduction message, some of which are featured in the toolkit. Additional resources and example materials are available on the Trash Shouldn’t Splash website.