Grade 9-12

Have you ever found litter on the beach and wondered what it is and where it came from? In this project, organized by Oregon Sea Grant and supported through funding by the NOAA Marine Debris Program, students focus on one particular item of marine debris and try to learn about the item's story. What was the item originally used for?

Have you ever found litter on the beach and wondered what it is and where it came from? In this project, organized by Oregon Sea Grant and supported through funding by the NOAA Marine Debris Program, students focus on one particular item of marine debris and try to learn about the item's story. What was the item originally used for?

Have you ever found litter on the beach and wondered what it is and where it came from? In this project, organized by Oregon Sea Grant and supported through funding by the NOAA Marine Debris Program, students focus on one particular item of marine debris and try to learn about the item's story. What was the item originally used for?

This concluding section of the Trash Shouldn't Splash Toolkit highlights the project team's lessons learned and tips for groups interested in organizing their own marine debris prevention group in their community.

These materials can support student groups who are interested in reaching out to their school communities, including organizing art contests and visiting peer classrooms with marine debris education presentations. 

These materials can support student groups doing informal outreach, including tabling events, as well as reaching out to local decision-makers on topics to prevent marine debris. 

These materials can support student groups in reaching out to restaurants to collaborate on efforts to prevent marine debris by reducing single-use plastics. Materials include a script for engaging with restaruant staff, tips on how to effectively recruit restaurant partners, and examples of products and outreach materials to share with restaurant partners.

The Communication Materials can support student groups in creating and designing a flexible outreach campaign for reducing single-use plastics in their community, including a logo, website, and social media materials. 

<!--td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}-->  As a final activity, this lesson provides an opportunity for students to reflect on what they have learned through the curriculum, think critically about their role in the issue of plastic pollution, and plan strategically to take action.

<!--td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}-->  Plastic pollution can become marine debris when it is swept up by stormwater and enters a sewer system that has outlets into local waterways. Once plastic pollution becomes marine debris, it has a negative impact on our communities and ecosystems.

<!--td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}--> In this activity, students will use persuasive communication methods to contact a local retailer to educate and encourage them to shift to more sustainable practices. Note: Environmental science and marine debris is an interdisciplinary field.

<!--td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}-->  In this activity, students will learn about the fundamentals of water treatment systems and the challenges that microplastic particles present to both waste and drinking water systems.

In this activity, students will learn how plastic pollution that is in our communities and on our shorelines can end up in our lakes, rivers, and oceans.

<!--td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}-->  In this activity, students will have the opportunity to research and present different perspectives from community members considering a policy on plastic bags.

Students will learn about public outreach campaigns and the communication tools that are used to educate and encourage the public to change their behavior. Students will then utilize their creative talents to explore and develop a component of an outreach campaign to educate consumers about New York State’s Bag Waste Reduction Law.