Lesson 8: Start a Ship-to-Shore Trash-collection Program
Lesson Information
Summary: Students in coastal communities take action
against ocean litter by initiating a program to discourage
the dumping of garbage at sea.
Duration: Several hours or more
Group size: Any
Materials: Paper and paints to create posters; letter-writing
materials
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
- Describe ways in which human communities can help ocean
communities through action projects.
- Demonstrate stewardship of ocean communities by completing
an action project.
Background
There may not be any roads on the ocean, but there sure is
a lot of traffic. About 35,000 ships and 1.2 million fishing
boats sail the world's seas. Millions more barges, motor boats,
sailboats, and smaller craft also travel the ocean. Most of
them pollute. Many ships and pleasure craft discharge sewage
and other waste-water directly into the ocean. Others are
involved in accidental spills of oil and toxic chemicals.
Some boaters routinely toss their garbage overboard, adding
tonnes of plastic containers, cans, old fishing nets, and
other materials that persist for decades in marine environments,
entangling and choking ocean wildlife. For more information
on the many types of marine debris and their impacts on wildlife,
see Lesson
9: Organize a Beach Sweep.
Most people who throw garbage into the ocean are not trying
to harm wildlife. They are usually unaware of the harmful
effects of their actions. After all, it's hard to imagine
that a six-pack ring or plastic bag could make a difference
to a such a vast ecosystem as the ocean. Perhaps there are
no alternative trash-disposal systems for boaters in your
community. Local marinas don't always provide garbage drop-off
facilities or sewage-pumping facilities. If you live in a
marine community, maybe you can help find a solution by encouraging
people to bring their garbage and sewage back to shore for
proper disposal.
Procedure
- Discuss the problem of marine debris and pollution with
your class (for more background information, see Lesson
9: Organize a Beach Sweep). Explain that some people
contribute to this problem because they aren't aware
of the negative effects of dumping at sea or because their
community lacks adequate garbage-disposal facilities.
- Do a little research by calling local marinas, port authorities,
municipal agencies, and resource-management departments.
Determine the scope of the problem in your community. Find
out what waste-disposal facilities, if any, are currently
available for boaters. Learn if any public-education campaigns
are being run by local groups.
- If there is a local group running a program, ask organizers
how you might get involved. Otherwise, you may wish to start
your own "ship-to-shore" waste-disposal campaign
with the cooperation of local agencies and marinas.
- Brainstorm ways in which you can help. Ideas might include
raising awareness, lobbying local authorities, providing
trash receptacles, and arranging regular garbage pick-up.
- Approach marinas, port authorities, and municipal governments.
Get their ideas and support from the outset.
- Have students create their own fact-sheets, brochures,
and posters describing the effects of ocean litter on wildlife
and encouraging boaters to bring their garbage back to shore
for proper disposal. Put up posters (with permission) in
public places frequented by boaters. Make brochures available
in the same locations.
- Ask marinas, port authorities, and municipal governments
to make garbage collection, recycling, and sewage pumping
facilities available for boaters. The more convenient and
visible these facilities are, the more likely people will
be to bring their garbage ashore.
- Consider other ways of getting the message out, such as
creating a display or writing to a community newspaper.
Evaluation
Evaluate brochures, fact-sheets, posters, and other media
developed by students to raise public awareness. Evaluate
messages for clarity, creativity, organization, and content.
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Project
WILD