>>AND NOW I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE
KRISTA STEGEMANN
FORMALLY.
SHE IS THE COMMUNICATIONS AND
EDUCATION
SPECIALIST FOR NOAA'S MARINE
DEBRIS PROGRAM.
KRISTA HAS A
BACKGROUND IN BOTH MARINE
BIOLOGY AS WELL AS EDUCATION,
EARNING HER BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
DEGREE IN MARINE AND FRESH
WATER BIOLOGICAL AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.
AFTERWARDS SHE WORKED AS THE
FOUNDING 5TH GRADE SCIENCE
TEACHER AT AN INNER CITY
CHARTER SCHOOL IN LITTLE ROCK,
ARKANSAS.
FOLLOWING TEACHING SHE EARNED
HER MASTER'S DEGREE
IN MARINE BIOLOGY FROM JAMES
COOK UNIVERSITY IN TOWNSVILLE,
AUSTRALIA,
WHERE SHE SPENT HER TIME
CONDUCTING MARINE
ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH AND
EDUCATING THE GENERAL PUBLIC AT
A
LOCAL AQUARIUM.
KRISTA'S BEEN WITH THE NOAA
MARINE DEGREE PROGRAM
SINCE 2015 WHERE SHE FOCUSES ON
PREVENTING MARINATE DEBRIS
THROUGH COMMUNICATION,
EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.
AND WITH THAT, KRISTA,
THE FLOOR IS FLOORS.
>> THANKS SO MUCH, BRUCE.
AND THANKS SO MUCH FOR
HAVING ME TONIGHT.
I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE.
AS BRUCE SAID,
SO I'M GOING TO DIVE INTO THE
WORLD OF MARINE DEBRIS.
GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT
WHAT MARINE DEBRIS IS AND
GENERAL INFORMATION, WHAT'S NEW
IN FIELD OF MARINE DEBRIS AS
WELL AS HOW TO TALK ABOUT IT
AND -- SO WITH THAT -- LET'S
SEE HERE.
FIRST OFF,
WHAT IS MARINE DEBRIS?
SO, FIRST OF
ALL,
IT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST
POLLUTION PROBLEMS FACING OUR
OCEAN AND GREAT LAKES TODAY.
BUT THERE IS ACTUALLY A LEGAL 4
DEFINITION, BELIEVE IT OR NOT,
AND IT'S VERY LONG AND KIND
OF UNWIELDY -- ON ANY
PERSISTENT SOLID MATERIAL THAT
IS
MANUFACTURED OR PROCESSED AND
DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY,
INTENTIONALLY OR
UNINTENTIONALLY DISPOSED OF OR
ABANDONED
INTO THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT OR
THE GREAT LAKES.
THAT'S KIND OF A MOUTHFUL,
SO I LIKE TO FOCUS ON
JUST KIND OF PART OF THAT.
SOLID MATERIAL AND MANUFACTURED
OR PROCESSED.
SO
BASICALLY MARINE DEBRIS IS ANY
SOLID MANMADE MATERIAL IN
THE OCEAN AND THE GREAT LAKES.
SO AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THAT
INCLUDES LOTS OF DIFFERENT
TYPES OF ITEMS RANGING FROM
SMALL MICRO BEADS THAT ARE USED
AS EXFOLIANT IN PERSONAL
CARE PRODUCTS -- USED IN THE
UNITED STATES NOW THAT WILL BE
IN EFFECT AT LEAST FULLY IN
2019; GOING TO A CARELESSLY
DISCARDED BOTTLE AND ALL THE
WAY UP TO LARGE, ABANDONED AND
DERELICT VESSELS AND PRETTY
MUCH ANYTHING IN BETWEEN.
AND AS YOU'LL NOTICE,
A LOT OF THESE MATERIALS
ARE MADE OF PLASTIC.
AND WHAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT PLASTIC
IS
THAT IT NEVER FULLY GOES AWAY.
IT NEVER FULLY BIODEGRADES.
BUT IT DOES BREAK DOWN.
AND WHAT HAPPENS IS THESE
ITEMS,
ONCE THEY'VE BEEN IN THE
ENVIRONMENT FOR A LITTLE WHILE
AND
EXPOSED TO SALT OR WIND AND
WAVES AND SUNLIGHT, THEY CAN
BREAK DOWN INTO SMALLER AND
SMALLER PIECES.
AND WE CALL
THESE MICRO PLASTICS.
MICRO PLASTICS ARE ANY PLASTIC
PIECE THAT'S LESS 5
THEN 5 MILLIMETERS IN SIZE.
SO THE REAL PROBLEM IS ONCE ANY
OF THESE ITEMS
GET INTO OUR ENVIRONMENT --
EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT SUPER
FAMILIAR WITH MARINE DEBRIS,
I DO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO
TALK ABOUT THE GREAT PACIFIC
GARBAGE PATCH.
MOST LIKELY
EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT SUPER
FAMILIAR WITH THIS TOPIC,
YOU'VE
PROBABLY HEARD OF THE GREAT
PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH.
IT'S
BEEN IN THE MEDIA A LOT OF IN
THE PAST FEW YEARS, WHICH IS
HAS BEEN REALLY GOOD IN THAT IT
INCREASED AWARENESS OF THIS
REALLY IMPORTANT TOPIC.
BUT THERE'S A LOT OF
MISINFORMATION OUT THERE AS
WELL.
SO I'M GOING TO TAKE THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO GO INTO
OUR FIRST INTERACTIVE POLLING
QUESTION.
>> HI, EVERYONE.
SO WE'VE GOT OUR FIRST
INTERACTIVE POLLING QUESTION.
FEEL FREE TO CLICK ON YOUR
SCREEN.
UNFORTUNATELY,
THERE HAVE BEEN ISSUES IN THE
PAST
WITH MAC COMPUTERS AS WELL AS
I-PADS.
SO MY APOLOGIES TO
YOU IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE WITH
THOSE.
BUT IF YOU WOULD JUST
SELECT YOUR ANSWER,
THEN WE'LL SEE WHAT WE GET AND
KRISTA
CAN GIVE US THE INFORMATION WE
NEED.
>> REALLY,
I MEAN THIS IS A INTERESTING.
I'M
INTERESTED TO SEE 'CAUSE A LOT
OF PEOPLE -- AGAIN, THERE IS
SO MUCH MISINFORMATION ABOUT
THERE, SO LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T
FULLY UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT
THE GARBAGE PATCH IS.
AND IF
YOU DON'T,
DON'T FEEL BAD ABOUT THAT
BECAUSE YOU'RE ONE OF 6
MANY.
>> OKAY.
WE'RE JUST GOING TO LEAVE THE
POLL UP
FOR ANOTHER FEW SECONDS.
IT LOOKS LIKE MOST PEOPLE HAVE
VOTED.
AND WITH THAT I'M GOING TO
CLOSE DOWN AND LET'S SEE
HOW PEOPLE ANSWERED.
KRISTA, CAN YOU SEE THAT?
>> UM, NO.
HERE WE GO
>> THERE YOU GO.
>> NO,
I'M STILL HAVING ISSUES SEEING
THIS.
>> THAT'S OKAY.
WE'VE GOT ABOUT 58 PERCENT THAT
HAVE SAID THAT IT WAS AN AREA
OF HIGHER DEBRIS
CONCENTRATION.
FORTY-TWO PERCENT SAID IT WAS A
FLOATING
ISLAND OF TRASH IN THE OCEAN.
AND NO ONE SAID IT WAS AN
ACTUAL ISLAND HEAVILY IMPACTED
BY DEBRIS.
AND NO ONE ALSO
SAID IT WAS THE NICKNAME OF A
WHALE THAT INGESTED DEBRIS
>> WELL, THAT'S GREAT.
SO AS MOST OF YOU ARE ON
BOARD WITH THE GREAT PACIFIC
GARBAGE PATCH, ALTHOUGH A LOT
OF PEOPLE THINK THIS,
WHEN THEY THINK OF THE GARBAGE
PATCH
THEY THINK OF FLOATING ISLAND
OF TRASH.
AND FOR THOSE OF
YOU WHO VOTED ON THAT OPTION,
MOST LIKELY THAT'S BECAUSE
THAT'S HOW IT'S OFTEN PORTRAYED
IN THE MEDIA.
BUT IN REALITY RATHER THAN A
FLOATING ISLAND OF
TRASH,
THE GARBAGE PATCH ACTUALLY
LOOKS A LOT LIKE THIS.
AND IT'S POSSIBLE TO ACTUALLY
SAIL THROUGH THE GARBAGE
PATCH WITHOUT EVEN REALIZING
THAT YOU ARE.
AND THE REASON
FOR THAT IS BECAUSE THE
MAJORITY OF DEBRIS THAT IS IN
OUR 7
OPEN OCEAN ARE THOSE SMALL
MICRO PLASTIC PIECES.
ONCE
DEBRIS ITEMS ARE IN THE OCEAN
ENVIRONMENT FOR AN EXTENDED
PERIOD OF TIME, AGAIN,
THEY DON'T FULLY BIODEGRADE,
THEY
DON'T GO WAY.
BUT THEY DO BREAK DOWN INTO
SMALLER AND
SMALLER PIECES.
AND NOW,
NOT ONLY ARE THOSE PIECES
LOCATED AT THE
SURFACE LIKE A FLOATING ISLAND,
THEY'RE LOCATED THROUGHOUT
THE ENTIRE WATER COLUMN AND ALL
THE WAY DOWN TO THE OCEAN
FLOOR.
SO, OBVIOUSLY,
THIS CAN CREATE A BIT OF AN
ISSUE
AS FAR AS TRYING TO CLEAN THAT
UP.
NOW,
I'LL GET BACK TO THAT IN A
MOMENT.
BUT
FIRST THE NEXT KIND OF OBVIOUS
QUESTION IS, WHAT'S THE
IMPACT OF ALL OF THIS.
AND, UNFORTUNATELY,
MARINE DEBRIS
HAS A LOT OF NEGATIVE IMPACT;
FIRST BEING DANGER TO
WILDLIFE
NOW,
THIS REALLY STRIKES A CORD
BECAUSE THERE'S A
LOT OF REALIZE POWERFUL IMAGERY
ASSOCIATED WITH THESE
IMPACTS;
THE FIRST BEING ENTANGLEMENT.
SO ANIMALS BEING
TANGLED UP IN DEBRIS.
AND THIS HAPPENS MOSTLY WITH
NETS OR
DERELICT ROPE.
IT CAN ALSO IMPACT WILDLIFE
THROUGH INGESTION.
SO ANIMALS THAT EITHER
ACCIDENTALLY INGEST DEBRIS
THINKING
THAT IT'S FOOD OR ACCIDENTALLY
INGEST IT ALONG WITH THEIR
FOOD.
8
AND A GREAT WAY TO THINK ABOUT
THAT IS ACTUALLY
THROUGH A REALLY EASY VISUAL
EXAMPLE.
ON THE LEFT HERE IS
JUST A PLASTIC PRODUCE BAG AND
A JAR OF WATER.
AND SO YOU
CAN SEE HOW ESPECIALLY AN
ANIMAL THAT DOESN'T KNOW WHAT A
PLASTIC BAG IS COULD REALLY
EASILY MISTAKE THAT FOR
SOMETHING LIKE A JELLYFISH.
NOW,
DEBRIS CAN ALSO CAUSE HARM TO
0ABITATS,
CRUSHING OR SMOTHERING
SENSITIVE HABITATS SUCH AS
CORRALS
OR SEA GRASS.
IT CAN CREATE A HAZARD TO
NAVIGATION.
SO IN THIS IMAGE HERE YOU CAN
SEE A LARGE
PROPELLER THAT'S BEEN TANGLED
UP IN DERELICT ROPE.
AND
THIS CAN BE REALLY DANGEROUS
FOR US.
IT CAN ALSO CREATE A THREAT TO
THE ECONOMY FROM
TOURISTS THAT DON'T WANT TO
VISIT A BEACH THAT LOOKS LIKE
THIS -- I CERTAINLY DON'T -- TO
A FISHERMAN WHO MIGHT NOT
BE ABLE TO CATCH WHAT HE'S
GOING AFTER BECAUSE DERELICT
GEAR IS CATCHING IT INSTEAD.
AND, FINALLY,
IT CAN CREATE A RISK TO HUMAN
HEALTH,
EITHER FROM DANGEROUS DEBRIS
ITEMS THAT END UP ON
OUR SHORES OR EVEN FROM ANIMALS
THAT ARE INGESTING DEBRIS
THAT END UP ON OUR DINNER
PLATE.
AND THIS IS AN AREA THAT
A LOT OF RESEARCH IS STILL
BEING DONE IN.
SO THE NEXT QUESTION HERE IS,
WHERE DOES ALL THIS
DEBRIS COME FROM?
AND WE REALLY KIND OF PUT THESE
INTO TWO
SEPARATE CATEGORIES.
THE FIRST IS LAND-BASED
SOURCES.
SO 9
THIS MIGHT BE SOMEBODY THAT
EITHER INTENTIONALLY OR
UNINTENTIONALLY LITTERS OR EVEN
DEBRIS ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN
PROPERLY DISPOSED OF INTO A
TRASH OR RECYCLING BIN BUT THAT
HAVE BEEN BLOWN OR WASHED AWAY
FROM THE WEATHER.
THE SECOND CATEGORY IS
OCEAN-BASED SOURCES.
SO
THIS CAN INCLUDE DERELICT
FISHING GEAR OR DEBRIS ITEMS
THAT
MIGHT HAVE FALLEN OFF A VESSEL.
AND THIS IS GOING TO BRING
ME TO QUESTION NUMBER TWO,
WHICH IS REALLY FOCUSING ON THE
TYPES OF DEBRIS THAT ARE
GETTING IN THERE AND HOW MUCH.
>> HI, CHRISTOPHER.
FIRST QUESTION NUMBER TWO, I
HAVE THE OUNCE OF DEBRIS.
>> YES,
SO HOW MUCH PLASTIC IS ENTERING
OUR OCEAN
EACH YEAR?
>> OKAY.
THAT'S THE QUESTION.
SO TAKE A MOMENT
TO SELECT.
AND I'M ACTUALLY SORT OF AFRAID
TO SEE THE --
TO HEAR THE ACTUAL ANSWER
>> IT IS SEMI STAGGERING.
NOT TO GIVE ANY HINTS,
BUT.
>> REGARDLESS,
EVEN -- ANY OF THOSE NUMBERS I
A
MASSIVE AMOUNT, IN MY OPINION
>> YES, I AGREE WITH THAT
>> WELL,
WE'VE GOT A MAJORITY OF PEOPLE
VOTING.
IF FOLKS WANT TO TAKE JUST
ANOTHER MOMENT OR TWO WE'RE
GOING TO CLOSE DOWN THE POLL.
` ALL RIGHT.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE 3 PERCENT OF
OUR 10
RESPONDENTS SAY EIGHT METRICS
TONS OF DEBRIS.
TWO PERCENT
SAID 80 METRIC TONS.
ELEVEN PERCENT SAID 8,
000 METRIC
TONS.
FIFTY-FOUR PERCENT SAID 80,
000 METRICS TONS OF
DEBRIS.
AND 30 PERCENT SAID 8 -- IS
THAT CORRECT,
8 MILLION METRIC SONS OF
DEBRIS?
WOW.
>> YEAH.
SO, UNFORTUNATELY,
THE 30 PERCENT HAVE
IT.
8 MILLION METRIC TONS OF
PLASTIC DEBRIS.
SO THIS
SPECIFICALLY PLASTIC ENTERS OUR
OCEAN EVERY YEAR.
AND THIS
IS FROM A STUDY THAT WAS DONE
IN 2015 LOOKING AT PLASTIC
DEBRIS ENTERING OUR
ENVIRONMENT.
AND SO, OBVIOUSLY,
THAT IS A REALLY STAGGERING
FIGURE.
AND THIS IS DEBRIS THAT'S
COMING FROM BOTH
LAND-BASED AND OCEAN-BASED
SOURCES.
BUT ALL OF THIS HAS
ONE REALLY IMPORTANT THING IN
COMMON: AND THAT'S US.
ALL
MARINE DEBRIS COMES FROM
PEOPLE.
SO AS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT
WITH THE DEFINITION,
MARINE DEBRIS IS SOLID MANMADE
MATERIAL.
IT ALL COMES FROM
US.
AND I LIKE TO FREEZE THIS IN
THE WAY THAT LUCKILY IT
ALL COMES FROM,
WE'RE THE PROBLEM HERE,
BECAUSE THAT MEANS
THAT WE HAVE THE ULTIMATE POWER
TO BE THE SOLUTION.
THE
SOLUTION IS A HUNDRED PERCENT
ON US.
SO THAT, OF COURSE,
LEADS US TO THE QUESTION:
WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT?
WE HAVE THE POWER TO BE THE
SOLUTION.
HOW DO WE GO ABOUT DOING THAT?
AND LUCKILY
THERE ARE LOTS OF DIFFERENT
THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO 11
ADDRESS MARINE DEBRIS.
THE FIRST IS RESEARCH.
SO WITH ANY ISSUE,
OBVIOUSLY,
WE WANT TO KNOW AS MUCH ABOUT
IT AS POSSIBLE.
SO LEARNING MORE ABOUT DEBRIS
SO THAT WE CAN BETTER ADDRESS
IT IN THE FUTURE IS REALLY
IMPORTANT.
AND THIS IS A
SUBJECT THAT HAS BEEN GETTING
MORE AND MORE INTEREST OVER
THE YEARS.
SO A LOT OF RESEARCHERS ARE
FOCUSING ON THIS
NOW.
AND ONE POINT THAT I THOUGHT
WAS REALLY IMPORTANT
TO STRESS IS THE FACT THAT WE
ARE STILL LEARNING.
I GUESS
ONE GOOD THING ABOUT MARINE
DEBRIS IS THAT IT IS A VERY
TANGIBLE TOPIC.
IT CAN FAIRLY EASY TO
UNDERSTAND AND TO
EXPLAIN WHAT THE PROBLEM IS.
AND SOMETIMES WE FORGET ABOUT
THE FACT THAT WE DON'T KNOW
EVERYTHING ABOUT IT YET.
WE'RE
STILL LEARNING.
WE'RE STILL LEARNING ABOUT
PLASTIC DEBRIS
AND MICRO PLASTICS AND HOW THEY
INTERACT WITH THE
ENVIRONMENT SUCH LEACHING
ABSORBING CHEMICALS.
WE'RE STILL
LEARNING ABOUT ITS IMPACTS ON
HUMAN HEALTH.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF AREAS THAT
WE STILL DON'T
NECESSARILY KNOW EVERYTHING IN.
SO SOME OF THE CURRENT RESEARCH
FOCUS THAT I HAVE
DOWN HERE IS, AGAIN,
FOCUSING ON THOSE MICRO PLASTIC
PIECES,
HOW THEY INTERACT WITH THE
ENVIRONMENT, HOW THEY
GET THERE,
ESPECIALLY FOCUSING ON
DIFFERENT TYPES OF MICRO
PLASTICS SUCH AS MICRO FIBERS,
WHICH ARE SMALL PLASTIC 12
PIECES THAT MIGHT WASH OFF OUR
CLOTHING IN THE WASH.
ANOTHER REAL FOCUS AREA ON A
LOT OF RESEARCH IS
WITH MONITORING.
SO THIS INCLUDES BEACH SURVEYS
AND TRYING
TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE
ABOUT WHAT TYPES OF DEBRIS ARE
WASHING UP IN DIFFERENT PLACES,
WHERE IT'S ENDING UP, WHEN
THAT MIGHT CHANGE DEPENDING ON
THE TIME OF YEAR, WHAT TYPES
OF DEBRIS -- CHANGE DEPENDING
ON WHERE YOU ARE, SO REGIONAL
DEBRIS.
AND HERE I THOUGHT IT WAS ALSO
REALLY IMPORTANT
TO STRESS THE FACT THAT CITIZEN
SCIENCE IS ALSO A REALLY
IMPORTANT PART OF MARINE DEBRIS
RESEARCH, ESPECIALLY WHEN
IT COMES TO TOPICS SUCH AS
MONITORING.
YOU CAN IMAGINE
THERE IS A LARGE AREA TO
SURVEY.
AND SO HAVE CITIZEN
SCIENCES OUT THERE TO HELP
COLLECT THAT DATA IS REALLY
VALUABLE.
AND AT THE MARINE DEBRIS
PROGRAM WE ACTUALLY
HAVE A VERY ROBUST CITIZEN
SCIENCE PROGRAM WHERE
VOLUNTEERS
COME THROUGHOUT -- RIGHT NOW
THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES
AND HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO GO AND
SURVEY THE SAME BEACH EVERY
MONTH AND GATHER REALLY
VALUABLE DATA THAT CAN TELL US
A
LOT ABOUT MARINE DEBRIS AND HOW
IT MOVES AND WHERE IT ENDS
UP.
NOW, UNFORTUNATELY,
THERE IS SUCH MUCH DEBRIS OUT
THERE RIGHT NOW THAT WE DO
STILL HAVE TO FOCUS ON REMOVING
IT.
SO REMOVAL IS ANOTHER WAY THAT
WE CAN ADDRESS MARINE
DEBRIS.
CLEANING UP WHAT'S ALREADY OUT
THERE.
AND WHAT WE 13
FOUND IT THAT IT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT TO FOCUS ON OUR
COASTS
AND OUR SHORE LINES.
SO AS I MENTIONED WITH THE
GREAT PACIFIC GARBAGE
PATCH,
THE MAJORITY OF THE DEBRIS
THAT'S IN OUR OPEN OCEAN
IS REALLY SMALL AND IS LOCATED
THROUGHOUT THE WATER COLUMN,
SO IT CAN MAKE OUR EFFORTS NOT
GO QUITE AS FAR.
IT CAN BE
REALLY DIFFICULT TO CLEAN UP
THAT TYPE OF DEBRIS.
SO WHERE WE MAKE THE MOST
DIFFERENCE IS FOCUSING
ON OUR SHORES AND ON OUR
COASTAL WATERS AND MAKING THAT
WE'RE PICKING UP THE DEBRIS
BEFORE IT GETS OUT INTO THE
OPEN OCEAN.
AND HERE AGAIN -- AND THIS IS
GOING TO BE A THEME
THROUGHOUT THIS PRESENTATION --
IS THAT EVERYBODY CAN MAKE
A BIG DIFFERENCE HERE.
SO VOLUNTEERS CAN MAKE A REALLY
BIG
DIFFERENCE.
AND A GREAT EXAMPLE THAT I LIKE
TO USE IS THE
INTERNATIONAL COASTAL CLEANUP.
AND THIS IS EVENT PUT ON --
SEPTEMBER EVERY YEAR IN WHICH
PEOPLE COME FROM AROUND THE
WORLD AND THEY COME TOGETHER
AND THEY CLEAN UP THEIR LOCAL
SHORES.
AND JUST FROM THAT ONE ALONE
YOU CAN MAKE A REALLY
BIG IMPACT.
AND SO THAT ACTUALLY BRINGS ME
TO QUESTION NUMBER
THREE AS FAR AS HOW BIG OF AN
IMPACT DO YOU THINK THESE
VOLUNTEERS POTENTIALLY HAD?
` >> SO THE POLLS ARE ONCE
AGAIN OPEN.
LET US KNOW
HOW MUCH DEBRIS WAS COLLECTED
BY VOLUNTEERS IN THE 2016 14
INTERNATIONAL COASTAL CLEANUP.
>> AND I WILL LET YOU KNOW SO,
FIRST OF ALL,
THESE ARE STATS FROM 2016
BECAUSE THE 2017 DATA IS NOT
AVAILABLE YET.
A LOT OF DATA TO PUT TOGETHER.
AND I WILL
LET YOU KNOW THAT THERE WAS
OVER 500,000 VOLUNTEERS IN THE
2016 INTERNATIONAL COASTAL
CLEANUP FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
[PAUSE]
>> AND, KRISTA, IF I MIGHT ASK,
DO WE KNOW THE
EXTENT -- DO YOU KNOW THE
EXTENT OF THE SHORELINE THAT
THOSE VOLUNTEERS WERE ABLE TO
ACCESS?
>> THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION.
I DON'T HAVE THAT
STAT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD,
BUT THAT IS A METRIC THAT IS
AVAILABLE ON THE OCEAN
CONSERVANCY'S WEBSITE
>> GREAT, THANKS.
WELL,
WE'VE GOT MOST PEOPLE VOTING,
SO LET'S SEE
HOW EVERYONE DID.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE 2 PERCENT OF
OUR
ATTENDEES SAID THAT 84 POUNDS
OF MARINE DEBRIS WAS
COLLECTED,
2 PERCENT SAID 840 POUNDS WERE
COLLECTED,
8 PERCENT SAID THAT 1,
840 POUNDS WERE COLLECTED,
48 PERCENT
SAID THAT 18,400,
000 POUNDS WERE COLLECTED,
AND 42 PERCENT
WENT FOR 180,400,
000 POUNDS OF MARINE DEBRIS
COLLECTED
>> WELL,
WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE A VERY SMART
AUDIENCE
'CAUSE D IS THE CORRECT ANSWER,
ALTHOUGH I WISH THAT I
COULD SAY WE WERE ABLE TO PICK
UP A HUNDRED AND
80 MILLION POUNDS OF DEBRIS,
NOT THAT I WISH THAT THERE WAS
15
THAT MUCH OUT THERE BUT,
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S PROBABLY
TRUE.
BUT OVER 500,
000 VOLUNTEERS WERE ABLE TO
PICK UP
OVER 18 MILLION POUNDS OF
DEBRIS ON THE COURSE OF ONE
DAY.
AND THAT'S JUST ONE EVENT.
AND THERE ARE CLEANUP EVENTS
THAT HAPPEN ALL OVER THE PLACE
ALL THE TIME.
SO, ONCE AGAIN,
EVERYONE REALLY CAN CONTRIBUTE
TO
THE SOLUTION HERE AND
VOLUNTEERS REALLY DO MAKE A
REALLY
BIG DIFFERENCE.
SO NEXT, PREVENTION,
WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT MARINE
DEBRIS?
PREVENTION IS THE ULTIMATE
SOLUTION.
AND I
PERSONALLY LIKE TO USE AN
ANALOGY OF AN OVERFLOWING SINK.
SO IMAGINE THAT YOU'VE WALKED
INTO YOUR KITCHEN
AND YOU SEE YOUR SINK
OVERFLOWING AND SPILLING ALL
OVER THE
FLOOR.
AND BESIDES TAKING A BRIEF
MOMENT TO PANIC ABOUT
IT,
THE FIRST THING YOU WOULD DO IS
VERY OBVIOUS.
YOU
WOULD WALK OVER TO THE SINK AND
TURN OFF THE TAP BEFORE YOU
STARTED CLEANING EVERYTHING UP.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT PREVENTION
IS.
IT'S TURNING
OFF THE TAP,
STOPPING ITEMS FROM BECOMING
DEBRIS IN THE
FIRST PLACE.
AND THAT IS REALLY THE ULTIMATE
SOLUTION AS
FAR AS STOPPING DEBRIS,
THIS ISSUE.
AND THE WAY WE MOSTLY
DO THAT IS THROUGH EDUCATION
OUTREACH -- WHAT THE ISSUE IS
AND LETTING THEM KNOW HOW THEY
CAN HELP AND REALLY WORKING
TOWARD BEHAVIOR CHANGE.
THE BEHAVIOR CHANGE IS OUR 16
ULTIMATE GOAL HERE.
AND THIS CAN BE SOMETHING VERY
SMALL OR SOMETHING
REALLY BIG.
SO IT'S SOMETHING AS SMALL AS
TAKING A
REUSABLE BAG TO THE GROCERY
STORE RATHER THAN TAKING A
PLASTIC ONE WHEN YOU GO
SHOPPING OR SOMETHING AS BIG AS
ORGANIZING A CLEANUP EVENT OR
COMMITTING TO A ZERO WASTE
LIFE-STYLE.
AND SO REALLY ENCOURAGING THESE
-- AND SO REALLY
ENCOURAGING THESE BEHAVIORS,
EITHER SMALL OR LARGE --
SMALL'S, OBVIOUSLY,
A LITTLE LESS INTIMIDATING --
CAN
REALLY MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE
SO, ONCE AGAIN,
PREVENTION IS REALLY THE
ULTIMATE
SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM.
IT'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO STOP
IT.
NOW,
THERE ARE LOTS OF GROUPS ALL
OVER THE PLACE
THAT ARE WORKING TO ADDRESS
MARINE DEBRIS THROUGH THESE
STRATEGIES, INCLUDING US.
AND SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE
THE NOAA MARINE DEBRIS -- TO
ADDRESS MARINE DEBRIS IN THE
UNITED STATES.
WE WERE ESTABLISHED IN 2006 BY
THE MARINE
DEBRIS ACT.
AND OUR GOAL IS REALLY TO PUT
OURSELVES OUT OF
A JOB.
AND, OBVIOUSLY,
WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO BEFORE
WE
GET THERE,
BUT WE DO THAT THROUGH WHAT WE
CALL OUR FIVE
PROGRAM PILLARS,
THREE OF WHICH ARE THOSE THREE
STRATEGIES
WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED:
RESEARCH, REMOVAL, PREVENTION.
WE ALSO ADDRESS MARINE DEBRIS
THROUGH EMERGENCY
RESPONSE.
SO ADDRESSING DEBRIS CREATED
THROUGH SEVERE 17
EVENTS SUCH AS SEVERE STORMS AS
WELL AS REGIONAL
COORDINATION.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER
THE FACT THAT
ALTHOUGH THIS IS A GLOBAL
PROBLEM, TOUCHES ALL CORNERS OF
THE GLOBE,
IT HAS LOCAL SOLUTIONS.
SO SOMETHING THAT WORKS
IN ONE COMMUNITY ISN'T
NECESSARILY GOING TO WORK IN
ANOTHER.
AND THE WAY WE DO THAT IS
THROUGH OUR MARINE
DEBRIS PROGRAM REGIONS.
SO WE'RE NOT A VERY BIG STAFF.
WE'RE ONLY ABOUT
20 SOME-ODD PEOPLE -- IN SILVER
SPRING, MARYLAND.
AND THE
OTHER HALF ARE SCATTERED
THROUGHOUT OUT THE COUNTRY AS
REGIONAL COORDINATORS THROUGH
FOR VARIOUS REGIONS.
AND
THESE PEOPLE SERVE AS OUR POINT
OF CONTACT TO WORK WITH THE
PARTNERS IN THE REGION AND ARE
MUCH MORE ATTUNE TO THE
SPECIFIC NATURE OF THE MARINE
DEBRIS PROBLEM IN EACH AREA
AND SO THE REASON I WANTED TO
INCLUDE THIS SLIDE
IS THAT IF MARINE DEBRIS IS
SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE REALLY
LOOKING TO INCORPORATE INTO
YOUR CLASSROOM AND YOU'RE
LOOKING FOR MORE REGIONAL
SPECIFIC RESOURCES, OR EVEN IF
YOU JUST HAVE GENERAL MARINE
DEBRIS QUESTIONS, OUR REGIONAL
COORDINATORS ARE REALLY GREAT
PEOPLE TO REACH OUT TO.
AND
I HAVE THEM LISTED HERE AS WELL
AS OUR URL FOR WHERE YOU
CAN FIND THIS INFORMATION AS
WELL THEIR CONTACT
INFORMATION.
NOW, ONCE AGAIN,
THIS IS KIND OF THE THEME OF
THE
PRESENTATION HERE: IS THAT
EVERY PERSON CAN MAKE A 18
DIFFERENCE.
AND THAT, I THINK,
IS A REALLY JUST THE
TAKE-HOME IN THAT IT MIGHT SEEM
LIKE YOUR SMALL ACTIONS
DON'T REALLY MEAN MUCH;
I HAVE A PLASTIC BOTTLE AND I
CAN
EITHER THROW IT IN THE TRASH
CAN WHERE IT'S GOING TO GO TO
THE LANDFILL OR I CAN THROW IT
IN THE RECYCLING BIN AND
HAVE IT RECYCLED.
BUT IT'S ONLY ONE PLASTIC
BOTTLE.
IT'S
NOT GOING TO MAKE MUCH OF A
DIFFERENCE.
AND SO I LIKE TO TELL PEOPLE,
IF YOU CAN THINK
ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE
MAKING THAT SAME DECISION,
WHAT A DIFFERENCE WE COULD MAKE
TOGETHER.
AND IT'S REALLY
TRUE THAT EVERY SINGLE PERSON
CAN BE PART OF THAT SOLUTION.
SO THAT LEADS US TO THE
ULTIMATE QUESTION HERE:
IS HOW DO YOU BECOME A MARINE
DEBRIS STEWARD, OR PROBABLY
MORE APPROPRIATELY FOR THIS
AUDIENCE IS HOW DO YOU
ENCOURAGE YOUR CLASS TO BECOME
MARINE DEBRIS STEWARDS?
AND
THE FIRST STEP THERE IS KNOWING
ABOUT THE ISSUE.
AND WE DO
THAT BY TALKING ABOUT MARINE
DEBRIS IN AN EFFECTIVE WAY --
SUBJECT,
SOME MORE EFFECTIVE THAN
OTHERS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE
REALLY TRY TO FOCUS ON
AND CAN BE REALLY DIFFICULT IS
KEEPING YOUR MESSAGING
POSITIVE.
MARINE DEBRIS IS A TOPIC THAT
CAN GET REALLY
HEAVY REALLY FAST.
AND SO ALTHOUGH IT'S REALLY
TEMPTING TO
FOCUS ON IMAGES LIKE THIS OR
THIS OR THAT, AND THEY CAN BE
REALLY POWERFUL AND DEFINITELY
HAVE THEIR PLACE AS FAR AS
TRYING TO COMMUNICATE THE
IMPACT OF THIS ISSUE,
IT'S REALLY 19
IMPORTANT TO FOCUS ON MORE
POSITIVE IMAGERY AND MORE
POSITIVE MESSAGING LIKE THIS
BECAUSE WE WANT PEOPLE TO
WALKWAY AWAY FROM OUR
CONVERSATION FEELING HOPEFUL
AND
FEELING EMPOWERED TO BECOME
STEWARDS RATHER THAN FEELING
HOPELESS AND LIKE NOTHING THEY
DO IS GOING TO MAKE A
DIFFERENCE.
ANOTHER REALLY IMPORTANT PART
ON POINT IS TO
ENCOURAGE BOTH SMALL AND LARGE
ACTIONS.
SO AS I MENTIONED
WITH BEHAVIOR CHANGE,
IT'S BOTH SMALL AND LARGE
ACTIONS
THAT MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.
AND WHERE ENCOURAGING LARGE
ACTIONS IS GREAT,
OFTENTIMES THAT CAN FEEL VERY
OVERWHELMING.
AND SO SOMETHING SMALL THAT
MIGHT NOT FEEL
LIKE A BIG DEAL CAN REALLY BE A
BIG DEAL.
SO REALLY
DRIVING THAT POINT HOME,
THAT EVERY LITTLE THING DOES
HELP.
AND THEN, ONCE AGAIN,
EVERYONE CAN HELP BECAUSE
IT ALL COMES DOWN TO PEOPLE.
REMEMBER, PEOPLE ARE THE
ENTIRE CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM.
BUT THAT ALSO MEANS THAT WE
HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE THE
SOLUTION.
AND SO EVERY SINGLE
PERSON CAN BE PART OF THAT,
NO MATTER WHERE YOU'RE FROM OR
WHO YOU ARE, HOW OLD YOU ARE,
EVERYONE CAN BE PART OF THAT
SOLUTION TO MARINE DEBRIS.
AND THEN FINALLY,
THE OTHER POINT THAT WE REALLY
TRY TO FOCUS ON IS THE FACT
THAT THIS IS A GLOBAL PROBLEM
BUT THAT HAS LOCAL SOLUTIONS.
THE ISSUE IS GOING TO BE
DIFFERENT IN EVERY COMMUNITY
AND THE WAY TO BEST ADDRESS IT
20
IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT IN
EVERY COMMUNITY.
AND SO BEING
AWARE OF THAT IS REALLY
IMPORTANT.
SO KNOWING ABOUT THE ISSUE IS A
REALLY IMPORTANT
FIRST STEP, OBVIOUSLY,
TO BECOMING A STEWARD FOR
MARINE
DEBRIS.
THE NEXT REALLY IMPORTANT STEP
IS CONNECTING TO
THAT ISSUE.
SO IT'S ONE THING TO UNDERSTAND
WHAT MARINE
DEBRIS IS AND WHAT CAUSES IT
AND ITS IMPACT.
BUT BEING
ABLE TO SEE HOW YOU MIGHT FIT
INTO THAT PROBLEM CAN BE KIND
OF DIFFICULT,
ESPECIALLY IF YOU DON'T LIVE IN
AN AREA WHERE
YOU REALLY SEE IT.
SO THE FIRST STEP IS REALLY TO
KIND OF TAKE A
STEP BACK AND THINK ABOUT HOW
YOU MIGHT CONTRIBUTE TO THE
PROBLEM.
IT MIGHT BE WHEN I GO TO THE
RESTAURANT AND A
WAITRESS HANDS ME A
PAPER-WRAPPED PLASTIC STRAW
WITH MY
WATER AND I ABSENT-MINDEDLY
PICK IT UP AND PUT IT IN MY
DRINK WITHOUT REALLY THINKING
ABOUT IT.
A LOT OF TIMES
IT'S JUST SOCIAL NORMS THAT WE
DON'T THINK ABOUT AT ALL.
OR IT MIGHT BE GOING AND
GETTING MY COFFEE EVERY DAY IN
A
DISPOSABLE CUP RATHER THAN
BRINGING MY OWN REUSABLE CUP.
SO REALLY TAKING THAT STEP BACK
TO THINK ABOUT
THOSE THINGS CAN BE REALLY
IMPORTANT.
NEXT DISCUSSING WATERSHEDS AND
THINKING ABOUT
WATERSHEDS CAN BE REALLY
HELPFUL IN TRYING TO UNDERSTAND
HOW WE ALL CONTRIBUTE EVEN IF
YOU DON'T LIVE BY THE SHORE.
21
SO AGAIN,
IT CAN BE REALLY DIFFICULT TO
CONNECT
TO THIS ISSUE WHEN YOU LIVE FAR
AWAY FROM THE COAST.
BUT
UNDERSTANDING HOW THE
WATERSHEDS MAKE MARINE DEBRIS
CAN BE
REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND THIS IMAGE HERE IS OF A
WATERSHED MODEL.
IF
YOU HAVE ACCESS TO ONE OF THESE
I DEFINITELY ENCOURAGE YOU
TO USE IT.
WE FOUND IT REALLY USEFUL.
IF YOU DON'T, I
KNOW MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE MADE
SOME THEMSELVES THAT WORK
JUST AS WELL.
BUT USING A WATERSHED MODEL AND
USING SOME
SORT OF REPRESENTATION OF
MARINE DEBRIS, SUCH AS RICE OR
OATMEAL OR WHOEVER YOU USE,
CAN BE FUN ACTUALLY AND THAT
KIDS CAN THINK ABOUT WHERE
DEBRIS IS LIKELY TO ACCUMULATE
AND PUT THE DEBRIS IN THE
APPROPRIATE PLACES ON THE
WATERSHED AND THEN REALLY
QUICKLY SEE HOW QUICKLY IT
MOVES
AND HOW IT ALL MOVES DOWN TO
THE SAME POINT.
AND FINALLY AND VERY RELATED,
JUST TALKING ABOUT
HOW MARINE DEBRIS CAN MOVE CAN
BE REALLY IMPORTANT AS WELL
AS FAR AS UNDERSTANDING HOW OUR
PERSONAL DEBRIS CAN STILL
BECOME A PROBLEM EVEN FAR AWAY.
SO THIS IMAGE I FIND REALLY
POWERFUL IN THAT THIS
IS A COFFEE CUP IN THE
NORTHWESTERN HAWAII ISLANDS.
AND IF
YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE
NORTHWESTERN HAWAII ISLANDS I
DEFINITELY ENCOURAGE YOU TO
READ UP ON IT A LITTLE BIT.
IT'S A REALLY INTERESTING
EXAMPE OF MARINE DEBRIS
MOVEMENT
IN THAT THESE ARE ISLANDS VERY,
VERY FAR AWAY FROM LARGE 22
HUMAN POPULATIONS AND YET
BECAUSE OF THEIR PLACEMENT
WITHIN
THE NORTH PACIFIC GYRE AND THE
CURRENTS AND THE OCEAN
THEY'RE INUNDATED WITH DEBRIS.
THERE ARE CREWS THAT GO OUT
TO CLEAN UP THESE ISLANDS THAT
JUST PICK UP MASSIVE OF
CONSUMER DEBRIS SUCH AS
TOOTHBRUSHES AND COFFEE CUPS
AND
THINGS THAT YOU WOULDN'T EVEN
THINK ABOUT.
AND SO IT'S A REALLY GREAT
EXAMPLE OF HOW EVEN
OUR DEBRIS FROM FAR AWAY CAN
STILL IMPACT OUR ENVIRONMENT.
AND THIS IS ALSO A REALLY GOOD
POINT IN WHICH TO TALK ABOUT
THE FACT THAT THERE IS NO AWAY.
WHEN I THROW AWAY MY COFFEE CUP
IT'S NOT ACTUALLY
GOING AWAY 'CAUSE THERE'S NO
AWAY.
IT'S GOING SOMEWHERE
ELSE.
AND, UNFORTUNATELY,
TOO OFTEN IT ENDS UP IN
SOMEPLACE LIKE THIS.
NOW,
THERE ARE SOME REALLY GREAT
ACTIVITIES THAT
TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT THERE
IS -- AND I, UNFORTUNATELY,
DIDN'T INCLUDE IT IN MY SLIDE
HERE.
WITHIN A CURRICULUM
CREATED BY A PROGRAM CALLED
WASHED ASHORE.
AND THIS
CURRICULUM IS AVAILABLE OR OUR
WEBSITE IN WHICH I'LL
PROVIDE THE URL AND A FEW
RESOURCES AT THE END OF THIS
PRESENTATION.
THIS PARTICULAR ACTIVITY THAT
COMES FROM THIS
CURRICULUM DIVIDES STUDENTS
INTO TWO TEAMS THAT ARE DIVIDED
BY A BARRIER.
AND EACH TIME HAS THEIR OWN
KIND OF PILE OF
SAFE-TO-THROW MARINE DEBRIS OR
TRASH.
AND EACH TEAM IS 23
TOLD THAT THEY NEED TO CLEAN
THEIR SIDE OF THE DIVIDER.
AND SO EACH TEAM, OF COURSE,
THROWS THEIR TRASH
OVER THE DIVIDER TO GET IT
AWAY.
AND, OF COURSE, THAT
DOESN'T REALLY GET THEM VERY
FAR BECAUSE THE OTHER TEAM IS
DOING THE SAME THING RIGHT BACK
AT THEM.
AND SO EVENTUALLY THE STUDENTS
REALIZE THAT IN
OTHER TO HAVE A CLEAN AREA,
THEY HAVE TO TAKE
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR OWN
TRASH AND HOLD IT UP IN THEIR
ARMS SO THAT THEIR SIDE IS
CLEAN.
AND SO IT'S A REALLY POWERFUL
WAY TO HAVE
STUDENTS ARRIVE AT THEIR OWN
CONCLUSION THERE THAT THERE IS
NO WAY AWAY.
SO MAKING THAT CONNECTION CAN
BE REALLY
POWERFUL.
SO THIS IS GOING TO BRING ME TO
QUESTION FOUR
WHICH TALKS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
MARINE DEBRIS MOVEMENT.
THIS QUESTION IS MORE FUN,
KIND OF A FACTOID,
BUT I THOUGHT
I WOULD THROW IT IN THERE.
>> OKAY, THE POLL IS LIVE.
SO LET'S SEE WHAT THE
ANSWER IS.
>> AND THIS QUESTION IS
SPECIFICALLY ASKING ABOUT
DEBRIS THAT RESULTED FROM THE
2011 TSUNAMI IN JAPAN.
NOW -- THAT RESULTED IN A LOT
OF MARINE DEBRIS,
OBVIOUSLY SECONDARY TO THE
DAMAGE TO PROPERTY AND LOSS OF
LIFE.
BUT IT IS DEFINITELY AN ISSUE
THAT HAS KIND OF
RESOUNDING CONSEQUENCES YEARS
AFTER THE ACTUAL EVENT.
24
>>BRUCE: WE'RE GOING THE LEAVE
THE POLL OPEN FOR
JUST A FEW SECONDS LONGER,
GET A FEW LAST MOMENT VOTES IN.
OKAY.
SO IT APPEARS THAT 45 PERCENT
OF OUR
ATTENDEES VOTED FOR THE SOCCER
BALL, 20 PERCENT VOTED FOR A
VESSEL.
AND COULD YOU BE MORE SPECIFIC,
KRISTA, DESCRIBING
THE VESSEL?
>> WELL, ACTUALLY, BRUCE,
THERE ARE MANY EXAMPLES
OF VESSELS THAT WERE DEBRIS
ITEMS THAT DRIFTED OVER TO THE
UNITED STATES AFTER THE JAPAN
TSUNAMI.
THE VESSEL THAT I
WAS SPECIFICALLY REFERENCING
HERE WAS ACTUALLY A SMALL
FISHING VESSEL THAT WOULD BE
ABLE TO FIT ON A TRAILER
BEHIND YOUR CAR
>> EIGHTEEN PERCENT VOTED FOR
THE FLOATING DOCK,
15 PERCENT VOTED FOR THE SOCCER
BALL AND THE VESSEL, AND
2 PERCENT SAID NONE OF THE
ABOVE.
>> AND, AGAIN,
THIS ONE IS A BIT MORE FUN.
THIS
IS MORE JUST A FACTOID.
AND REALLY MOST OF YOU WERE NOT
WRONG IN THAT THE CORRECT
ANSWER WAS A AND B,
BOTH A SOCCER
BALL AND A VESSEL.
A FLOATING DOCK WAS -- ACTUALLY
THERE
WERE A FEW FLOATING DOCKS THAT
RESULTED AS MARINE DEBRIS
AFTER THE TSUNAMI.
AND THEY WERE NOT EVENTUALLY
RETURNED
TO THEIR OWNERS.
BUT A SOCCER BALL AND A VESSEL
WERE DEBRIS ITEMS
THAT MADE IT ACROSS THE PACIFIC
OCEAN TO THE UNITED STATES
WERE ABLE TO BE CONFIRMED AS
TSUNAMI DEBRIS AND WERE 25
RETURNED TO THEIR JAPANESE
OWNERS.
SO IT WAS A REALLY INTERESTING
EXAMPLE OF JUST
HOW FAR MARINE DEBRIS ITEMS CAN
TRAVEL.
AND WE FORGET THAT
SOMETIMES.
YOU THINK ABOUT JAPAN DEBRIS
STAYING IN JAPAN
AND U.S.
DEBRIS STAYING IN THE U.S., AND
THAT'S JUST NOT
THE CASE BECAUSE WE HAVE ONE
WORLD OCEAN HERE THAT CONNECTS
OUR PLANET,
AND WITH CURRENTS AND ALL OF
THAT DEBRIS ITEMS
CAN REALLY END UP ALMOST
ANYWHERE.
ALL RIGHT.
SO NOW THAT WE KNOW A BIT ABOUT
THE
SUBJECT,
WE'RE CONNECTING TO THE ISSUE,
THE NEXT REALLY
IMPORTANT STEP IS TO GET
INVOLVED.
AND THERE ARE SO MANY
DIFFERENT WAYS TO DO THAT AND
SO MANY WAYS TO DO THAT WITH
YOUR STUDENTS.
SO JUST TO GIVE YOU A FEW IDEAS
BECAUSE OFTENTIME
GETTING STARTED IS THE HARDEST
PART.
ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW TO
GET INVOLVED IS RAISING
AWARENESS WITH MARINE DEBRIS
ART OR
CREATIVE PROJECTS.
SO RAISING AWARENESS IS A
REALLY
IMPORTANT PART OF MARINE DEBRIS
PREVENTION AND CLASSES
OFTEN ARE REALLY EXCITED TO BE
PART OF THAT.
MARINE DEBRIS ART IS A REALLY
UNIQUE WAY TO RAISE
AWARENESS ABOUT MARINE DEBRIS.
THE IMAGE HERE IS ACTUALLY
FROM, ONCE AGAIN,
THAT WASHED ASHORE CURRICULUM
WHICH IS,
ONCE AGAIN,
AVAILABLE OR OUR WEBSITE.
AND THIS CURRICULUM
TAKES THE SUBJECT OF MARINE
DEBRIS AND ENCOURAGES STUDENTS
TO EXPLORE IT THROUGH THE
LANGUAGE OF THE ARTS.
26
THESE MASKS HERE ARE ONE OF THE
FINAL PROJECTS IN
THAT CURRICULUM.
BUT IF YOU SEARCH FOR MARINE
DEBRIS ART
YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE ARE SOME
AMAZING EXAMPLES OUT THERE
THAT, ONE,
GIVE A DIFFERENT PURPOSE TO OUR
TRASH.
SO IT
GIVES YOU SOMETHING TO DO WITH
IT RATHER THAN JUST THROWING
IT AWAY.
BUT IT CAN ALSO BE REALLY
POWERFUL -- THAT YOU
REALIZE WHAT IT'S MADE OF AND
IT RAISES AWARENESS IN THAT
WAY IN THAT YOU START ASKING
QUESTIONS LIKE, WHERE DID ALL
OF THIS STUFF COME FROM.
SO IT CAN BE A REALLY FUN WAY
TO
ENGAGE A CLASSROOM.
ANOTHER WAY TO RAISE AWARENESS
WITHIN THE SCHOOL
IS TO EVALUATE CONTRIBUTION
WITH A TRASH ON IT.
AND THIS
CAN BE ON VARIOUS SCALES,
EITHER SCHOOL-WIDE OR
CLASS-WIDE
OR EVEN FOR AN INDIVIDUAL.
THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT
PROGRAMS OUT THERE THAT
INCORPORATE TRASH AUDIT.
AND THIS
IMAGE RIGHT HERE IS ACTUALLY
FROM A PROJECT THAT HAD A
SCHOOL-WIDE TRASH AUDIT,
AND STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO TAKE
OWNERSHIP AND REALLY CONNECT
THE MARINE DEBRIS ISSUE
BECAUSE THEY REALLY STOPPED TO
THINK ABOUT THE TYPE OF
WASTE THAT THEY WERE
GENERATING, HOW MUCH,
WHAT IT WAS
COMPOSED OF.
AND THEN THEY WERE THE ONES
THAT CAME UP WITH
ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES TO
REDUCE THEIR AMOUNT OF WASTE.
SO IT WAS REALLY AN -- LIKE
THIS OUT THERE WHERE
STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO REALLY
CONNECT AND TAKE OWNERSHIP OF
THAT ISSUE.
27
IF YOU WANT TAKE IT EVEN
FURTHER TO RAISE
AWARENESS OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL
BY ENGAGING IN COMMUNITY
CAMPAIGNS.
AND SO THERE ARE A LOT OF WAYS
TO DO THIS.
HONESTLY, AS I MENTIONED,
THIS IS A GLOBAL ISSUE WITH
LOCAL
SOLUTIONS.
AND SO IT'S GOING TO BE
DIFFERENT DEPENDING ON
WHAT YOUR COMMUNITY IS LIKE.
IN THIS IMAGE THIS IS A GROUP
OF OPPORTUNITIES
FROM A PROJECT IN FALMOUTH,
MASSACHUSETTS, THAT ARE WORKING
TO TALK TO THEIR COMMUNITY
ABOUT PLASTIC STRAWS.
AND THEIR
ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO REFUSE
PLASTIC STRAWS WHEN THEY CAN
OR TO USE A METAL STRAW THAT
THEY'D BE ABLE TO REUSE AGAIN
AND AGAIN.
AND SO THEY'RE RAISING
AWARENESS ABOUT THE MARINE
DEBRIS ISSUE THROUGH A VERY
SPECIFIC CAMPAIGN TARGETED
TOWARDS THEIR SPECIFIC
COMMUNITY.
AND, OF COURSE,
GOING BACK TO OUR STRATEGIES,
FIRST -- BUT WE ALSO NEED TO
REMOVE IT, AND GETTING
INVOLVED IN A CLEAN UP NEAR YOU
IS A GREAT WAY TO DO THAT,
EITHER PARTICIPATING IN ONE OF
THE MANY CLEANUPS THAT ARE
ALWAYS GOING ON AROUND THE
COUNTRY OR, IF YOU CAN'T FIND
ONE, ORGANIZING ONE YOURSELF.
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF TOOLS
OUT THERE TO HELP YOU DO THAT.
SO IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT
YOU CHOOSE TO DO
WITH YOUR CLASS THERE ARE
SEVERAL MOBILE APPS IN WHICH
YOU
CAN RECORD THE DIFFERENT DEBRIS
ITEMS THAT YOU'RE FINDING.
28
THE MARINE DEBRIS TRACKER APP
IS THE APP THAT THE
NOAA MARINE DEBRIS PROGRAM
USES.
THERE IS ANOTHER APP
CALLED CLEAN SWELL,
AND THAT'S USED BY THE OCEAN
CONSERVANCY INCLUDING FOR THE
INTERNATIONAL COASTAL CLEANUP
EACH YEAR.
FINALLY,
YOU COULD ALSO GET INVOLVED IN
RESEARCH
BY PARTICIPATING IN MARINE
DEBRIS MONITORING.
AS I
MENTIONED,
CITIZEN SCIENTISTS ARE REALLY
IMPORTANT FOR
GATHERING MONITORING DATA.
THERE ARE MANY WAYS THAT YOU
CAN GO ABOUT THIS.
THERE ARE SOME MONITORING
PROTOCOLS IN
WHICH YOU REALLY JUST SURVEY
WHAT'S ON THE BEACH AND YOU
LEAVE IT THERE.
THERE ARE OTHER MONITORING
PROTOCOLS THAT
ARE OFTEN A BIT MORE SATISFYING
IN WHICH YOU ALSO CLEAN UP
THE DEBRIS AS YOU SURVEY IT.
AND SO IN THAT WAY YOU'RE
KIND OF PULLING TO DOUBLE DUTY
BY DOING BOTH RESEARCH AND
REMOVAL.
AND IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT
YOU CHOOSE TO DO
WITH YOUR STUDENTS, ONCE AGAIN,
THOSE APPS THAT I MENTIONED
CAN BE REALLY USEFUL IN THIS
SITUATION.
THERE'S ALSO A NEW RESOURCE
CALLED THE MARINE
DEBRIS TOOLKIT FOR EDUCATORS.
AND THIS WAS CREATED THROUGH
A COLLABORATION OF OUR OFFICE
AND THE OFFICE OF NATIONAL
MARINE SANCTUARIES.
AND WHAT THIS DOES IS TAKE THAT
REALLY
ROBUST CITIZEN SCIENCE
MONITORING PROGRAM THAT I
MENTIONED
EARLIER AND CONDENSE IT DOWN
FOR CLASSROOM USE.
SO IT
OUTLINES THE PROTOCOLS,
WHY YOU'RE DOING THEM,
GIVES LOTS 29
OF DIFFERENT RESOURCES RELATED
TO MARINE DEBRIS MONITORING.
AND IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT
YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THAT IS
ALSO AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE.
NOW,
THERE ARE LOTS OF RESOURCES
ABOUT MARINE
DEBRIS OUT THERE.
WE HAVE A LOT ON OUR WEBSITE
MARINEDEBRIS.NOAA.GOV,
AND THERE ARE LOTS OF
ORGANIZATIONS
THAT HAVE PLENTY OF RESOURCES
AS WELL.
THE MAJORITY OF THE
RESOURCES THAT YOU'RE GOING TO
FIND ARE GOING TO BE FREE
AND WE ARE ALWAYS HAPPY TO HELP
YOU TO INCORPORATE THAT
INTO YOUR CLASSROOM BY
ANSWERING QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING
LIKE
THAT.
JUST SOME EXAMPLES OF WHAT'S
AVAILABLE ON OUR
WEBSITE ARE A NUMBER OF
CURRICULA.
I'VE ALREADY MENTIONED
THE WASHED ASHORE CURRICULA
SEVERAL TIMES DURING THIS
PRESENTATION.
MOST OF THE CURRICULAR ON OUR
WEBSITE CAN BE
ADAPTED FOR WHICHEVER GRADE
LEVEL YOU NEED IT FOR, AND MOST
CAN PRETTY EASILY BE KIND OF
TEASED APART TO BE USED FOR
SIMPLE INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITIES OR
LESSONS.
WE ALSO HAVE SEVERAL POSTERS
AND BOOKMARKS.
OUTREACH MATERIALS LIKE THIS
CAN BE REALLY USEFUL IN
GETTING INFORMATION ACROSS TO
PEOPLE REALLY QUICKLY AND
JUST SERVING AS A REMAINDER
ABOUT THE ISSUE.
I KNOW I'M
DEFINITELY GUILTY OF SIMPLY
FORGETTING TO DO MY PART, SUCH
AS BRINGING MY REUSABLE CUP
SOMETIMES, AND JUST HAVING THAT
REMINDER SUCH AS A BOOKMARK CAN
BE REALLY USEFUL.
30
WE HAVE SEVERAL ACTIVITIES
AVAILABLE.
THIS
^^^MID-YEAR IS IF OUR ACTIVITY
BOOK WHICH CAN BE FUN AND
EDUCATIONAL AND USEFUL AT THE
SAME TIME
AS FAR AS ACTIVITIES ARE
CONCERNED, AS I
MENTIONED,
THERE ARE SEVERAL WITHIN THE
CURRICULA AVAILABLE
OR OUR WEBSITE.
WE ALSO HAVE A VIDEO CALLED THE
TRASH TALK
WEBINAR FOR EDUCATORS WITH --
ACTIVITIES.
WE HAVE SERVERAL
GRAPHICS WHICH WORK TO TAKE
LARGER COMPLEX IDEAS AND
DISTILL THEM DOWN TO MORE
DIGESTIBLE TIDBITS.
THIS HERE IS
OUR PLASTICS IN THE OCEAN
GRAPHIC WHICH IS, ONCE AGAIN,
AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE.
WE ALSO HAVE SEVERAL INFO
GRAPHICS THAT ARE WORKING TO
TAKE MORE COMPLEX TECHNICAL
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS AND DISTILL
THEM DOWN TO BE MUCH MORE
DIGESTIBLE.
WE HAVE LOTS OF PHOTOGRAPHS.
PHOTOGRAPHS ARE
REALLY,
REALLY USEFUL IN TALKING ABOUT
MARINE DEBRIS.
OBVIOUSLY, AS I MENTIONED,
WE DON'T WANT TO FOCUS TOO MUCH
ON ALL OF THAT REALLY NEGATIVE
IMAGERY, BUT IT CAN BE
REALLY USEFUL IN GETTING THAT
INITIAL MESSAGE ACROSS AS
LONG AS OUR OVERALL FOCUS IS ON
THAT MORE POSITIVE SIDE.
AND FINALLY,
WE HAVE SEVERAL VIDEOS AND
SONGS,
LOTS OF RESOURCES.
I DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO AT
LEAST
MENTION OUR TRASH TALK VIDEOS.
I FIND THEM REALLY -- FIRST
STARTED.
IT'S A 15 MINUTE MINI
DOCUMENTARY THAT'S BROKEN
INTO ABOUT TWO MINUTE SEGMENTS
BY TOPIC,
AND IT'S A REALLY 31
ENTERTAINING AND ENGAGING WAY
TO JUST GET AN INTRODUCTION
TO THE TOPIC AND REALLY IS
APPROPRIATE FOR ALL GRADE
LEVELS.
I ALSO WANT TO MENTION THAT WE
DO HAVE A
QUARTERLY EDUCATOR NEWSLETTER
YOU CAN SIGN UP ON OUR
HOMEPAGE AND THAT HIGHLIGHT
SOME OF THESE RESOURCES EACH
ISSUE.
AND FINALLY,
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR
HAVING ME HERE TODAY AND FOR
LISTENING FOR PARTICIPATING.
I HAVE HERE, ONCE AGAIN,
OUR URL.
ALL THE RESOURCES THAT I
MENTIONED TODAY AS WELL AS MOST
OF THE INFORMATION CAN BE
BE FOUND OUR WEBSITE.
I ALSO HAVE MY EMAIL ADDRESS.
IF
YOU END UP HAVING A QUESTION
THAT WE DON'T ADDRESS TODAY,
I'M ALWAYS HAPPY TO RESPOND TO
YOU VIA EMAIL, SO FEEL FREE
TO REACH OUT.
AND WITH THAT IF THERE ARE ANY
QUESTIONS, I'M
HAPPY TO TAKE THEM.