FriendBurst Blog

AfSD™(ADVOCATE FOR SAVING DOGS™)

Facebook:
Advocate for Saving Dogs™ on Facebook

Phil

Fourth-graders
in New York City conducted cleanups at a local beach and tallied every
item they found on Ocean Conservancy’s data card, an experience shared
by hundreds of thousands of people around the world every year during Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup.

The young citizen scientists learned about the myriad ways marine debris
threatens ocean health, and created graphs to show the sources of these
man-made items.

Jocelyn’s drawing says “no” to trash on the beach

Clara created this bar graph based on the data showing that bags were by far the most common items found

Isiah and his classmates worry about trash killing birds and other wildlife

They shared their findings with us, and we’d like to share them with you.
Here are just a few of their observations, presented just as they’ve written them:

1. I was heartbroken. Pollution is ruining the beauty of beaches around the world. -Jocelyn

2. Waves lap at the shore and horseshoe crabs swarm like bees on land
and sea. The only thing that distracts you from this beautiful scene is
the garbage. Toys, food wrappers, clothing, you name it! -Clara

3. On Plumb Beach I saw two cigarette liters. You might think that’s not so bad but they still had oil in them. -Karin

4. Some things that are making all these things go on beaches are that
people through things into lakes, rivers and oceans, and those things
travel around the world and end up on shores and on beaches. -Juliet

5. We found a steak knife, condoms, cigarettes, cap lids, straws and
much more. If the fish here ate the wrong thing then we eat it, we get
sick. -Payton

6. There are waves of trash arriving on Plum Beach. -Kiara

7. There were dangerous things there, like needles used to inject drugs
into your body. Please try to help us find a solution! -Nicholas

8. Birds are lovely, and die from us. When they see a lot of trash, they
don’t think once, they just eat. Then are poisoned. -Oliver

9. We found 1 strapping band. 2 ropes. 3 oil cans. And 2 fishing nets.
We also found a fire extinguisher! Please do something about this!
-Carolyn Ann

10. I don’t want to sound like I’m bossing people around but you guys have got to step up and get tough about this stuff. -Jack

We
agree; people everywhere need to “step up and get tough” when it comes
to marine debris. Cleaning up is not enough, and the children know it.
They
suggested solutions they hope we adults can put into practice, simple
steps like making sure trash cans are available on beaches, or covering
storm drains with screens to prevent litter from streets and parking
lots from traveling to the ocean.

Ocean Conservancy is working hard to raise awareness about this
pollution problem and inspire science-based solutions to prevent it at
the source.
But we can’t do it alone.
We need these fourth-graders — and everyone else — to support the worldwide movement to stop trashing our ocean.

Please join Ocean Conservancy for the 25th annual International Coastal Cleanup this September.