This repeated cross-sectional pilot study examined the impact of environmental education on reducing overall waste generation among students enrolled in an environmental health course from Fall 2020 to Spring 2023. The data included trash generation, single-use plastic, and paper products. Each student logged their daily usage of these waste…

The earth is drowning in plastic waste. Yet, as the plastic waste crisis grows exponentially, responses to excess waste remain stuck around containment and management processes. These approaches fail to notice that plastics know no boundaries. We now encounter plastic rocks, plastic water, plastic bodies, plastic worlds spilling into oceans and…

Plastic recycling has gained increasing attention due to the negative impacts of improper plastic waste management and its end-of-life outcomes. Despite growing research and educational efforts on sustainability, the integration of community service into student learning experiences remains limited. To address this gap and promote sustainable…

Microplastics have been found in the most remote locations on Earth as well as in where we live, work, and play. Despite increasing research focus on microplastics, efforts to inform the public about their omnipresence have lagged. To bridge this gap between research and public knowledge, we developed a museum exhibit with interactive and…

There is a growing reliance on plastic, even though it is a synthetic material that does not decompose. This article presents a series of six mathematics activities that use plastics as the context to teach environmental education to seventh-grade students. The activities can increase students' awareness of the plastic problem while also serving…

Waste, a byproduct of human activity, can cause environmental pollution if released without proper processing. It can accumulate in piles, disturbing natural beauty and emitting unpleasant odors. The aim of this research is to from the students to care about the environment by learning with the Bubble Wrap Recycling Project, Used Plastic and…

Plastic waste is a growing concern in recent years due to the massive increase in single-use plastic applications. Despite the ever-increasing amount of waste, recycling plastics is not a simple process due to difficulties in sorting, which results in significantly downgraded material properties. This hands-on lab experiment showcases the…

This dissertation features a set of three sub-studies situated within a larger Critical Participatory Ethnography investigating how participatory science unfolds between youth and scientists to address issues of marine plastic pollution. Collectively the papers provide insights into how to navigate the slippery, but necessary, terrain of teaching…

Environmental changes are about to invade every aspect of human life (and all life) across the planet. Young people will be particularly affected by these changes; regions where large youth populations are projected to be present in the coming decades are among the most vulnerable to environmental problems. Many young people feel overwhelmed by…

With the increase of waste paper, environmental pollution and atmospheric impact have become global problems. The cellulose contained in waste paper has the advantages of being renewable and biodegradable and can be applied to many fields to achieve sustainable development. At present, thermal management materials, as a new type of material, have…

Purpose: This study aims to address the critical subject of building capacity for the circular economy in the global south. It complements the literature by providing information on the role of higher education institutions in developing skills for the circular plastic economy. Design/methodology/approach: This study used a mixed method approach…

This study presents the design and application of a didactic sequence aimed at enhancing high school students understanding of recyclable plastic polymers. The proposed teaching strategy incorporates cooperative learning activities to identify different types of plastics, particularly recyclable ones. The goal is to increase student's scientific…

This Action Research study aimed to determine how to promote awareness of and to share successful sustainability practices in public education. Cycle 1 research was to investigate school districts that have successfully implemented sustainability practices to reduce their school carbon footprint. The Cycle 2 Action Step was designed to address the…

We implemented research-based learning (RBL) as an alternative to traditional frontal classroom lectures and laboratory sessions to impart knowledge on the emerging topic of microplastics in soil to students. The RBL module aimed at studying how microplastics (MPs) affect soil processes. We designed low-cost, small-scale and simple experiments for…

This STEM research project asks middle school or high school students to work towards creating ecologically friendly packaging. Packaging that can be composted instead of thrown away and collected in landfills and oceans like plastics. This inquiry uses nanocellulose and focuses on water permeability. The fibers of nanocellulose can be dried to…