The durability and variety of plastics mean that they can take an age to break down (or biodegrade) in the environment. Plastic carrier bags will be around for 50 to 100 years, plastic bottles for 600 years, and Styrofoam/polystyrene containers for a whopping 5000 years. As more of these plastic items are added to the ocean, they just build up and…

Environmental issues can serve as a marvelous framework for high-level student analysis of critical scientific and social concerns. We describe a series of activities and discussions that motivate students to explore environmentalism, sustainable development, carbon offsets, and related ideas with an engaged learning format that helps students to…

Littering is a careless act indicating lack of respect for the environment, other people, and wildlife. Through education people can learn the consequences of littering and how to stop doing it. This book, designed for elementary children, presents a collection of 16 activities, ideas and resources concerning litter in the aquatic and marine…