LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN TO SAVE OUR OCEANS

The City of Schenectady and its County should do more do more to recycle/clean up our city/county from the plastic trash (bottles/containers and bags) that we see on the side of streets; on highways, on sidewalks and shopping/malls/centers, and plastic bags stuck on bushes and trees. This makes 80% of the total US plastic trash, which isn't recycled and instead that winds up in the oceans. 

So I would like to make four environmental suggestions to you our county and city leaders. 

#1 is; recycling bins should be deployed/located throughout the city to collect plastic bottles and soda cans to reduce plastic waste. Bins should be for collection of 3 items; single-stream, trash and returnables (plastic/glass bottles and soda cans). The bins should be deployed, throughout the city, as they are in the Bronx’s, on busy street corners, near bus stops, at the airport, in/around the train station, shopping malls, in the library, in/around schools, hospitals, movie theaters, etc. 

# 2. The city/county should first encourage, educate and then pass an ordinance to force businesses and public places, like schools, hospitals, parks, government building, to have their own recycling bins, especially for plastic/glass bottles and cans, in addition to other items that can also be recycled, like dishes, cups, lids, etc.

#3- Invest in renewable energy; to save money to our city and residents, to reduce pollution and global warming, create new jobs and build a better future for our city.

# 4- Ban plastic bags. This will help reduce the pollution of our environment. Other single-use (or use only once) plastic items like plastic & foam packaging, silverware, plastic cups/dishes, plastic coffee stirrers and plastic straws, should be banned. They could be replaced by biodegradable and/or natural ones.

A.    Why do we need to do this? Because our planet, and in particular the oceans of the world, are in grave danger! We are polluting them at an alarming rate with our plastic trash; plastic bottles, plastic bags, plastic silverware, plastic dishes, cups, lids, straws, stirrers, lighters, markers, and much more. In addition 94% of all drinking water in the USA is polluted with plastic.

B.     According to two estimates we have only ten years, or two generations, to clean up the world’s oceans from our plastic pollution (and other pollutants)- before it will be too late. The second estimate, marine biologists, predicts that within two generations -the oceans could collapse (die) - hence; humanity would not be able to survive.

C.     If you’re wondering how this trash gets to the ocean. The answer is simple; many garbage dumps are near rivers, hence the chemicals that are released from plastic items, like plastic bottles, foam and many others- seep into the ground and water, and a large amount of it floats to the ocean. In addition, there are other threats that endanger the health of the ocean; discarded fishing nets, pesticides, herbicides (used by farmers), toothpaste, cosmetics, and high level of CO2 emissions.
(Sources: https://takeaction.oceanconservancy.org/ea-action/action
     http://nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/great-pacific-garbage-patch/

D. In fact, according to National Geographic and GreenPeace’s only 9% has been recycled. The vast majority—79%—is accumulating in landfills or sitting in the natural environment. Meaning, that at some point, much of it ends up in the oceans. If present trends continue, by 2050, there will be 12 billion metric tons of plastic (https://news.nationalgeographic.com/.../plastic-produced-recycling-waste-ocean-trash-...)
Scientists tell us that 12 million tons of plastic is entering our oceans every year – that's a rubbish truck full every minute. ... ocean. www.greenpeace.org
(There isn’t much we can do about micro-plastic now, except to ban cosmetics and certain toothpastes, and to use natural fibers instead of polyester clothes. In the future, as technology improves; better and more efficient sewer filtration systems could replace the old ones to filter the micro-plastics.)
 
E. So, I believe that our city and county can be part of the solution, not the problem, in reducing these threat to our health and our planet, by recycling more, banning plastic/foam packaging and investing in renewable energy. This would greatly benefit our environment and our economy because we’d stop wasting resources like plastic and aluminum, and by recycling them we’d put them back into the economy at a profit. Germany and many other North European countries have done this successful, including the country of Rwanda. And here in the USA, the State of California, Austin and San Francisco have banned plastic. Why can’t Sch’dy do it? I think we should!
Other countries like Sweden charge more for deposits on returnables, from 10 cents for small bottles/cans to 30 cents for the large 2 liter bottles. This has increased their recycle rate of those items to 95%. Sweden also burns garbage to make electricity! For every 1 ton of trash, they produce 1 ton of fuel! And it is only very low on pollutants, only 1%! Why can’t this be done here? In England plastic producers pay higher rates and roads are now paved with plastic pellets- that were made from recycled plastic!

F. At the beginning, volunteers could pick up and collect and redeem these items- the money could be donated to environmentally friendly businesses in our city. Later one all of the recyclable materials can be brought to a recycling plant, and profits could be used by the city as income. Think of all the jobs that this new venture could create!

G. To learn more about this topic, please visit a post/resource article, by copying/pasting the link below in your address browser; http://ottaviolopiccolo.blogspot.com/2017/12/normal-0-false-false-false-en-us-x-none.html

Sweden Burns Trash and creates clean energy
https://www.facebook.com/AmericaVersusbyattn/videos/1798809543760630/

CITIES/COUNTRIES WHO ARE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY
A. San Francisco is a prime example of how it is reducing waste and becoming 100% green, hence reducing its carbon footprint
https://www.facebook.com/LCVoters/videos/1659063324180719/

BIODEGRADABLE PRODUCTS - Edible CUTLERY
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1240116767/edible-cutlery-the-future-of-eco-friendly-utensils

Biodegradable silverware can be purchased from Amazon at;
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_24?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=biodegradable+silverware&sprefix=biodegradable+silverware%2Caps%2C137&crid=1EP84KOTM0EE7 Or you can log on to Amazon and write: Biodegradable Silverware (forks, spoons & knives)

BIODEGRADABLE CUPS
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_18?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=biodegradable+cups&sprefix=biodegradable+cups%2Caps%2C139&crid=7GLXJXWQ266B&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Abiodegradable+cups

1.    What really happens to the plastic you throw away - By Emma Bryce (4 min) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6xlNyWPpB8
This is an excellent fun/educative documentary that everyone will understand. We’ve all been told that we should recycle plastic bottles and containers. But what actually happens to the plastic if we just throw it away? Emma Bryce traces the life cycles of three different plastic bottles, shedding light on the dangers these disposables present to our world.


2. Ocean Pollution - Save Our Marine Life (4 min) https://youtu.be/l3XGUnjDRUQ
This is an inspiring video, although sad, it shows the ocean trash/destruction with still images and upbeat music- a great combination that summarizes the actions we need to take- in order to save our oceans. Catching images and energetic music will inspire and motivate you to take action now!

3. How We Can Keep Plastics Out of Our Ocean | Nat Geographic  (3 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQTUWK7CM-Y&t=30s
This video shows us the sea- and what we can do to prevent and/or stop it.

4. OCEAN TRASH: 5.25 trillion pieces and counting
https://www.facebook.com/ScienceNaturePage/videos/1265020523630203/

5. Plastic in the Ocean- how it affects us. There are tiny pieces of plastic in the seafood you're eating. -- Zooey Deschanel , h/t The Farm Project.
https://www.facebook.com/attn/videos/1588191944549592/

A PLASTIC OCEAN DOCUMENTARY –
An Intro. By Ottavio Lo Piccolo, 6-20-17
Subject: Craig Leeson wants to film blue whales, but discovers a startling amount of plastic pollution in the world's oceans, and researches this ecological threat to the world’s oceans. Released in 2016.    Director: Craig Leeson
Time: 102 min (1 hr. and 42 min)
This film was made in 2011 by journalist, filmmaker and adventurer Craig Leeson. He set out to make a documentary on whales, but then, noticing all that plastic in the ocean, he changed the main message. Featured also, in this movie, Tanya Streeter, the 1st woman to beat a man's record! For deep diving (into the sea)! I have watched this documentary film at home and in school with my students and colleagues. It is an eye opener. A Plastic Ocean will show you how we are ruining our oceans with our throw-away plastic.

A Plastic Ocean Official Trailer - YouTube, ▶ 2:09
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zrn4-FfbXw
Feb 2, 2016 - Uploaded by A Plastic Ocean
A Plastic Ocean is an adventure documentary shot on more than 20 locations over the past 4 years.

Check this out! This post, below, it will tell you what to do on a personal level!
A Whopping 91% of Plastic Isn't Recycled
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/.../plastic-produced-recycling-waste-ocean-trash-...
If present trends continue, by 2050, there will be 12 billion metric tons of plastic. Find out how you can help reduce this threat!   

I'm a Schenectady resident and a public school teacher.  In May of 2016 I found out that the oceans of the world are in grave danger. They are being polluted at an alarming rate with our plastic trash and other harmful products. Humanity’s survival is at stake- unless we act now and prevent a global environmental catastrophe- within two generations the oceans will collapse- hence humanity would not be able to survive.

So, I have began teaching my students about the ocean, how we are destroying and what we can do to save it. I also had the students write letters to our leaders in Congress, including the President. I started a recycling program at the school where I work, and a petition, one is an online, and one I'm circulating myself. If you'd like to sign the online one, please do so at www.care2.org and type the following title “SAVE THE OCEANS FROM POLLUTION & OTHER THREATS” in the search box, top right and sign it.

I have researched the topic of ocean plastic pollution since last May. So, let me present you one paragraph, about the extent of this crisis, from one of my sources, the Ocean Conservancy (an environmental organization that protects the oceans).

“Every year 8 million tons of plastic ends up in our ocean. Seals get caught in discarded (thrown away) fishing gear and die trying to free themselves. Dolphins and turtles mistake plastic bags for their next meal and die eating them. Fish ingest (eat) deflated (no air) balloons and choke to death (can’t breathe). Ocean Conservancy believes (I do too- and I hope that you will too) that it doesn't need to be this way. If we take action now, we can reduce plastic in the ocean by 45%, saving ocean life, making our ocean cleaner and our earth healthier. Over fishing, pollution and habitat fragmentation are wearing down the health of our oceans. Add to that ocean acidification—a process caused by increased carbon emissions (smog, pollution) that can degrade coral reefs and corrode the shells of sea creatures—and warming, and it's not surprising that ocean ecosystems are rapidly collapsing.” (Source: https://takeaction.oceanconservancy.org/ea-action/action)


I think that our county could more in helping the oceans and the environment in general. Here are my suggestions.
And I'm willing, if you allow me, to come to your next meeting and make a presentation.

First, let’s educate ourselves, our children, families and friends- about the importance of keeping our planet free of plastic pollution, and other harmful products. This can be done in our schools, but it is essential that each of us (adults and those in leadership positions) lead by example, by recycling and following the 4Rs ourselves (Recycle, Reduce, Reuse and Refuse). I think we must begin first in our homes, then in our schools and our work places. In so doing we'll begin a positive change- yes because we need a sea of change! We can educate ourselves by watching two excellent documentaries about plastic pollution: PLASTIC PARADISE - THE GREAT PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH. And the most recent one is: A PLASTIC OCEAN. You can watch both trailers (short clips) of the on You Tube. If you’d like to have them you can purchase them on Amazon. I have watched both, and i prefer A PLASTIC OCEAN, because it offers hope and solutions.

Second, we must make our local/national leaders, aware of the dangers of ocean plastic pollution, discarded fishing nets and ocean acidification. We must ask them to take action to protect our environment, and especially our oceans, since they are a major source of life for our planet and for humanity.
Third, our County (and NY State too) should begin to RECOGNIZE/REWARD businesses and public entities (e.g., schools, museums, food establishments, hotels, hospitals, prisons, farms), and government organizations that voluntarily reduce the use of pollutants/products that harm the environment) and use biodegradable/natural products. These places should be declared environmentally friendly, or ECO-FRIENDLY. And should be given recognition, in the form of free publicly and also financial rewards (e.g., tax reductions, grants etc.).

Fourth, our county/state governments should support and finance recycling businesses/plants and/or research that aims at solving the plastic pollution problem. The US navy is disposing of its trash, aboard its carriers, with plasma flames. Germany has turned recycling into a profitable business! Europe has designed an ocean clean up prototype that will be deployed into the Pacific Ocean within several years. For more info on this project, visit YouTube and search for The Ocean Clean Up Project, and/or Boyan Slat, the young engineer who designed it. To see the YouTube video, click on this link or log on to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=du5d5PUrH0I&t=22s

Fifth, governments should also regulate the plastic industry, the 3rd largest industry in the USA. Regulation will motivate this industry to find ways and alternatives to plastic products, and also finding ways of controlling/managing its plastic pollution. Why? Because this industry makes plastic; therefore it should be mainly responsible for its safe disposal (as to stop it from reaching and contaminating the oceans and other bodies of water).

Sixth, our governments, at the local, State and/or federal levels, should declare all throw away, or single-use, and/or use-only-once plastic, as hazardous waste! This would force the plastic industry to properly dispose of plastic, instead of polluting our oceans.

I hope that our county will take some of these steps to protect the oceans and our planet- before it is too late. Please work to save our oceans and our planet! Do it for our children! Do it out of love! THANK YOU!

Read/see how our plastic trash is killing millions of sea birds

http://plasticfreetuesday.com/2016/05/24/midway/ 

See/Read how plastic kills marine mammals

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/marine-animals-are-dying-because-of-our-plastic-trash/

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SOS OCEANS! IF WE WORK TOGETHER WE CAN SAVE THEM. By Ottavio Lo Piccolo, 6-6-17.
Letter to the media, business and  U.S. State/National Leaders.
I have read too many depressing articles about ocean plastic pollution in our our oceans. The people who have written them, seem to have lost hope. And I don't blame them- I too felt hopeless when I first learned about this problem (Ocean plastic trash/garbage) in May of last year. This is, in fact, a problem of global proportions. However, there's hope and good ideas and some positive and encouraging results (California and Rwanda have banned plastic bags, and Germany makes a profit from recycling). Let me share some facts on ocean plastic pollution, and how all of us can help solve this environmental crisis.

THE PROBLEM: PLASTIC OCEAN POLLUTION
About 80% of the debris (of our trash and garbage) in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch comes from land-based activities (what we do) in North America and Asia. The remaining 20% of debris in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (in the Pacific Ocean) comes from boaters, offshore oil-rigs, and large cargo ships that dump or lose debris directly into the water. The majority of this debris—about 705,000 tons—is fishing nets. More unusual items, such as computer monitors and LEGOs, come from dropped shipping containers. I also learned that plastic goods do not biodegrade (cannot be safely absorbed by nature), but instead break down into smaller pieces (called micro-plastics), which are very harmful (dangerous/unhealthy) to marine life, and to us humans too- since we eat seafood. (You can find more info. by visiting these two sites: http://nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/great-pacific-garbage-patch/
and http://www.lazerhorse.org/2013/11/23/great-pacific-garbage-patch/#

According to the Ocean Conservancy (an environmental organization that protects the oceans), “Every year 28-billion pounds of plastic ends up in our ocean. Seals get caught in discarded (thrown away into the sea) fishing gear and die trying to free themselves. Dolphins and turtles mistake plastic bags for their next meal and die eating them. Fish ingest (eat) deflated (without air) balloons and choke to death (can’t breathe). Ocean Conservancy believes (I do too- and I hope that you will too) that it doesn’t need to be this way. If we take action now, we can reduce plastic in the ocean by 45%, saving ocean life, making our ocean cleaner and our earth healthier. Over fishing, pollution and habitat fragmentation are wearing down the health of our oceans. Add to that ocean acidification—a process caused by increased carbon emissions (smog, pollution from auto vehicles and factories) that can degrade coral reefs and corrode (break down, destroy)  the shells of sea creatures—and warming, and it's not surprising that ocean ecosystems are rapidly collapsing.” 
Source: https://takeaction.oceanconservancy.org/ea-action/action)
 And for more info. on ocean acidification, log on to http://www.saveourseasmagazine.com/the-co2-conundrum/


 WHAT WE CAN DO? SOLUTIONS
This is depressing news, however, I think that the oceans could be saved from our plastic waste- if we  all work together- and we and can and do it. We have to do it, because the alternative is no good. Scientists predict that, destroying our oceans, could bring be the end of humanity within two generations! This means, that our grandchildren may not have a livable planet- unless we act now! 


I have done quite a bit of research on this subject, because I'm very curious- I want to find out and understand our world- and I'm very concerned and I need to be informed because I teach about the oceans in schools. So, it is clear that plastic pollution is a serious threat because it concerns our ability to live on this planet. Therefore, this is what I suggest we do.  
First, we must learn about the ocean- how essential it is to our survival on earth. Second, we must face the problem/issue of plastic pollution and recognize it as a serious threat to our existence, our survival on this planet. Third, we must educate others, our children, our families, our friends/coworkers/colleges, etc. Fourth, we all must do our part, if we want to survive and have a good/safe/healthy and prosperous future on this planet.

MY PLEDGES/PROMISES 
I will do my best to at least follow the 4-Rs; Refuse, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. I will also do my duty as a teacher and inform/educate students and anyone who is willing to listen about our environment and participate in preventing its demise (destruction). I will also solicit (ask) and encourage the support of our community (places of work/business, worship etc.), of our elected leaders- at all levels of government- and the plastic industry. So, that we can all work together to help in this effort- and stop the destruction of the environment and the oceans.

That is why it is important to put our words, ideas/thoughts into actions. So we must take...
 
CONCRETE STEPS TO HELP SAVE OUR OCEANS
a.   Let's begin by; educating ourselves and our children about the importance of keeping our planet free of plastic pollution, and by recycling ourselves. We can learn by reading books at our local libraries, and/or using online sources like Google and You Tube; simply search for titles as this one: Ocean Plastic Pollution.
We can also watch videos, if we don't like to read. I have already watched two; "PLASTIC PARADISE"  an award winning documentary film, and "A PLASTIC OCEAN". You can watch free trailers (of both films)  on You Tube, and/or purchase them from Amazon. 
 

b. We should then begin recycling in our homes, schools and our places of work, by having recycling containers in the most strategic points (places) of homes/business (where people assemble, in kitchens, garages and conference rooms, etc). Recycling containers should be made available, to the public, for most items that can be recycled, like plastics, metals, glass, paper and cardboard. These containers must be labeled, and people informed and encouraged to recycle- instead of throwing it in the garbage. In addition, recycling items should be clean and free of food and/or dirt- to avoid disease and unpleasant smell. Once  the recycling material is collected, it must be placed in single-stream dumpsters or other collector, which then gets picked up by a recycling company. And if no companies are not available or aren't affordable, then we can haul it (bring it) ourselves to recycling centers.
This seems like a lot of work, but it isn't- if we all collaborate. Remember, that once you a have a system in place- it'll become a piece of cake! Very easy to do! And could possibly make a profit! Make money from recycling plastic and other materials! Schools are already making money by selling paper and cardboard reclining by the pound!
Recycling is a first effective change in reducing the amount of plastic pollution in our oceans.


b. Write to our local leaders, in our towns/villages, cities, county levels, and then to our political leaders in Congress and at the State. We must tell/inform them of the dangers of ocean pollution and acidification. And we must ask them to take action to protect our environment (pass laws/regulations, fines for polluters, etc) and especially our oceans, since they are a major source of life for our planet and for humanity.

c. We must also ask your political leaders to encourage and support/reward organizations/businesses. Public places that; use less plastics, avoid the of use-only-once/ throw away plastic, and use natural and/or biodegradable materials- should be given financial incentives/rewards.  Restaurants, schools, hospitals, prisons, County, State and Federal public buildings could  become ECOFRIENDLY- if they voluntarily recycle their plastic and use biodegradable products- instead of plastic items; like silverware, cups, straws, stirrers, lighters, etc. 
We, the public, should also support these places. And those stores and places of business (that avoid plastics, use biodegradable, and recycle the plastic that they use) should receive compensation, support, free publicity and awards from the government. In addition, the government should declare them ECOFRIENDLY- friendly/safe for the environment! This would be a powerful incentive that will educate our society; to move away from plastics and instead move/go toward better/safer/healthier products- that do not harm our planet. Natural and/or biodegradable materials products will not harm, but will safeguard our planet. 

d. Governments could also regulate the plastic industry (that is represented by the umbrella organization called American Chemistry council, the ACC, also known by SPI), which is the 3rd largest industry in the USA. If this industry is regulated, it will be motivated to find ways/solutions or alternative to plastic products. They would also will be more willing to find ways of controlling and managing plastic pollution. Why? Because they make plastic- hence, they should be responsible for its safe disposal (as to stop it from reaching bodies of water). And because the public may soon boycott all throw away plastic! hence, they will be forced to find new and safer products.
Governments should also declare that all plastic waste is hazardous (dangerous for our health)! Governments could also invest/give financial incentives/support (funds/grants/tax breaks/money) to businesses and/or organizations, schools, hospitals, and even to State government agencies, in order to support/encourage the curbing (stopping, and/or reducing) plastic pollution, and employ/test out new technologies (like plasma torches) that can eliminate the trash problem. And in the meantime ban all throw away plastics, once and for all! In fact, we should demand that use-only-once plastic be banned and/or at least controlled/curbed, recycled, and eventually avoided- so that plastic would not pose threat and end up the environment.  California and Rwanda did it! They banned all plastic bags. So can we!And Germany has turned recycling into a profitable business!

e.    Governments should support and finance recycling businesses/plants/factories that will collect and safely dispose of our  recyclable waste. And also support research that will aims at solving the plastic pollution of our oceans/planet should also be supported.

16.     Finally, I hope you will do your part and cooperate in saving our planet, and will join me in putting into action these ideas/steps and concrete actions, to save our oceans. If you have ideas, please share them with me. We need everyone’s help in this huge effort of saving our planet. If you’d like start a recycling program at your school, or place of business/work, I’ll be glad to share all the educational/informative materials that I have created so far (ENL or English as a New Language on the oceans, this letter and letters to our leaders, a quiz on the Ocean and pollution. email me at  ottaviolopiccolo5@gmail.com   
and I’ll send them to you.

YOUNG PEOPLE OFFERS HOPE
17. A Young European Engineer Design Offers Hope in Cleaning up the Oceans of Plastic. Meet Boyan Slat log on to this You tube video, and see him explain his project!

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=du5d5PUrH0I&t=121s

 


Thank you. Ottavio Lo Piccolo, ENL teacher.
My aim is; Peace, Prosperity, Tolerance, Respect, Understanding, Justice and Protection of the Environment- not the destruction of the plastic industry! But to save our oceans and guarantee a future to the next generations. 
 This post was written Ottavio Lo Piccolo (c) 2017.
Images are taken from Google images.