Palermo, the capital city of Sicily,
seen from the mountains. I was born 15 miles from there, in the town of Torretta, which also is near the Tyrannize Sea (part of the Mediterranean Sea)
According to the official online World Ocean day site, this is a day to inform the public of the impact of human actions on the ocean, develop a worldwide movement of citizens for the ocean, and mobilize and unite the world’s population on a project for the sustainable management of the world's oceans. To visit the World Ocean Day site, and learn what people all over the world are doing, and what you can do to make a difference
The world's oceans are a major source of food and medicines and a critical part of the biosphere. In the end, it is a day to celebrate together the beauty, the wealth and the promise of the ocean. However, most people (like I was) aren't aware about this day, and the dangers that our plastic trash poses to them and our planet. In fact, in my two years of researching this topic, I have found out (and I've also see it with my own eyes- in my community- here in Schenectady and the Albany capital Region)- and realized that many people aren't aware of this threat to our planet- they think that by throwing plastic trash in the garbage- it's safe, it's OK. But it isn't. Let me tell you why.
According to 2017 statistics from National Geographic and Green Peace, only 9% percent of our trash is recycled in the USA- the rest, 79%, is accumulating in landfills; sitting in the natural environment and contaminating our land and water, and 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. Scientists estimate that between 8 (U.N. statistic) to 12 million tons of plastic is entering our oceans every year – that's a rubbish truck full every minute! (Sources: www.greenpeace.org and https://news.nationalgeographic.com/.../plastic-produced-recycling-waste-ocean-trash-
We also need to be aware that already 94% of all drinking water in the USA is polluted with micro plastic, and 70% of the world’s water contains plastic too! (Source: https://www.theguardian.com/
- 80% of all pollution in the ocean comes from people on land.
- 8 million tonnes of plastic per year ends up in the ocean, wreaking havoc on wildlife, fisheries and tourism.
- Plastic pollution costs the lives of 1 million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals per year.
- Fish eat plastic, and we eat the fish.
- Plastic causes $8 billion in damage to marine ecosystems each year.
And the World Ocean Day official site at: http://www.un.org/en/events/oceansday/
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 trash seep into the ground and water, and a large amount of it floats to the ocean. In addition, other threats 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 and http://nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/great-pacific-garbage-patch/
So, in an effort to raise awareness/interest in the plight of the world’s oceans, I have created lessons on the ocean, how we are polluting it with our single-use plastic (bottles, bags, cups, straws, stirrers, q-tips, dishes, silverware, etc), made many presentations in classrooms and in school cafeteria, where I work, and addition I made recycling cardboard boxes for my classroom, for my fellow teachers and for the school cafeterias where I work.
Here are the links to my Ocean Plastic Pollution lessons
1. Ocean- Why do we like it? http://ottaviolopiccolo.
2. The OCEANS’ 13 ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
https://www.blogger.com/
3. World Ocean Quiz. This is a multiple choice, but it has with and a space, at the end, to list your solutions/ideas on how to solve the plastic nightmare!
http://ottaviolopiccolo.
SUGGESTED AWARENESS/EDUCATIONAL EVENTS FOR NEXT YEAR
1. Earth Day & World Ocean Day contest; invite students to write essays/stories and make artworks and recycling boxes for cans, bottles and other plastic items (the money collected from these redeemables can be used to give to charity and/or buy prizes for the contest winners). In addition to inviting experts/speakers on the ocean you can also show documentary films and/or videos. Here below are some of my favorite ones.
2. Art exhibit for next Earth Day & World Ocean Day. I'm planning one for 2019. If you're a teacher, a student, and artist, an environmentalist and are interested, join me and contact me! Ottavio Lo Piccolo. Educator and environmentalist
email: ottaviolopiccolo5@gmail.co
tel. 518-370-4476
3. Show educational documentary films/videos about earth and the Oceans. Films like: A PLASTIC OCEAN, Earth. Disney Nature, DisneyNature-OCEANS, Blue Planet, An Inconvenient Sequel- TRUTH TO POWER, etc.
4. Invite experts/speakers (marine biologists, scientists, presenters - like me!) on the ocean and the deadly effects of plastic on our environment.
That is why I believe that our schools should be the first places where the 4Rs are applied. Teaching/talking about a problem isn't enough. We must model it- do it ourselves- so that others will be inspired/motivated to follow suit. Everyone needs to know about the oceans' plight- that they are are getting filled with too much single-use plastic trash. Schools are a good place to start, however, business and governments (at all levels; municipalities, Sates and the Federal gov't) must also lead in this huge effort to reduce the plastic/pollution level, in orther that we can suceed and clean up our planet.
Therefore, it is imperative, very important that we DO NOT put plastic items in the trash, and
instead recycle it. We can recycle all plastic bottles and containers, jugs,
cups, cereal bowls, and cups- that are labeled w/the numbers 1-7 inside a
triangle can be recycled. We need to know that throwing plastic in the
trash is an environmental and health hazard- because plastic trash-
unless it is captured and recycled- eventually contaminates the
ground, the water and marine animals suffer/die- because they ingest it- and then it reaches us too- since many of us eat seafood.
THAT IS WHY IT IS IMPORTANT THAT ALL OF US should RECYCLE ALL PLASTIC IN OUR SCHOOLS, HOMES BUSINESSES (stores, malls), Gov’t buildings and other public entities like hospital, prisons, retirement homes, etc. The solution is to educate the public, political leaders at all levels, and then start applying the 4Rs. Begin with INDOOR/OUTDOOR SINGLE-STREAM RECYCLING BINS- these are for the collection of plastic, metal, glass, paper and cardboard. Outdoor single-stream recycling dumpster will be needed, so that all of the indoor single-stream indoor recycling can be dumped in the outdoor dumpster for waste/recycling collection companies to collect.
To learn more about the plastic how pollution effects sea life and humans, watch:
A PLASTIC OCEAN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
This is a short video of the adventure documentary film. It was shot on more than 20 locations for over 4 years. Explorers Craig Leeson (also a journalist) and Tanya Streeter (an Olympic world champion deep-sea diver), and a team of international scientists reveal the causes and consequences of plastic pollution and share solutions.
My other motivations. I grew up near the Tyrrhenian Sea (part of the Mediterranean Sea in Sicily/Italy), and when in 2016 I discovered the level of plastic pollution in the oceans, I decided to act, because I love the oceans and care for mother earth. So, I started teaching my students about the importance/beauty/wonder of the oceans, but also about their plastic trash/pollution. Hence, I also began recycling at work. I started with bottles/cans and then with single-stream recycling (plastic, metal, glass, in), and encouraged the schools where I work (Middleburgh, Jefferson, Sharon Springs, and Schalmont) and everyone to follow the 4Rs- the 4 responsibilities that help us take care of our planet. They are: recycling, reducing, reusing and refusing single-use plastic.
Thank you for caring!
For doing your part in keeping our planet, Mother Earth
clean/healthy/safe, by applying the 4Rs we’ll reduce the destructive
impact of plastic on our environment. This truly shows that we care.
THAT IS WHY OUR SCHOOLS and all other public places, Teaching will not
be as effective, unless we lead by example by applying the 4Rs
ourselves!
GRAZIE MILLE!
Mr. “O”, Ottavio Lo Piccolo. ENL teacher and environmentalist
email: ottaviolopiccolo5@gmail.com
Remember to:
BE KIND TO EARTH AND TO ALL LIVING THINGS! Including people!
GRAZIE MILLE!
Mr. “O”, Ottavio Lo Piccolo. ENL teacher and environmentalist
email: ottaviolopiccolo5@gmail.com
Remember to:
BE KIND TO EARTH AND TO ALL LIVING THINGS! Including people!
OTHER SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES FOR WORLD OCEAN DAY. In addition to inviting experts/speakers on the ocean you can also show documentary films and/or videos. Here below are some of my favorite ones.
NATURE MOVIES... for EARTH/OCEAN Day lessons
1. Earth. Disney Nature. This Disney film, is a documentary movie that will be loved by students of all ages. They will enjoy it and learn much about our wonderful planet earth! This is a global journey reveals how animal mothers struggle to raise their young in an increasingly dangerous environment. In the Arctic, a polar bear and her two newborn cubs must find food across the quickly melting ice. In Africa, an elephant and her calf begin an arduous journey in search of water, but a pride of lions guards the pool. A humpback whale must keep her calf safe over thousands of miles as they migrate from the equator to Antarctica. Released in 2007. Narrated by James Earl Ray.
2. DisneyNature. OCEANS. Students of all ages will also enjoy this amazing documentary film that has plenty of under and above the waters scenes- that show the incredible stuff that animals do in order to survive. This film will also be a great learning experience about our wonderful oceans! Most of the Earth's surface is covered by water; using the latest technology, filmmakers Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud set out to explore the underwater world. Diving deep into the waters that ultimately sustain all life on Earth, Perrin and Cluzaud capture spectacular footage of the amazing beauty and harsh reality of life beneath the waves. Released in 2010. Narrators: Jacques Perrin, Pierce Brosnan, Rie Miyazawa Awards: César Award for Best Documentary
3. Blue Planet. This is a space film about Earth; an experience of our home planet that, until now, has only been shared by astronauts.
Four Excellent Documentary films about the oceans and nature
1. A PLASTIC OCEAN. This is an adventure documentary (suited for grades 4th to 12th). It was shot on more than 20 locations for over 4 years. Explorers Craig Leeson (also a journalist) and Tanya Streeter (an Olympic world champion deep-sea diver), and a team of international scientists reveal the causes and consequences of plastic pollution and share solutions. An interesting and educational film that presents the problem ocean plastic pollution beautifully. It also offers hope/solutions; hence it will motivate you to act. In fact, after watching it, I finally understood why we often see whales dying on beaches worldwide. To take action join the global movement at www.plasticoceans.org
From this site you can request for a public screening of A PLASTIC OCEAN and to watch trailer CLICK/VISIT: https://www.youtube.com/
2. Plastic Paradise. The GREAT Pacific Garbage Patch. The Great Pacific garbage patch is documentary film (suited for high school and adult), also described as the Pacific trash vortex, a large area that is polluted with plastic. This film was released in August 2010; Plastic Paradise Movie – an independent documentary by Angela Sun uncovering the mystery of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch known as the Plastic Paradise · The source of the garbage patches. https://www.youtube.com/
3. An Inconvenient Sequel- TRUTH TO POWER. This is a powerful and urgent message for humanity. This documentary is appropriate for high school students and adult. This documentary will inspire and teach you what you need to do if you are interested in protecting earth and want to begin taking action in making our planet, cleaner, safer and livable again. I love VP Al Gore's dedication, passion and leadership in fighting for our planet. He truly is a visionary, an intelligent, but most of all, a caring human being who cares for our planet and for environmental justice. https://www.youtube.com/
Learn about the plastic pollution problem by watching the following educational videos:
1. A PLASTIC OCEAN
https://www.youtube.com/
This is a short video of the adventure documentary film. It was shot on more than 20 locations for over 4 years. Explorers Craig Leeson (also a journalist) and Tanya Streeter (an Olympic world champion deep-sea diver), and a team of international scientists reveal the causes and consequences of plastic pollution and share solutions. An interesting and educational film that presents the problem ocean plastic pollution beautifully. It also offers hope/solutions; hence it will motivate you to act like millions of others around the world!
2. Blue Planet 1990 documentary - YouTube
▶ 42:27https://www.youtube.com/
Blue Planet is an IMAX film directed by Ben Burtt, and produced by the IMAX Space.
3. Blue Planet II Opening Intro Titles Episode 1 (HD), 2.43 min.
https://www.youtube.com/
The introduction of the first episode of Blue Planet II. Sir David Attenborough highlights the wonder of our oceans and the sustainability of it's future I do not own anything. Copyright BBC.
4. Blue Planet II.
https://www.youtube.com/
5. What really happens to the plastic you throw away - By Emma Bryce (4 min) https://www.youtube.com/
6. Ocean Pollution - Save Our Marine Life (4 min) - https://youtu.be/
7. The World Ocean "Trashed" (10 min.) https://youtu.be/
An award winning film. The world ocean's food chain is being polluted with plastics. This program has won the Ocean Film Festival Award of Excellence at the NOAA sponsored Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary film festival. This short educational documentary shows the negative effects of plastic pollution, but it also shows what people around the world are doing to contain/reduce plastic pollution.
4. How We Can Keep Plastics Out of Our Ocean | National Geographic (3 min.) https://www.youtube.com/
This is an excellent straight to the point video. It shows us how our plastic trash and other pollution reach the sea- and what we can do to prevent and/or stop it.5. How can we clean up the oceans (4 min.)- In this brief video we learn that 4-12 metric tons of plastics wash into the oceans every year. So plastic is a huge problem in the oceans, but engineers and research groups are working on how to deal with it. Hank describes some of the leading proposed solutions. https://youtu.be/
6. BAG IT 1- Part 1 of 'Bag it' (also check out part 2-4) Ame
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