The 2023 Marine Debris Calendar is available! This year’s calendar features artwork from thirteen students in kindergarten through eighth grade from nine states and two U.S. territories, all winners of the “Keep the Sea Free of Debris” art contest.
Artwork by Hazel P. (Grade 3, Florida), winner of the Annual NOAA Marine Debris Program Art Contest.
Welcome Summer!
Throughout June, we've been celebrating 30 Days of the Ocean! June 1st was also World Reef Day, and so to celebrate, we've highlighted a craft that upcycles common materials into a colorful coral reef.
And for our subscribers in the Mid-Atlantic, Great Lakes, or Florida, check out our Marine Debris Projects Near You section below to learn more about some of the exciting work happening in your region to prevent marine debris!
Artwork by Jaemyn L. (Grade 6, Pennsylvania), winner of the Annual NOAA Marine Debris Program Art Contest.
We are pleased to announce the winners of the Annual NOAA Marine Debris Program ArtContest! We received many colorful, creative, and informative entries from around the country, and although we wish we could showcase them all, we are excited to share the winners of this year’s contest with you.
Plastic bottles quickly accumulate in waterways, ending up as marine debris (Credit: Cynthia Smith, George Mason University).
With support from the NOAA Marine Debris Program, George Mason University collaborated with Keep Prince William Beautiful and other local partners to reduce student dependence on single-use water bottles and prevent them from becoming marine debris. The long term, sustainable goal of this 2-year project was to change (reduce) single-use plastic water bottle use behavior of students at two high schools in Prince William County, Virginia, through increased awareness of and connectivity between bottle usage and inland and marine debris problems in the tidal freshwater Potomac River. For educators looking to establish a similar program, this newly released website toolkit details the process for teacher and student delegate selection and training, educational, field and data collection activities related to marine debris reduction efforts, grassroots marketing initiatives, and the impacts of the program.
Check out the presentation from the NOAA Marine Debris Program and the National Science Teaching Association to learn about the science of marine debris (Credit: NOAA).
On April 20, the National Science Teaching Association hosted the NOAA Marine Debris Program for an informative webinar all about the science of marine debris and how to turn that science into solutions. This session was recorded, and you can check out the presentation (and the rest of the archived webinars) here.
Animals like turtles, marine mammals, birds, and other creatures can die when they accidentally swallow or get tangled up in marine debris (Credit: NOAA).
As part of their 50th anniversary campaign, the NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries has launched a new resource collection.
Marine debris threatens the ocean and its resources, the economy, and safe navigation. All national marine sanctuaries face the challenge of managing marine debris and its harmful impacts. Check out this new resource collection, which features resources related to the problem of marine debris, NOAA and sanctuary system programs, and the solution to pollution.
In this new era of ocean conservation, we encourage formal and informal educators and other interested people to take advantage of the robust educational materials available in each topically-based collection.
Educators are the main drivers behind the success of the NOAA Ocean Guardian School program, often spearheading stewardship projects to ignite positive environmental change on campuses and in surrounding communities. Over the past 14 years, tens of thousands of students have been immersed in environmental stewardship projects across the country in an effort to protect their local watersheds, the world's ocean, and special areas like national marine sanctuaries. The NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries interviewed two veteran Ocean Guardian educators who have been dedicated to investing in our planet for over a decade.
Best for: Elementary School, Middle School, High School and Older
Applicable Regions: Anywhere
OCEANS 2023 Gulf Coast Conference Contests
Artwork by Cordelia S. (Grade 5, Ohio), winner of the Annual Marine Debris Program Art Contest.
The OCEANS 2023 Conference and Exposition Gulf Coast, hosted by the Marine Technology Society and the IEEE Oceanic Engineering Society and sponsored in part by NOAA, has opened two contests for students.
The Beach Trash Contest invites students and adults to turn local trash into works of art, while raising awareness about the problem of trash in our waters, on our beaches, and in all waterways. Applications are due August 31, 2023.
The OCEANS Outreach Challenge invites K-5, 6-8, 9-12, and community college students in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and the panhandle of Florida to create a project that brings attention to the problem of plastics in our environment, with an emphasis on oceans and/or the coastal environment, carry out that project, and provide a video that outlines the project and results. Applications of Intent are due August 31, 2023.
Join a community of schools and educators working to increase awareness and stewardship of the ocean by becoming a USA Blue School (Credit: NOAA).
USA Blue Schools are K-12 schools that are working to increase awareness about the ocean and inspire educators, students, and community members to deepen their connection with the sea. Participating schools may be involved in action projects such as park/beach cleanups, data collection, community science activities, and educational workshops.
Engage students in learning about plastic pollution issues and solutions with professional development from Monterey Bay Aquarium (Credit: Feiro Marine Life Center).
Team members celebrate debris removed from Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, highlighted as one of Mark's most rewarding and exciting opportunities as part of the NOAA Marine Debris Program (Credit: NOAA).
Are your students interested in how to take their passion for the environment and turn it into a career? Check out this career profile through the National Ocean Service featuring Marine Debris Program team member Mark Manuel, Pacific Islands Regional Coordinator.
Through a series of activity books, Spencer the Sprout teaches students how and why to keep their communities clean and free from debris.
As part of a NOAA Marine Debris Program-funded project, Prince George's County of Maryland supplemented their effort to reduce trash flowing into the Anacostia River with an engaging outreach strategy. To inspire the community to prevent debris, Prince George’s County enlisted the help of "Spencer the Sprout." Through a series of educational workbooks and an interactive website, Spencer teaches K-12 students about the environment in Prince George’s County and the importance of reducing, reusing, and recycling. Spencer’s adventures feature familiar local sites to help connect readers with the impacts of littering in their own communities.
Stewardship projects and education can help keep debris like this out of the Great Lakes (Credit: NOAA).
Two teachers in Ohio participated in a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative-funded mentor program run by NOAA Sea Grant’s Center for Great Lakes Literacy. This particular teacher pairing was part of the Ohio Sea Grant’s mentor program called, The Greatest of the Great: A Marine Debris Workshop for Educators. The program provided participating teachers with marine debris-themed lessons and stewardship project guidance, as well as a customized “Litter Awareness Kit for Educators” or L.A.K.E. box.
Eckerd College students sorting through debris collected during a beach clean-up (Credit: Angelina Kossoff).
Eckerd College, located along the sunny coast of the Gulf of Mexico, has been working hard to reduce single-use plastic consumption on campus for years. Following a successful NOAA Marine Debris Program prevention grant focused on reducing single-use plastic at Eckerd, the Reduce Single-Use Project teamed up with the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. On both campuses the team has encouraged college students to rely less on plastics through events, beach cleanups, and even an app.
Marine debris like this derelict fishing net can crush sensitive coral species (Credit: NOAA).
On June 1, NOAA celebrated World Reef Day! Coral reefs are one of the most important ecosystems on our planet. Thousands of species rely on reefs for survival, and millions of people worldwide also depend on coral reefs for food, protection, and jobs. These unique and sensitive habitats can be devastated by marine debris. Reefs can be impacted by debris that can smother, crush, or break off pieces of coral. Since corals grow very slowly, recovery from any damage caused by marine debris, no matter how small, can take a very long time.
We can protect coral reefs by preventing debris from entering our environment, and by raising awareness about their vulnerability and importance - and you can accomplish both with this engaging upcycling project!
Creative and Colorful Corals!
Check out these resources to help students learn about reefs, and then create your own coral reef with upcycled materials!
The supplies you'll need for this project include common craft items like glue and pipe cleaners, and materials that could end up in the trash, like egg cartons and mesh produce bags (Credit: NOAA).
Supplies: Your exact supply list may vary depending on the materials you have available and the reef species you'd like to create.
Scissors (child-safe scissors won't be strong enough to cut the bottles, so the bottle cutting should be completed by adults or with adult supervision)
Glue (while white glue is pictured here, I ended up using hot glue to get all of the materials to stick. If using hot glue, ensure that gluing is completed by adults or with supervision)
Plastic beverage bottles (clean and dry)
Egg carton
Bubble wrap
Mesh produce bag
Paints
Pipe cleaners or string
A cardboard box and/or a few paper plates
Critter Collage from Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary
Set up the base for your reef:
I used a short cardboard box for the first layer, and a small paper plate for a second layer.
You can also use paper plates stacked with paper towel or bath tissue rolls to add height - or just one plate!
For brain corals:
Cut apart your egg carton, or cut the bottom off of your plastic bottle.
Paint the egg carton or bottle piece.
Glue pipe cleaners or string around the egg carton or bottle base.
For star corals:
Paint a few more egg carton or plastic bottle pieces.
Cut out a small piece of bubble wrap, and paint it in a matching color.
Glue the bubble wrap pieces onto the egg carton or plastic bottle base.
For sea fans:
Cut apart fan-shaped pieces of mesh produce bag.
Line the pieces with pipe cleaners to help them stand up.
Create as many types and colors of coral as you would like! You can draw inspiration from a local environment, one of the many national marine sanctuaries, or your imagination. Other types of reef life you can make with these materials include:
Sea sponges
Staghorn corals
Anemones
And more!
Finishing up the reef:
Cut out each species from the Critter Collage and glue a piece of thick paper or cardstock and a toothpick or pipe cleaner on the back.
Place each coral, sponge, sea fan, critter, etc. onto the reef base!
Hard to be-reef that these materials could have ended up as marine debris! (Credit: NOAA).
