On Tuesday we had a special visit from Will Soltau. Mr. Soltau works at Living Oceans here in Sointula and is the project manager for Clear the Coast.
Will told us that millions of tonnes of waste, mostly plastic, end up in the ocean and washing up on the coastline every year. More and more plastic keeps ending up in the ocean and it doesn’t bio-degrade. It does break down into smaller and smaller pieces because of the sun and that is a real problem too. Mrs. Soltau told us that the plastic in the ocean is just as bad as the oil spills because it lasts a long time too.
Mr. Soltau showed us examples of the types of plastic that can end up in the ocean. We talked about plastic bags that can look like jellyfish, 6 pack holders that can strangle and cut into animals, plastic strapping that can harm larger animals, and Styrofoam that can be swallowed by animals looking for food. We learned that animals ingest the plastic and it gets into their systems. This can be very dangerous. The animals aren’t getting the nutrients that they should be getting and can even die because of the plastic.
We also learned about other types of marine debris that can be found in the ocean and washed up on our beaches. We talked about lost and abandoned fishing gear, derelict and abandoned boats, and debris that has found its way here from the tsunami in Japan.
Here are some of the things that really stood out to us:
Sharon-If you find garbage on the beach you should pick it up and bring it home to put in recycling or the garbage.
Bronwen-It is really bad if oil goes in the ocean. It can kill animals if they breathe it in. Some animals like sea lions and sea otters can get trapped in old nets that are floating around and they can die.
Brooklynn-When there is plastic or Styrofoam on the beaches it can break into smaller pieces. If they eat it it is bad because it isn’t nutritious and they can also choke on it when it is floating around and they think it is food and they eat it. People should clean up their mess before they go home or it can get back into the ocean and kill more animals.
Linden-If you go down to the beach you might find the plastic things that go around pop. Fish can swim through them and they caught in them.
May-Animals can die just by oil.
Jacob-If you leave something in the ocean, like a strap, it can go around an animals neck and choke it and it could die.
Lily-There was a dock that because of the tsunami washed up on the shore and all sorts of life forms from Japan actually completed a whole life cycle on the dock. It is impossible to believe that they survived.
Koa-It is really bad if you leave garbage on the beach or in the lakes because you could kill animals.
Teagan-Animals think that the plastic in the ocean is food and then they eat it and can die.
Kezra-If there are plastic bags in the ocean, turtles and sun fish think they look like something good to eat. They look like jellyfish. If they eat them they will get sick and die. If there are more plastic bags it will happen to more and more sun fish. Baby animals can get stuck in 6 pack holders. It can suffocate or choke them and they can die.
Jorja-When people put their crab traps out and never come back, the more crabs keep getting stuck in the trap and the other crabs become bait. There are big patches of garbage everywhere like in California.
Solomon-Dave and I went out to check our crab trap and there were plastic bags in it.
We learned that Living Oceans is sponsoring a beach clean-up June 7, 2013 for Oceans Day. We hope that everyone in town will come and do what they can to help the ocean.
We would also like to challenge all our blogging buddies and readers around the world to do something to help the ocean, especially those of you that live near the water.
What will you do to help the ocean?
Dear Class
to bad I was not here to put the post up because I was sick
today I am a little dizzy from being sick.
I bet it was fun putting the post up.
I remember last year’s clean up it was a lot of fun.
Your bud aka Classmate
Jacob
Dear Mrs w
Today I like your ongey shret and I like your heklis and i like you harr stiyal and I like your panss. And i like how you are the best teshr in the holl intair wralld
and I was just sayen hi.
from koa
Hello Mrs. Watson and K/1/2/3,
This is a fascinating post and a concern for anyone with a connection to the seas and oceans of the world. I was interested in the comments your class left. I thought I would prepare a post so I could add a comment for each of you and share some more information on ocean pollution…
http://rossmannellcomments.edublogs.org/2013/05/27/trashing-our-oceans-and-waterways/
Here in Australia we have an annual Clean Up Australia Day. This year it was on March 3. Its aim is to remove garbage from the environment, both on land and in our waterways. It has made a difference to our environment but it’s sad to say there is always more rubbish to collect the next year. If EVERYONE took more care with disposal of garbage, what a wonderful world it would be.
Keep blogging.
Ross Mannell
Teacher (retired), N.S.W., Australia
Dear Ross Mannel,
I am very happy that you have a garbage clean up. We also have a garbage clean up. I’m sure it is every year.
From,
Bronwen
Dear Bronwen,
Our coast and waterways are a big part of my town’s life. Our area is popular with tourists but it wouldn’t remain so if visitors found garbage along out beaches and in our lakes. I know you also care about our oceans. Living on an island reminds us of the beauty of our coastlines.
Australia is known as the smallest continent but it is also the largest island in our world so our coastline is huge. It is sad to say rubbish from the ocean can wash up anywhere along our coast because it can be carried great distances in ocean currents. The more we can all do to reduce what escapes into the ocean, the better off the whole world will be.
Keep up your concern for our natural heritage. What we do now effects what we pass on to other future generations.
Ross Mannell
This is copied from my reply to your comment on my blog…
Dear Mrs. W and the K/1/2/3s,
Thank you for leaving a comment. When we have Clean Up Australia Day, it’s normally held on a weekend so anyone can take part but it is traditional for our local school to go out on the Friday before to have their clean up day.
Each year, K, 1 and 2 students clean up the school grounds. Grade 3 and 4 children clean up the lakeside near the school. Grade 5 and 6 walk to the other side of the lake to clean up an area known as Fishpen.
As I have taken part in their school clean up, I know they find a big range of items but mostly plastics, paper, bottles and cans. One boy once found a $20 note. 🙂
You have given me an idea. There are three beaches near my town in total over 3km long. I always look for good reasons to go on new walks so I think I will walk each beach to see what I can find. I can then write a report for you as I collect as much as I can. I can find out just how clean the beaches are at the moment. With winter soon to start I suspect there might not be as much as our big tourist season. I wonder what I might find?
I have had both Skype and Google HangOut sessions with classes. Two have been with Mrs. Yollis and class and one with a class in England. It was only last week Mrs. Yollis and class spoke on line. For them it was 1:30pm Monday and here it was 6:30am Tuesday. I’m an early riser so the session worked very well. We need only set a date, 🙂
Ross Mannell
Oops…
The length of the beaches should have read over 8km long. Just one is over 3km long. 🙂
Ross Mannell
Dear Mr. Mannell,
We thought it was wonderful that the whole school pitches in to clean up. We sometimes have the whole school head outside to clean-up our grounds. We thought the boy who found $20 was pretty lucky!
We are looking forward to seeing pictures from the beaches around your area. Your beaches look a lot different than our beaches! Our beaches are very rocky!
When we found out that we might be able to chat with you on Skype we all cheered! We are thinking of things we would like to ask you. Mrs. Watson is in the classroom Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday afternoons (Thursday, Friday, or Saturday mornings for you) if any of those days would work for you before we are out for summer holidays at the end of June.
We look forward to chatting with you!
Your friends,
Mrs. W and the K/1/2/3s
Hello again Mrs. W. and K/1/2/3,
I had some time on Tuesday afternoon so I visited our two smaller beaches around town to see what rubbish I could find. I hope to visit more before your June 7 Oceans Day clean up. Here is a link so you can see what was found…
http://rossmannellcomments.edublogs.org/2013/05/29/trashing-our-oceans-and-waterways-bar-and-middle-beach-survey/
Ross Mannell
Dear Mrs. W and K/1/2/3s,
Today (Wednesday) I was able to survey another beach. Here is the link to show what was found…
http://rossmannellcomments.edublogs.org/2013/06/05/trashing-our-oceans-and-waterways-short-point-tura-beach-survey/
Ross Mannell
Dear Class
Right now i’m in a place called Salinas.
What are you guys doing right now? i’m at a motel.
were not at Malibu That means that we have not seen Braidon yet.
I hope you reply to me
your friend
Jacob
p.s.
Justin says hi
Dear Jacob,
We were really excited to see your comment! We hope that you are having a good time. We found Salinas on Google. You were really far away on the map and it looked like you were almost there.
Have you made it to Malibu yet? Have you gone to Disneyland yet? Have you played Minecraft with Braidon and Justin yet?
We all hope that you have a good time with Braidon and your family!
We hope you write to us again soon!
Your friends,
Mrs. W and the K/1/2/3s
Dear Class
yes I have got to Malibu but now where at Disneyland.
My favorite ride was space mountain it looked like you were in space and it goes really fast.
have you went to the Tiki room? it’s so cool talking bird’s everywhere.
I have not played Minecraft with Braidon and Justin.
I also saw Braidon’s step mom and his sister Michelle.
and his dad Shawn.
next comment braidon might want to whrite a comment too.
Your awesome cool
friend
Jacob