Practical session

Module Title	Module 3: Effects of plastic use on marine life
Activity Title	Beach Cleanup
Activity Code	A1.1	Duration of Activity (in minutes)	60-120 minutes
Aim of activity	The Beach Cleanup Challenge activity aims to educate and raise awareness among young people about the impact of plastic pollution on marine life. By actively participating in the cleanup, participants can see the amount of plastic waste that accumulates on beaches and the negative effects it has on the environment.
Materials Required for Activity	Gloves Garbage bags Reusable water bottle
Step-by-step instruction	Choose a local beach that needs a cleanup. Gather a group of young people to participate in the cleanup. Provide each participant with gloves and garbage bags. Explain the importance of properly disposing of plastic waste and the impact it has on marine life using the information provided in this module. Collect and properly dispose of any litter found on the beach y all the participants. You can take a group photo at the end of the cleanup and share it on social media with the hashtag #beachcleanupchallenge to raise awareness on the issue and this initiative.

Module Title	Module 3: Effects of plastic use on marine life
Activity Title	Say no to plastics
Activity Code	A1.1	Duration of Activity (in minutes)	One week
Aim of activity	The activity aims to educate young people about marine plastic pollution and encourage them to act against plastic usage to protect the oceans. The participants will record their plastic usage to understand plastic consumption patterns. Also, they will understand the impact of plastics on the marine environment through an experiment and will brainstorm on ways to reduce plastic in their daily lives. In addition, through this activity, they will develop their collaboration skills.
Materials Required for Activity	Worksheet “Track your plastic usage” Single-use plastics, such as straws, food containers, balloons, plastic bags, etc. 2 containers filled with water Sheets of paper Colored pens
Step-by-step instruction	Form small groups (3-4 participants in each group). Provide them with a large sheet of paper and ask them to brainstorm on the role that plastic plays in their lives. For one week they should keep track of the use of plastic usage by filling out the worksheet “Track your plastic”. Reflect on consumption patterns and discuss why certain single-use plastics are used and explore eco-friendly alternatives to replace them. (You can take notes during the discussion). Fill a large container with water and place some single-use plastic items inside. Discuss the duration of disposal, explain the impact of microplastics on marine life, and use the information included in this module. Fill the second container with water and add a paper sheet. Leave the two containers aside and encourage the groups to reflect upon how long it takes for the items to break down in the sea. Provide the groups with a large paper sheet again and some colored papers. The participants should design a poster to promote the reduction of plastic in their local community. Present the posters to the whole group and explain their meaning. You could take a photo of the posters and upload them on social media with relevant hashtags (#reduceplastic #trackyourplastic #saveoceans #rescueproject, etc.) and encourage the participants to share the message!

Additional learning resources

Module Title	Module 3: Effects of plastic use on marine life
Title of Resource:	“Drowning in Plastic”, a BBC documentary
Resource Code	R3.1
Introduction to the resource	This is a story from the shearwater colonies off the coast of Australia and New Zealand. Shearwaters eat more plastic than any other mammal and are starving themselves to death. They often unknowingly feed fragments of plastic to their young, filling their stomachs and leaving no room for food. The fledglings then do not get the nutrition they need and cannot fend for themselves when they head out to sea.
What will you get from using this resource?	From watching a video of shearwaters eating plastic, you can learn that ingesting plastic can be fatal to these birds. Plastic can block their digestive system, leading to starvation and mortality. Additionally, the birds may become malnourished since the plastic has no nutritional value. Furthermore, when shearwaters feed their chicks the plastic, the chicks receive no nutrients from the plastic and can’t get the nutrition they need to survive.
Link to resource	https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06mfk49