California isn’t only the site of innovative marine debris removal projects, but is also where some really interesting and creative prevention projects are taking place! Here are two new projects that the NOAA Marine Debris Program is proud to be a part of:
ReThink Disposable is a project by the Clean Water Fund that works to combat the use of single-use items in restaurants. This project works directly with restaurants to help them make the transition to reusable items, reducing their waste and saving them money over time. Educational materials are also provided and displayed in order to educate customers and encourage them to make choices to reduce their contribution to marine debris. For more on this project, check out the project profile on our website.
Similarly, EarthTeam’s Zero Litter project works to prevent marine debris through youth service learning in San Francisco Bay Area communities. By engaging high school students in marine debris internships, not only are the students empowered to become leaders in such a movement, but other students and the community are also engaged and educated. In addition, the interns take part in shoreline cleanups and monitoring, lead community events and presentations, and disseminate all of their work to the public via blog posts. For more on this project, check out the project profile on our website.
There is a lot of cool stuff going on in our California region! Keep your eyes on our blog this week for more!