Saving the Ocean One Bottle at a Time
Overview
Environmental pollution with plastic waste is an issue that has been around for decades, but the situation is becoming more dire with each passing year. The effects of plastic pollution are especially noticed near bodies of water like the Gulf of Mexico, which our school is located on the coast of. Although it will take a massive collective effort to slow the spread of plastic pollution worldwide, we at Ball High are committing to doing our part in keeping plastic out of our stretch of the Gulf of Mexico. We are addressing the issue at hand with our plastic recycling program and by installing water bottle refill stations around the school to eliminate the need for plastic bottles in the first place.
Macroplastics
Macroplastic refers to any plastic object larger than about the size of a grain of rice. These objects are what comes to mind when someone speaks of plastic pollution, and they are commonly known to cause harm to marine life in several ways
Many marine animals cannot distinguish between plastic trash and edible creatures, and will mistakenly consume plastic. This plastic is usually not digestible and clogs up the digestive tract of whoever eats it, causing them to starve. Some wildlife may also attempt to feed this plastic to their young, which kills the young prematurely for the same reasons.
Additionally, aquatic life can become entangled in plastic objects, such as 6-pack rings and fishing line. This can injure them or reduce their ability to forage and hide from predators.
Microplastics
The vast majority of plastic is not biodegradable and instead breaks down into tiny particles called microplastics. Additionally, microplastics are added in various products like exfoliating face washes as microbeads.
Although smaller particles sound less harmful than large chunks of plastic, this is far from the case. These small bits of plastic block the digestive tracts of marine life, often causing them to starve. Additionally, certain chemical pollutants in water tend to attach to these bits of plastic. When the contaminated plastic is ingested, it brings these pollutants into whoever ate it. These toxins can damage a wide range of organ systems, including the reproductive and excretory systems.
Sea creatures aren't the only organisms that consume microplastics. A study has shown that humans also consume up to 5 grams of plastic a week, primarily through water.
Ball High's Response
Here at Ball High, we realize the impact that single-use plastic waste has on the environment, especially in coastal communities like ours. Thus, we have implemented several measures to prevent single-use plastic from ending up in landfills and bodies of water.
Our National Honor Society chapter members collect plastic recycling from classrooms and households who have opted in our recycling service biweekly in order to reduce the entrance of plastic waste into landfills and the ocean.
Additionally, we are installing several water bottle refill stations around the school to encourage the use of reusable water bottles rather than single-use plastic containers.
Current Progress
This graph shows the number of single-use plastic bottles that NHS collected on collection days throughout the 2020-2021 school year. Please note that data for March, April, and May has not been finalized and thus is not reflected in this chart.
This graph shows the total number of single-use plastic bottles that NHS collected throughout the 2020-2021 school year. Please note that data for March, April, and May has not been finalized and thus is not reflected in this chart.