WMBD - Plastics

Note: This is a PRE-conference workshop happening on July 24th

Facilitated by: Sheylda Diaz-Mendez, Environment for the Americas, E-mail: Sdiaz-mendez@environmentamericas.org

Purpose: The purpose of this workshop is to train Caribbean biologists and educators in effective methods of hosting cleanups that remove plastics and other trash from habitats used by resident and migratory birds. In the training, participants will learn how to organize, plan, promote, and implement cleanups, and will be introduced to other activities that may be used with youth adults to raise awareness about the issue of plastic pollution and its impacts on birds. Each participant will leave with a cleanup kit, which includes cleanup supplies, a guide to hosting a World Migratory Bird Day 2019 program (including complete cleanup instructions), and promotional materials.

Overview: Research shows that in addition to directly removing plastics, cleanups motivate participants to commit to behaviors that benefit the environment and to volunteer for additional measures. Studies have also shown that when educational programming is included, individuals who participate in clean ups have a greater awareness of the environment than people who merely take a walk in the area. As the accumulation of plastics has grown into a worldwide epidemic, the impacts of this pollution on birds has become increasingly evident. Studies showed that by the 1990s, 35% of the world’s seabird species had plastic in their stomachs, while more recent research reported that as many as 9 out of 10 of the world’s seabirds are likely to have plastic partially filling their stomachs. This topic is timely, as communities, states, and countries are challenged to reduce plastic waste, and as the Caribbean is recognized by the United Nations Programme and the Caribbean Environment Programme as vulnerable to the impacts of plastic pollution. While some Caribbean islands have implemented bans on plastic bags, such as Antigua and Barbuda, plastic production is expected to continue to increase for the production of other items, such as drink bottles, toys, and more. In the Caribbean, plastics arrive not only by ocean currents, but are also deposited inland. There they leach toxins into the soil and/or are washed down to sea by streams, rivers, and rainfall. Public awareness of the impacts of plastic pollution and ways that everyone can reduce their plastic use is essential to addressing this challenge.

Objectives:

● Instruct participants in methods of hosting a plastic cleanup successfully and safely

● Provide information about the impacts of plastics to birds

● Distribute cleanup kits and educational and promotional materials to participants

● Explore other activities that teach about the impacts of plastics on birds

● Engage participants in a citizen science project that quantifies plastic waste and helps conservationists identify sites in need of cleanups.

Session Structure: The workshop will begin with a presentation on World Migratory Bird Day, its history and the 2019 conservation theme, Be the solution to plastic pollution (45 min). This will be followed by outdoor instruction on conducting a cleanup and recording data on both birds and plastics (90 min). In the final session, we will demonstrate how to enter cleanup data and bird sightings and distribute clean-up kit materials (45 min).