Storytime - Pollution We Can and Can't See
This workshop consists of two parts: a reading of the "An Earth Bot’s Guide to Plastic Pollution" by Russel Ayto followed by the hands-on activity. Using some very ordinary items at home, we're going to learn about the pollution we can and can’t see.
This storytime virtual outreach activity is split into a pre-activity document - i.e., workshop overview and list of materials with preparation instructions for both the volunteer and educator, and PowerPoint presentation with presenter notes to help lead the workshop virtually.
This workshop discusses topics, which can lead to feelings of eco-anxiety among volunteers, educators and youth if not presented in a thoughtful manner. The most important things to remember are to be honest, hopeful, developmentally appropriate, and action oriented. This workshop was created with these guidelines in mind. For more details, refer to the volunteer resource, Being Conscious of Eco-Anxiety.
What You Need
Physical Requirements
- You will need a space that will allow you to comfortably lead the virtual quiz, a stable internet connection, a desktop computer with 1-2 desktop screens, based on your preference, a webcam and a headset with microphone.
- Site coordinators and volunteers participating in online programming must ensure the following if video is recorded or shown: wearing a Let’s Talk Science t-shirt, having a neutral background and trying to avoid open backgrounds where other people may suddenly be visible.
- This activity works best with a partner who can monitor the chat for questions.
Materials
- Empty egg carton
- Water
- Food colouring
- Black pepper
- Table salt
- Small spoon
- Reusable cloth
- Large tray to place underneath egg carton
- Optional: A large spoon
- Optional: Cotton balls/tissue paper
- Optional: Baking soda
- Optional: Cardboard stock paper
Pre-Activity Document:
Presentation:
Safety Notes
Ensure you are familiar with Let's Talk Science's precautions with respect to safe delivery of virtual outreach to youth. These precautions can be found in the manual for this activity.
What To Do
- Reading of “An Earth Bot’s Guide to Plastic Pollution" by Russel Ayto.
- Doing the Activity:
- Pour water into your egg carton, and watch it flow from one cell to the next.
- Add 5-10 drops of food colouring to one end of your water.
- Add some waves to the oceans using your small spoon, and watch the food dye move around! This is liquid pollution.
- Add a teaspoon of black pepper or any flaky substance to your egg carton, and add some waves. This is your solid pollution.
- Add some table salt to your egg carton, and add some waves! This is invisible pollution.
- Use your large spoon to scoop up as many black pepper flakes (solid pollution) as you can.
- Use some cotton balls or tissue paper to absorb your food dye and liquid pollution.
- Add a teaspoon of baking soda to one cell and mix – your liquid pollution will disappear.
- Use your cardboard to block your pollution from moving to the next cell.
Discovery
There are many different types of pollution! In this workshop, we explore:
Pollution we can see
- Garbage pollution, like plastic bags and bottles, which animals end up eating and getting tangled up in.
- Oil spills can also cause pollution in the ocean and can get stuck to animals so they can’t move or eat.
Pollution we can’t see
- Tiny pieces of plastic from the breakdown of garbage pollution and other sources. These micro plastics are invisible and harder to clean up!
- Liquid waste from factories that are dumped into the ocean.
- The invisible chemicals used to make plants grow that can end up in the oceans!
Pollution can lead to climate change. Climate change describes how Earth’s climate has been changing over many years. Generally, it has become more hotter, and temperatures are rising. For example, during the process of bacteria breaking down garbage pollution into tiny pieces, they release a gas called carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is a type of greenhouse gas, which traps heat like a blanket around the Earth. When there is too much plastic and pollution in the ocean, the bacteria have to work extra hard, and too much carbon dioxide ends up in the air! This causes the area around it to warm up. Places near the ocean can become much hotter over time, causing climate change!
Although climate change is caused by many things, such as gases released by cars or factories, ocean pollution can also add to the problem of climate change.
There are some neat inventions that scientists have created to clean up ocean pollution!
- A giant seanet attached to the back of a boat can scoop up large plastic, much like the plastic spoon in our experiment!
- A seabin can filter out small pieces of plastic in the ocean, like we tried to do with the cardboard stock in our experiment!
- A wasteshark can move around and suck up any large pieces of plastic on the surface of the ocean!
- Mr. Trash Wheel uses the trash moving through the ocean to create electricity!
- Chemical magnets can attach to small pieces of plastic and breaks them down even further into chemicals that can’t hurt animals anymore!
Learn more about the Innovative Ways We’re Cleaning Up the Ocean and How You Can Help.
What's Happening?
There are many different types of pollution! In this workshop, we explore:
Pollution we can see
- Garbage pollution, like plastic bags and bottles, which animals end up eating and getting tangled up in.
- Oil spills can also cause pollution in the ocean and can get stuck to animals so they can’t move or eat.
Pollution we can’t see
- Tiny pieces of plastic from the breakdown of garbage pollution and other sources. These micro plastics are invisible and harder to clean up!
- Liquid waste from factories that are dumped into the ocean.
- The invisible chemicals used to make plants grow that can end up in the oceans!
Pollution can lead to climate change. Climate change describes how Earth’s climate has been changing over many years. Generally, it has become more hotter, and temperatures are rising. For example, during the process of bacteria breaking down garbage pollution into tiny pieces, they release a gas called carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is a type of greenhouse gas, which traps heat like a blanket around the Earth. When there is too much plastic and pollution in the ocean, the bacteria have to work extra hard, and too much carbon dioxide ends up in the air! This causes the area around it to warm up. Places near the ocean can become much hotter over time, causing climate change!
Why Does it Matter?
Although climate change is caused by many things, such as gases released by cars or factories, ocean pollution can also add to the problem of climate change.
There are some neat inventions that scientists have created to clean up ocean pollution!
- A giant seanet attached to the back of a boat can scoop up large plastic, much like the plastic spoon in our experiment!
- A seabin can filter out small pieces of plastic in the ocean, like we tried to do with the cardboard stock in our experiment!
- A wasteshark can move around and suck up any large pieces of plastic on the surface of the ocean!
- Mr. Trash Wheel uses the trash moving through the ocean to create electricity!
- Chemical magnets can attach to small pieces of plastic and breaks them down even further into chemicals that can’t hurt animals anymore!
Resources
Learn more about the Innovative Ways We’re Cleaning Up the Ocean and How You Can Help.