STUDENT TEAMS SELECTED TO ATTEND
2011 INTERNATIONAL PLASTIC POLLUTION SUMMIT
LONG BEACH, Calif., December 15, 2010 – Algalita Marine Research Foundation (AMRF) today announced the school teams that have been selected to attend the 2011 Plastics Are Forever International Youth Summit to be held March 11-13, 2011 in Long Beach, California.
A total of 30 teams, representing 14 countries, have won a bid to attend the comprehensive educational program designed to engage, mentor, and activate youth leaders across the United States and abroad in developing and launching action-oriented solutions to reduce plastic waste in their home communities. The winning entries were chosen from among a group of 74 teams representing 18 countries.
The selected schools, including (team names), are:
Abraham Lincoln High School, San Francisco, California (Rebirth)
Alameda County 4H, San Leandro, California (4H Green Teens)
Ascension Collegiate, Bay Roberts, Newfoundland, Canada (AC Gaia)
Bolsa Grande High School, Garden Grove, California (WAC-sters)
Brookehouse International School, Nairobi, Kenya (Kenyan Lions)
Carmel High School and Santa Catalina High School, Carmel, California (Monterey Peninsula Plastic Pollution Initiative)
Carmel High School, Walter Peyton College Prep, and The Latin School, Great Lakes Region, Illinois/Indiana (Great Lakes Youth Leadership Council)
Colegio Hacienda lo Alcaparros, Bogota, Colombia (EcoBuilders)
Colegio Los Carrera, Coquimbo, Chile (Los Cientificos de la Basura)
Deep Creek Middle School, Eleuthera, Bahamas (Eco Club)
DPS, Bopal-Ahmedabad; Ryan Group, Delhi; and Genius Group, Rajkot, India (Team India 275)
East Bay Met School, Newport, Rhode Island (Pax Terra)
East Side Community High School, New York, New York (East Side Plastic Patrol)
EcoAcademy, Los Angeles, California (Generation Green)
Environmental Charter High School, Lawndale, California (R’Ashion)
George Washington High School, Mangilao, Guam (Marine Mania)
Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, Columbia, South Carolina (The Highlanders)
Jinja College and Gayaza Girls School, Jinja, Uganda (Uganda Youth Environmental Ambassadors)
Mountainview International Christian School, Jateng-Salatiga, Indonesia (WasteBusters, I Cubed,
and With Green))
Nichols School, Buffalo, New York (Plasti-Gone)
(The) Pegasus School, Huntington Beach, California (Pegasus Green Team)
Ringwood School, Hampshire, England (PEP)
Riverdale Country School, Bronx, New York (The Eastern Hemlocks)
Rutledge Hall, Lincolnwood, Illinois (Team Global Awareness)
Savannah Plains International School, Singaya, Tanzania and Lusaka, Zambia (African Warriors)
Scuola Media Statale E. Breda, Milan, Sesto San Giovanni, Milan, Italy (Whales and Dolphins)
West Salem High School, Salem, Oregon (T.A.P.-Titans Abolishing Plastic)
“We had the pleasure of reviewing the work of more than 250 students and were wholeheartedly impressed by the outstanding research, planning, and creativity displayed by all,” stated Marieta Francis, Algalita’s Executive Director. “The level of competition was remarkably high and demonstrated impressive insight, fascinating approaches, and illuminating perspectives. The applications provided us with a preview of the stellar leadership certain to be displayed at the Youth Summit. We wish we were in a position to bring all students who participated in this competition to California next March.”
The Summit is sponsored in part by grants from Disney Friends for Change Project Green, The Boeing Company, Employees Community Fund of Boeing California, and Pacific Life Foundation.
Plastic pollution endangers countless species of marine wildlife. Birds, mammals, sea turtles, and fish become entangled in or ingest our plastic trash and new research suggests that human health may also be impacted. Students attending the Summit will participate in an intensive program led by notable environmentalists and media experts to learn more about plastic marine pollution as well as develop their leadership, public speaking, and communications skills.
READ MORE - For additional information about Algalita Marine Research Foundation, Captain Charles Moore, and to learn more about our mission, outreach programs, and research projects, please visit www.algalita.org or call 562.598.4889.
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giovedì 23 dicembre 2010
lunedì 29 novembre 2010
PLASTILAB: la plastica, successo e problemi di un materiale
Il video girato dentro la nostra installazione, attraversando la quale si può sperimentare quello che un delfino o una balena provano nuotando in un mare di spazzatura:
E il video che mostra com'è fatto il Tetrapak, da noi sottoposto ad "autopsia". Abbiamo cercato di simulare il processo industriale di riciclo:
Il lavoro che il gruppo propone al PLASTIC IS FOREVER INTERNATIONAL YOUTH SUMMIT, MARCH 11-13 2011.
PLASTILAB. EXPERIMENTS, MODELS AND AN INSTALLATION TO KNOW PROPERTIES AND PROBLEMS OF THE PLASTIC MATERIALS
Ivan Andreoni, Erik Briga, Giovanna Garavaglia, Fabio Hu, Artur Kuvila, Federico Romano, Rosi Braga
Scuola Media Statale “E. Breda”, V. L. da Vinci 100 - 20099 Sesto San Giovanni (Milano) – Italy
INTRODUCTION
We are a group of six students aged fourteen attending the last year of the First Level Secondary School. The group, under the supervision of the teacher Rosi Braga, studied plastic materials.
The first lessons were about the mechanichal properties of plastic materials and their classification and use. We tried to understand the success of these materials and the enviromental problems caused by their unrestricted diffusion by means of:
- searches in the internet
- tests about the degradability of plastic waste and the recycle processes
During our research we discovered the Trash Vortex of the Pacific Ocean and the Algalita Foundation. We read in Algalita and Plasticsareforever websites about the 260 species of sealife menaced and entangled in plastic.
To share the collected informations and the results of the tests about degradability we are publishing photos and videos in the scholastic blog and organizing an exhibition at school. Moreover we decided to make an interactive installation whose goal is involving the audience to experience the enviromental disaster and the animals suffering.
EXPERIMENT 1
DEGRADABILITY OF SOME MATERIALS
MATERIALS: paper, paperboard, Mater-Bi, polypropylene, polyethylene (LDPE)
EXPERIMENTAL: we cut pieces (equal dimensions) of the materials and buried them in the school garden. After six weeks (under natural weather conditions) we dug the pieces out.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Only paper and paperboard were completely decomposed.
For Mater-Bi, we are testing the degradability in a compost pile. Work is in progress.
EXPERIMENT 2
A MODEL FOR BRANCHED POLYMERS
In polymers chemistry, branching occurs when there are chains bound to the main chain of the molecule. There are many degrees of branching. For example, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) has a very low degree of branching, and is quite stiff, while low-density polyethylene (LDPE) has significant numbers of both long and short branches and is quite flexible. How branching affects density?
MATERIALS: branches of trees collected in the garden of the school.
EXPERIMENTAL: we divided the material in two group: 1- we cut all the lateral branches from the main branch; 2- we left all the lateral branches. Then we tried to make a bundle.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
In the first case, the bundle was compact (high density); in the second one, the bundle was not much compact, and it was difficult to push the branches together (low density).
We can say that a lot of lateral branches means low density material.
EXPERIMENT 3
TETRAPAK: AUTOPSY OF A CARTON OF MILK
MATERIALS: a carton of milk, scissors, tweezers
EXPERIMENTAL: we cut the carton and separated the layers of the tetrapak (paperboard, plastic, aluminium foil).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
We verified the structure of a package in order to test the following experiment (6)
EXPERIMENT 4
RECYCLING TETRAPAK
PURPOSE: we know that Tetrapak can be recycled and we want to verify the industrial process.
MATERIALS: a carton of milk, scissors, water, becker.
EXPERIMENTAL: we cut the carton and put into water the pieces.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
After a week we tried to separate the layers. Paperboard could be easily separated from the other layers.
5- A MODEL FOR THE TRASH VORTEX OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN
PURPOSE
The model helps to understand what is the Trash Vortex.
MATERIALS: pieces of coloured plastic, water, oil, a bottle.
EXPERIMENTAL: we put the pieces in the bottle with oil and water.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: the effect of a great quantity of rubbish in the water can be observed.
6- A MODEL FOR THE TRASH VORTEX OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN. INTERACTIVE INSTALLATION.
PURPOSE
The model helps to understand what is the Trash Vortex involving the audience to experience the enviromental disaster and the animals suffering.
MATERIALS: pieces of plastic, strings, containers, plastic bags.
EXPERIMENTAL: we bound pieces, containers and plastic bag. We hung them across the Laboratory in order to create a forced path. We shot and edited some videos while crossing the plastic waste.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: the unpleasant effect to walk across a great quantity of waste like animals do can be experienced.
We are a group of six students aged fourteen attending the last year of the First Level Secondary School. The group, under the supervision of the teacher Rosi Braga, studied plastic materials.
The first lessons were about the mechanichal properties of plastic materials and their classification and use. We tried to understand the success of these materials and the enviromental problems caused by their unrestricted diffusion by means of:
- searches in the internet
- tests about the degradability of plastic waste and the recycle processes
During our research we discovered the Trash Vortex of the Pacific Ocean and the Algalita Foundation. We read in Algalita and Plasticsareforever websites about the 260 species of sealife menaced and entangled in plastic.
To share the collected informations and the results of the tests about degradability we are publishing photos and videos in the scholastic blog and organizing an exhibition at school. Moreover we decided to make an interactive installation whose goal is involving the audience to experience the enviromental disaster and the animals suffering.
EXPERIMENT 1
DEGRADABILITY OF SOME MATERIALS
MATERIALS: paper, paperboard, Mater-Bi, polypropylene, polyethylene (LDPE)
EXPERIMENTAL: we cut pieces (equal dimensions) of the materials and buried them in the school garden. After six weeks (under natural weather conditions) we dug the pieces out.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Only paper and paperboard were completely decomposed.
For Mater-Bi, we are testing the degradability in a compost pile. Work is in progress.
EXPERIMENT 2
A MODEL FOR BRANCHED POLYMERS
In polymers chemistry, branching occurs when there are chains bound to the main chain of the molecule. There are many degrees of branching. For example, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) has a very low degree of branching, and is quite stiff, while low-density polyethylene (LDPE) has significant numbers of both long and short branches and is quite flexible. How branching affects density?
MATERIALS: branches of trees collected in the garden of the school.
EXPERIMENTAL: we divided the material in two group: 1- we cut all the lateral branches from the main branch; 2- we left all the lateral branches. Then we tried to make a bundle.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
In the first case, the bundle was compact (high density); in the second one, the bundle was not much compact, and it was difficult to push the branches together (low density).
We can say that a lot of lateral branches means low density material.
EXPERIMENT 3
TETRAPAK: AUTOPSY OF A CARTON OF MILK
MATERIALS: a carton of milk, scissors, tweezers
EXPERIMENTAL: we cut the carton and separated the layers of the tetrapak (paperboard, plastic, aluminium foil).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
We verified the structure of a package in order to test the following experiment (6)
EXPERIMENT 4
RECYCLING TETRAPAK
PURPOSE: we know that Tetrapak can be recycled and we want to verify the industrial process.
MATERIALS: a carton of milk, scissors, water, becker.
EXPERIMENTAL: we cut the carton and put into water the pieces.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
After a week we tried to separate the layers. Paperboard could be easily separated from the other layers.
5- A MODEL FOR THE TRASH VORTEX OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN
PURPOSE
The model helps to understand what is the Trash Vortex.
MATERIALS: pieces of coloured plastic, water, oil, a bottle.
EXPERIMENTAL: we put the pieces in the bottle with oil and water.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: the effect of a great quantity of rubbish in the water can be observed.
6- A MODEL FOR THE TRASH VORTEX OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN. INTERACTIVE INSTALLATION.
PURPOSE
The model helps to understand what is the Trash Vortex involving the audience to experience the enviromental disaster and the animals suffering.
MATERIALS: pieces of plastic, strings, containers, plastic bags.
EXPERIMENTAL: we bound pieces, containers and plastic bag. We hung them across the Laboratory in order to create a forced path. We shot and edited some videos while crossing the plastic waste.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: the unpleasant effect to walk across a great quantity of waste like animals do can be experienced.
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