Poster abstracts and manuscripts from the Third International ...

45
Bortman, Marci L. and R. Lawrence Swanson
The Great Garbage Chase
University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, New York,
USA
The Great Garbage Chase is an imaginative lo-minute video for
children updated for the U.S.. Environmental Protection Agency
from a filmstrip created almost two decades ago by Louis Iozzi of
Rutgers University for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration; It emphasizes the sources, transport, and fate
of marine debris in the New York/New Jersey area and is geared
toward primary school-age children. The video combines
illustrations and photographs and uses., as its main character,
two seagulls to answer the questions, "Where does the trash on
the beach come from?", and, "Why is the trash on the beach usually
in a straight line.?" It reviews the various sources-of marine
debris (e.g., boaters, recreational users of the beach, street
litter, and combined sewer overflows) and the effects of tides,
currents, and winds to transport the floating trash onto the
beach. The video ends with recommendations to youngsters to help
prevent trash from entering the marine environment and washing up
on beaches (e.g. stop littering, start recycling), and discusses
improvements that have been made by federal and state agencies to
combat floatable debris.
De la Garza, Angela
Boater's and Angler's Pledge: A Regional Effort to Help Protect
Inland and Coastal Waters Through Education and Public
Awareness
Texas General Land Office, Austin Texas, USA
In order to keep our waters free of debris, it is critical to
have the participation and cooperation of the boating and fishing
communities. Boaters and marine recreational anglers use coastal
waters and tributaries extensively during their activities. The
Boater's and Angler's Pledge was developed as a regional effort
to help protect inland and coastal waters through education and
public awareness. This program is part of an overall effort to
educate boaters and anglers in all the Gulf Coast states. It is
coordinated by the federal Environmental Protection Agency's Gulf
of Mexico Program and is implemented by the individual Gulf
States. Each person who takes the pledge receives program
materials such as boat decals, rulers to measure fish, and wallet
cards with helpful numbers from their state coordinator. The key
words used in the pledge commitment are these: I Pledge to:
Transport to shore, for proper disposal, all trash generated
aboard my boat, especially plastic, glass, and metal; Make every
effort to prevent accidental loss of food and drink containers,
fishing gear, and other debris from my boat; Retrieve for proper
disposal onshore, plastic refuse, cans and other man-made debris
I find floating in navigable waters; and, Encourage fellow
boaters and anglers to take the pledge and help to protect our
lakes, rivers and beaches.