Streaming Media
Presentation Abstract
Plastic pollution has become a globally recognized problem, especially for our oceans. Its presence is having a devastating effect on marine life as well as human health. The impacts of larger marine debris such as derelict fishing gear and discarded household items can result in deadly entanglements of marine life including mammals, birds, sea turtles, and fish. More alarming is the proliferation of microplastics throughout the world’s oceans, including here in the Salish Sea. Microplastics have found their way into species from the bottom of the food chain to the very top, even in sea salt and as a result into our own diets. Plastics of all forms can be found along shorelines throughout the Salish Sea, including San Juan County. In 2018, the San Juan County Marine Resources Committee joined forces with solid waste managers and non-profits throughout the county to develop an education and awareness-building campaign aimed at changing citizen behavior and the culture of plastics use. This campaign, Plastic Free Salish Sea was established with the bold vision to eliminate single-use plastics in San Juan County. The campaign has since spread to neighboring counties and districts on both sides of the border with other MRCs and local organizations keen to establish similar efforts that engage local citizens to make changes in their own communities. The effort has seen the development of a dedicated website, a series of toolkits for individuals, businesses, and community events, an adopt a beach and road program, and trialed a SeaBin at a local marina to further engage local community members in actions to reduce single-use plastics. Plastic Free Salish Sea is an example of transboundary citizen-led efforts to address the broader challenges of plastic consumption and pollution from local perspectives.
Session Title
Poster Session 4: People Working Together to Protect the Salish Sea
Conference Track
SSE14: Posters
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2022 : Online)
Document Type
Event
SSEC Identifier
SSE-posters-151
Start Date
27-4-2022 4:30 PM
End Date
27-4-2022 5:00 PM
Type of Presentation
Poster
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Plastic marine debris--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Water--Pollution--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Plastic scrap--Washington (State)--San Juan County
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); San Juan County (Wash.)
Rights
Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author's written permission.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Included in
Fresh Water Studies Commons, Marine Biology Commons, Natural Resources and Conservation Commons, Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons
A community collaboration striving for a Plastic Free Salish Sea
Plastic pollution has become a globally recognized problem, especially for our oceans. Its presence is having a devastating effect on marine life as well as human health. The impacts of larger marine debris such as derelict fishing gear and discarded household items can result in deadly entanglements of marine life including mammals, birds, sea turtles, and fish. More alarming is the proliferation of microplastics throughout the world’s oceans, including here in the Salish Sea. Microplastics have found their way into species from the bottom of the food chain to the very top, even in sea salt and as a result into our own diets. Plastics of all forms can be found along shorelines throughout the Salish Sea, including San Juan County. In 2018, the San Juan County Marine Resources Committee joined forces with solid waste managers and non-profits throughout the county to develop an education and awareness-building campaign aimed at changing citizen behavior and the culture of plastics use. This campaign, Plastic Free Salish Sea was established with the bold vision to eliminate single-use plastics in San Juan County. The campaign has since spread to neighboring counties and districts on both sides of the border with other MRCs and local organizations keen to establish similar efforts that engage local citizens to make changes in their own communities. The effort has seen the development of a dedicated website, a series of toolkits for individuals, businesses, and community events, an adopt a beach and road program, and trialed a SeaBin at a local marina to further engage local community members in actions to reduce single-use plastics. Plastic Free Salish Sea is an example of transboundary citizen-led efforts to address the broader challenges of plastic consumption and pollution from local perspectives.
