Audubon Naturalist Society Promotes Reducing Waste

By the year 2050, it is predicted that the oceans will contain more plastic than fish by weight according to the Plastic Pollution Coalition. The enormous amount of plastic waste negatively impacts the Earth’s natural ecosystems. The Audubon Naturalist Society (ANS), a local conservation group, brought attention to the plastic crisis by planning a fun project for some of the students in the community. The mission of the local conservation group is to teach people to enjoy, learn, and protect nature through interactive projects.

Students in third, fourth, and fifth grade from Captain James E. Daly Jr., Rolling Terrace, and Summit Hall Elementary Schools in Montgomery County created “monsters” out of plastic to demonstrate the dangers of plastic pollution. The students participated in this activity through the ANS afterschool program known as Unplug and Play.

In the Halloween spirit, students made around 20 creatures out of trash from local streams and areas near their schools. This was a great opportunity for students to learn about the impact of plastic on local ecosystems. The project taught students about the detrimental effects of plastic waste on the environment and how they can make a difference.

“The students were amazed at the sheer amount of trash – about 10-15 pounds of plastic bottles and containers – they were able to collect from near their schools and along a stream in just 45 minutes,” said Diane Lill, Director of Environmental Education in a press release.

The monsters were displayed in the ANS Woodend Sanctuary starting from October 31. Additionally, a themed hunt was organized for two groups of local preschoolers. They roamed the nature preserve in search for the recently created creatures. After the scavenger hunt concluded, the plastic creatures were properly disposed of.

Hands-on projects like this plastic exploration are important, as they educate and enlighten the younger generation. Focusing on topics that are relevant to daily life and being able to connect these topics with science encourage the youth to see problems in a new light and find creative solutions. Students are able to ask questions, improve their knowledge skills, and fuel their curiosity. The ANS conservation group hopes to continue to inspire not only the youth population, but everyone in the community to be more aware of how their actions affect the environment.

Article by MoCo Student staff writer Emily Zhang of Churchill High School