Plastic pollution

Plastic pollution

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1. Fishnet
2. Waste / garbage
3. Jellyfish
4. Turtles
5. Pollution
6. Food chain

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Plastic pollution

Hello friends, today we'll learn about plastic pollution. Well buddy I'm happy to see that you're using a jute bag for shopping instead of a plastic bag; plastic is made from toxic compounds known to cause illness and it is non-biodegradable. Plastic pollution is the accumulation of plastic objects and particles like plastic bottles, bags and micro beads in the environment that adversely affect wildlife in humans. Oh you want to know about the causes of plastic pollution, let me explain this overuse. Plastic is less expensive and it is one of the most widely available and overused items in the world. When disposed of it does not decompose easily and pollutes the air and land disposing of plastic and garbage. Burning plastic is toxic and can lead to harmful atmospheric conditions and deadly illness, therefore if it is in a landfill it will never stop releasing toxins in that area. Even recycling doesn't cut down on plastic pollution: old trash plastic is everywhere, every time the plastic objects get thrown away or washed down a sink. The toxic pollutants have more of a chance to enter the environment and do harm. Fishing materials, like fishing nets, are often lost during fishing activities, the plastic items remain in the sea with all the adverse implied residue sea accidents. Over population, slow decomposition, consumption behavior, incorrect disposal etc. are some other causes of plastic pollution. Plastic pollution is really very harmful for everyone: it causes water, air, soil and land pollution. Not only this, it affects the food chain as well. Since many animals and mainly fish consume small particles of plastic, they get contaminated and when you eat them you also get contaminated. It also leads to severe health effects and the toxic compounds are harmful for humans, animals, plants and birds. As well large areas of the ocean surface are covered with plastics, these plastics release toxic materials into the water. Let's see the solution and steps to stop plastic pollution. Always try to reuse and reduce the consumption of plastic. You should avoid plastic bottled water and coffee to go cups; switch to organic food items. Government should increase the taxes on plastics, create awareness and convince others to stop using plastic. Ah, I love the poster you made on this topic now you know a lot about plastic pollution stay tuned for more videos. Bye bye

True or false

Learning session 1

• Plastic is made from toxic compounds known to cause illness and it is non-biodegradable

• Plastic is expensive and then not too used in the world

• Plastic causes water, air, soil and land pollution.

• The ocean are plastic free.

• We cannot do anything to reduce plastic pollution

• Our food chain is affected by plastic pollution

• Burning plastic could be a solution to reduse pollution

True or false

Solutins

• Plastic is made from toxic compounds known to cause illness and it is non-biodegradable

• Plastic is expensive and then not too used in the world

• Plastic causes water, air, soil and land pollution.

• The ocean are plastic free.

• We cannot do anything to reduce plastic pollution

• Our food chain is affected by plastic pollution

• Burning plastic could be a solution to reduse pollution

Read and complete the sentences

01

Plastic pollution is the ___________________________________________________________________in the environment that adversely affect wildlife in humans.

02

Burning plastic is ________________________________________________________________________________________

Plastic overuse mean that Plastic is less _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

03

04

Plastic pollution affects the food chain: many animals and mainly fish ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

05

We should ______________________________________________________________________________________________.

Government should ______________________________________________________________________________________

06

Complete the sentences: solutions

01

Plastic pollution is the accumulation of plastic objects and particles like plastic bottles, bags and micro beads in the environment that adversely affect wildlife in humans.

02

Burning plastic is toxic and can lead to harmful atmospheric conditions and deadly illness

Plastic overuse mean that Plastic is less expensive and it is one of the most widely available and overused items in the world

03

04

Plastic pollution affects the food chain: many animals and mainly fish consume small particles of plastic, they get contaminated and when you eat them you also get contaminated.

05

We should avoid plastic bottled water and coffee to go cups; switch to organic food items.

Government should increase the taxes on plastics, create awareness and convince others to stop using plastic.

06

Learning Session: reading

Great pacific plastic patch

Reading and answer

Great pacific plastic patch

Just imagine a big pile of rubbish. It is strewn all over your house. Everywhere you turn, you are tripping over plastic bottles, bits of fishing nets, chemical sludge, bottle lids… and even old shoes! Sadly, this is exactly how some poor marine life have to live. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is just that, a garbage patch, in the North Pacific Ocean. It is a collection of litter, known as marine debris that spans from the West Coast of North America to Japan. Although the actual size of the garbage patch is unknown, estimates have put it anywhere between 700 000 square kilometres, which is almost the size of New South Wales, to more than 15 000 000 square kilometres. It is difficult to get an exact measurement due to the fact that most of the debris consists of small, plastic particles that are suspended at or just below the surface, making it impossible to detect by aircraft or satellite. It is believed that the marine debris is formed gradually as a result of ocean or marine pollution gathered by oceanic currents. As material is captured in the currents, it is gradually moved towards the centre, trapping it in the region. Sadly, marine birds and animals often mistake the plastic debris for food and eat it. Loggerhead sea turtles often mistake plastic bags floating in the water for sea jellies, their favourite food. The majestic animals have been found deceased and upon inspection of the contents of their stomachs, have masses of plastic in their digestive systems. Similarly, albatross mistake the plastic for fish eggs and feed them to their chicks, which die of starvation or ruptured organs. It is not only animals that are affected by this environmental disaster. As the plastics break down through photo-degradation, they release harmful colourants and chemicals. Humans can ingest the chemicals from the plastic when eating seafood. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is everybody’s problem. We need to work together to not only find a way to clean up our oceans, but to ensure that something like this does not happen again.

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Match the words in A and B

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Questions

1. Why is the exact size of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch not known?
2. What impact is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch having on animals?
3. What changes do you think you could make in your everyday life to cut back on the amount of plastic packaging you use?
4. Does this article make you rethink the way you dispose of your rubbish? How?

Discussion

Do you think plastic is causing an environmental emergency?

Should we use plastic for food packaging? Why?

Are there other things that are more harmful to the environment than plastic? What?

Is the food we eat becoming safer or more dangerous because of plastic pollution?

What could you do to reduce your use of plastic?

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THE END

And they lived happily ever after!