Informal

The Turtle Trash Collectors (2TC) program is a University of North Carolina MarineQuest environmental education initiative funded by the NOAA Mar

While there are trash monitoring protocols for waterways and shorelines, less attention is paid to plans for addressing trash along urban streets. Marine debris education, activities and messaging are predominantly geared toward coastal areas, leaving out urban areas. 

Across the Great Lakes basin, many educators are interested in the topic of marine debris but lack the resources needed to explore this topic with their students.

This toolkit, created by Falmouth Water Stewards/Skip the Straw and Sea Education Association (SEA) with funding provided by the NOAA Marine Debris Program, provides strategies

Created by One Cool Earth with funding provided by the NOAA Marine Debris Program, this Marine Debris Prevention Best Practices Manual is a comprehensive guide to help establish lasting change on school campuses.

These colorful, engaging activity books were created by Prince George’s County, Maryland, with funding from the NOAA Marine Debris Program.

Marine debris can be dangerous for wildlife, damage sensitive habitats, and create safety and navigation hazards. But did you know that marine debris can also hurt the economies of coastal communities and decrease commercial fishing revenue?

Our ocean and Great Lakes are polluted with a wide variety of marine debris, ranging from large fishing nets and abandoned vessels, down to the smallest plastic particles that can’t be seen with the naked eye. These microplastics are found throughout the ocean, from tropical waters, to polar ice, and even in fresh water and the air we breathe. 

Thank you for your interest in the Marine Debris Monitoring Toolkit for Educators! This resource was updated to align with the updated Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment Project (MDMAP) protocols, and the new version is now available as the MDMAP Guide for Educators.

Learn more about marine debris— what it is, where it comes from, and how we can help.

Learn more about garbage patches including what they are and how we can help.

Learn more about NOAA's Marine Debris Program and our efforts to address marine debris. 

One of the main types of marine debris that you hear about today is plastic marine debris. In many places, it is the main type of debris that you will see as you walk along a beach, though perhaps not underwater. As common as they are on our beaches and in our homes, how much do you really know about plastics?

The students will create their own laws and legal consequences concerning marine debris and identify the litter laws and legal consequences of litter in their own state.

<!--td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}-->  Students will review and analyze a data set from a local marine debris cleanup. After drawing conclusions about the data, they will use it as evidence for a campaign to prevent marine debris.