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Eckerd College and the University of North Florida aimed to foster long-term behavior change among undergraduate students to reduce marine debris from single-use items.
Type of Project: Prevention
Region: Florida
Project Dates: September 2020 - February 2023
Who was involved?
With the support of the NOAA Marine Debris Program, Eckerd College and the University of North Florida worked to reduce marine debris from single-use items through education and outreach initiatives.
What was the project and why is it important?
Eckerd College and the University of North Florida used formal and informal education as well as outreach opportunities to raise awareness about marine debris on-campus and at home, facilitate understanding of the connections between individual actions and impacts in the marine environment, and encourage the use of reusable items.
What were the results?
This project provided academic courses that reached 957 students, and conducted informal education through campus and community cleanups, workshops, and events that reached 879 individuals. Twenty five beach and campus cleanups were carried out, removing 876.38 pounds of debris. Seven Reduction Challenges were held, in which 143 individuals participated and avoided the use of 4,497 single-use items.
For more information about this project, visit the Marine Debris Program Clearinghouse.