The Plastic Problem

Which words tell you what microplastics are?

• Not biodegradable

• Do not decompose

• instead they break

• Ever tinier pieces

Which words tell you how much plastic is dumped into the ocean each year?

• Accumulate in landfills

• 8.8 million tons of plastics

• Comparable to a garbage truck

• A load full of debris

Which words tell you what the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is like?

• Spinning vortex

• Junkyard in the ocean

• Twice the size of Texas

• Seen from outer space

Which words tell you who eats plastics?

• Accumulate in Earth’s oceans

• Fish, seabirds, turtles

• Tangled in plastic products

• Nets, bags, soda rings

Which words tell you what turtles think plastic is?

• Researches estimate

• Loggerhead turtles

• Jellyfish

• Algae

 Which words BEST tell you why eating plastic causes starvation in turtles?

1.  

• Ate 17% of plastics

• Ate 62% of plastics

• Fill turtles’ bellies

• mistakenly believe they ate enough

Which pair of words tell you how seabirds can accidentally eat plastics?

• Also Kill…seabirds each year

• Wingspan of…large seabird flies

• Skims its beak… to catch fish

• Catches fish…collects plastics

Which words tell you how many seabirds carry plastic in their bellies today?

• Sharp edges can pierce

• 1960

• Only 5% of seabirds

• 80% of seabirds