Plastics Are Forever

The Cola Kayak is a raft made from 170 2-liter bottles, which floated 52 miles down the Los Angeles River. Dr. Marcus Eriksen will bring the Cola Kayak to your school to talk about:

1. California Coastal Watersheds
2. Plastic Pollution
3. Citizen and Community Solutions

What is the Algalita Marine Research Foundation?
AMRF is a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of the marine environment through good science and educational programs about plastic pollution. Our expeditions to the middle of the Pacific Ocean have revealed that the weight of plastic trash floating is 6 times heavier than the total weight of all living things on the ocean surface. Visit www.algalita.org for more information.

What will Dr. Eriksen talk about?
Traveling the Los Angeles River Everyone lives on a watershed. Water quality is impacted by citizens, businesses and government agencies that use, reuse and allow refuse to flow down rivers and streams.

The problem of plastic debris and the North Pacific Gyre The problem of plastic pollution begins on our watersheds. Hundreds of tons of plastic leave the California coast annually. 80% of the debris floating in the middle of the ocean begins on land. What can we do about plastic marine debris? The solution to plastic pollution begins at home, in businesses and in the community. By creating a culture of conservation we can stem the tide of plastic trash leaving our coastal watersheds and collecting in the Pacific Ocean and washing up on our beaches.

What does the program include and is there a fee?
The program includes two classroom or assembly presentations. The fee is $450.

What grade level is this program for?
Wonders is for grades 3-12, with content and vocabulary changing with grade level. California science standards covered include (Grade 3 – 3a,b,c,d), (Grade 4 – 2a,3a,b) (Grade 5 – 3d,e), (Grade 6 – 5b,c,d,e,6b,c) and (Grade 12 – 6a,b,c,d,e)