Plastic Pollution Mitigation through STEM Education and Community Action

"<< Background >>The excessive use of plastic ha a major concern for the health of our planet and future generations for some time now. Plastic takes sometimes hundreds of years to decompose, and its impact on ocean health and biodiversity is alarming. People are ingesting plastic through the food and water they consume, and it is also linked to air pollution. By 2050, there may be more plastic in the oceans than fish. 91 percent of plastics are not recycled. Plastics consume the same amount of fossil fuels as airlines. Climate change is caused by 99percent of plastics related processes. This project aims to raise awareness and educate individuals, communities, and organizations on the effects of plastic pollution and the importance of sustainable living. By incorporating STEM activities in the education process, students willnot only learn about the environmental impact of plastic, but also develop critical skills such as problem-solving, communication, and teamwork. By fostering environmental awareness and providing equal opportunities in education, we can ensure that young people have the skillsand knowledge to make informed decisions and create a sustainable future for all.<< Objectives >>The concrete objectives of the project have been to:* Organize at least 3 local activities related to the environmental dimension of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to engage more communities.* Improve STEM skills and activities by 5% within our organizations.* Support participants in their efforts to combat climate change.* Raise awareness and increase the number of individuals who are environmentally friendly and healthy by 5%.* Encourage participants to learn from and appreciate nature, and take actions to protect the environment by 5%.* Provide participants with concrete opportunities and experiences in the environmental dimension of the SDGs (SDG 13,14, and 15).* Establish a network between associations, foundations, and organizations working on sustainable development goals related to the environment.* Support students in developing their own activities and entrepreneurial skills to increase their chances in future career planning.* Connect students to professional networks that serve sustainable development in their regions.<< Implementation >>1) A kick-off meeting in February 2024, hosted by the coordinating organization Primary School nr 1 im. Kornela Makuszynskiego in Opole Lubelskie. During this meeting, the project objectives were discussed and evaluated. The roles and responsibilities of the participating teams were reviewed.2) Plastic-Air Pollution LTT activities in Estonia hosted by Ehte Humanitaargümnaasium in June 2024. They had trips to recycling companies and STEM/LAB activities included the research the levels of plastic-air pollution in their city/country and learn how to use related applications: Air Quality, AirVisual, Plume Air Report.3) Plastic-Soil Pollution hosted by Szkola Podstawowa nr 1 im. K. Makuszynskiego w Opolu Lubelskim In October 2024. The meeting included STEM activities and NON-FORMAL EDUCATION TOOLS; workshops, lectures, team projects, educational excursions, and presentations on soil and food plastic contamination.4)Plastic-Water pollution hosted by Ali Riza Çevik Ortaokulu (Türkiye) in November 2024. The learning-by-doing methodology was used in this LTT meeting with STEM activities; workshops, seminars, team projects, educational trips, and presentations on how water is affected by plastic pollution.<< Results >>The students formed mixed international teams and created ""Ecological news"" VIDEOS based on the findings of their research into the level of plastic pollution and its effects on the air in their city/country. The presentations on ""HOW DOES PLASTIC CAUSE AIR POLLUTION?""The students also developed INFOGRAPHICS (Canva) that illustrate how plastic pollution affects soil quality and what can be done to prevent it. Additionally, they created ANIMATION VIDEO (Powtoon) outlining the consequences of plastic pollution on water and what needs to be done to reduce plastic pollution in the sea/ocean.They also took part in the baking workshops and clay forming workshops creating individual craft items.Intangible results:There was a change in students' and parents’ and teachers’ attitudes towards environmental issueshow important the awareness of cleaner environment is is. They practised their English and developeddigital skills. They learnt to cooperate, tolerate the differences, understand different customs, lifestyles.These activities were part of curricula of Physics, Biology, Geography and Languages. The activities, their results were released to school communities and to the local authorities."