The Tribune

IN an effort to create solutions for plastic pollution, the Bahamas Plastic Movement (BPM) held its 6th Plastic Pollution Education and Ocean Conservation Camp at the Eleuthera Arts & Cultural Centre from June 22-28th.

Youth specifically selected from local primary and secondary schools on the island learned about the importance of stopping plastic pollution and how they can prepare their communities for the upcoming plastic ban.

“Through the routes of art, scientific research, outreach, media, and lifestyle change, students applied what they learned about plastic pollution to educate their families, friends and locals about how they too can be a part of the solution,” according to a statement from the BPM.

“The campers spent two days creating a professional Public Service Announcement, an upcycled community garden using plastic bottles, a study of ocean plastics and an interactive art exhibit using plastic items collected from Winding Bay Beach.”

The BPM said while plastics may be affordable and convenient, they are difficult to recycle because of “poor design and economics.”

They added that plastics are harmful to humans because of toxic “cancer causing” chemicals usually added to plastic products.

“Once they escape into the environment, they become an eyesore and can easily enter the ocean...plastics in the ocean can harm marine life through entanglement and ingestion,” the BPM explained.

The BPM said they are confident that students from Plastic Camp 2019 will grow into passionate leaders who will help to banish the use of single-use plastics in the country.

Dubbing them as “plastic warriors,” the organisation said the students, ranging in age from age 6 to 16, are “changemakers,” who will help to create a “more sustainable” and “livable future,” for years to come.