The Great Garbage Patch State

Meet the new Garbage Patch State rising in the middle of the oceans, where plastic is king. The new country’s flag is blue like the seas, with an emblem of red recycling signs. As of April 11, 2013, the garbage patches scattered in the five oceans across the world are symbolically recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a federal nation.

What Is the Garbage Patch State?

The garbage patches are giant swirling masses of plastic trash and other debris that have been trapped by the oceanic currents and are floating on the water. The plastic littering the sea comes from various marine and land sources, such as shipping, tourism, fishing, and other solid waste carried into the oceans by rivers.

The exact dimensions of the five islands of the Garbage Patch State aren't known. Some say it's the largest concentration of plastic debris in the world. The Garbage Patch in the North Pacific alone is believed to be the size of Texas or perhaps twice that size.

Charles Moore, the oceanographer who first discovered the North Pacific Garbage Patch in 1997, told the San Francisco Chronicle that it isn’t a solid island, as some people believe. Instead, it resembles a soupy mass, undetectable by overhead satellite photos because it's 80 percent plastic and therefore translucent. The plastic moves just beneath the surface, from one inch to depths of 300 feet, he added.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says that “regardless of its exact size, mass, and location, manmade debris does not belong in our oceans and waterways.”

Why Is It Dangerous?

Dr. Onno Gross is a marine biologist, environmental journalist, and president of the Marine Conservation Organization DEEPWAVE. He wrote on the Smithsonian’s Ocean Portal blog that “thousands of sea animals die in agony through the deadly flotsam of our consumer society. There are at least 138 marine species that regularly entangle themselves in this rubbish.”

Unlike organic debris, which is biodegradable, plastic disintegrates under the sunlight into tiny pieces that never decompose. These small particles become a source of food for marine birds and animals, such as sea turtles, albatrosses, and even whales.

“The massive production of plastic and inadequate disposal has made plastic debris an important and constant pollutant on beaches and in oceans around the world,” Lorena M. Rios Mendoza, Ph.D., said at an American Chemical Society (ACS) meeting on April 8 in New Orleans. Her team was announcing the discovery of a garbage patch even in the Great Lakes!

Fish and birds could be harmed from accidently eating the plastic particles or absorbing toxic substances that leach out into the water, Rios said. Her team knows from analyses of fish stomachs that fish are consuming the plastic particles. Fish also could pass such substances to consumers.

What Can We Do to Help Clean Up?

NOAA believes that cleaning up is very challenging. “It is certainly not cost-effective to skim the surface of the entire ocean.”

“You can't take these particles out of the ocean. You can just stop putting them in", agrees oceanographer Charles Moore.

“No more trash in our oceans must be our highest priority”, warns Dr. Gross.

The Ocean Conservancy, an organization that fights on behalf of oceans, offers many tips to help treat the problem at its roots: 

• Put trash in a secure, lidded receptacle, since most marine debris starts out on land.
• Properly recycle everything you can in your area.
• Less is more: don't buy stuff you don't need, and choose items that use less packaging.
• Inform and inspire your friends to help stop marine debris at the source and volunteer to clean up beaches.
• Bring your own containers for picnics instead of using disposables.
• Take your own reusable bags whenever you go shopping.

 

What are your ideas on how to help clean up the growing patches of garbage in our oceans? Share them in the comments section below!

—Kid Reporter Hannah Prensky

Photo via Flickr. 

How do you celebrate Earth Day?

Celebrate Earth Day and the fight to keep our planet clean on April 22!

Scholastic Kid Reporters explore ways to make every day Earth Day. And this year, they look at the environmental challenges facing the country due to climate change.

After Superstorm Sandy hit in October 2012, New York and New Jersey were left badly damaged. But one of the hardest hit areas were those states' coastal regions. A lot of people live along the water, and they faced a massive amount of cleanup and rebuilding. But they're also facing a long-term problem: Rising sea levels and the possibility of storms like Sandy becoming more common thanks to the changes in Earth's climate. These very real threats are changing borders and living areas, as well as forcing residents and local governments think about how to address the problems facing their communities because of a warming planet.

The Kid Reporters talk to scientists, local officials, and residents to find out what impact Sandy had on the environment, what might be in store as temperatures and sea levels rise, and what that means for their communities.

Check out the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps Earth Day 2013 Special Report! Once you've look through the stories, share with us how you celebrate Earth Day in you community!

Photo: Aerial footage of Hurricane Sandy damage five months after the storm. Taken from a miniature Quadcopter along the coast of Mantoloking, New Jersey. (Photo: Wendell A. Davis Jr./FEMA)

Earth Day 2012: Coyotes, endangered skunks, and homemade compost

Back in March, I attended the Los Angeles Environmental Education Fair, which was held at the L.A. Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. I was there to meet up with my fellow reporter Miranda to interview Adrienne Bermingham from Dr. Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots organization.

When we arrived, we were greeted by a flock of peacocks walking freely around the grassy patches. Adrienne was really nice. She told us how Roots & Shoots was a program that encourages kids and teens to come up with their own solutions to environmental problems. Roots & Shoots is all about the kids coming up with their own ideas to help endangered species and environment problems. She took us for a walkthrough tour where we met an endangered white skunk and even a coyote! There were chinchillas, turtles, and a giant Flemish rabbit, which is the world's largest kind. He weighed 13 pounds! I also got to learn how to make your own compost and plant seeds in it.

After the tour, we went to a hands on workshop where we formed groups with other kids and they gave us some supplies made out of recyclables and we had to build a prototype of something to help solve the problem of invaders into the sewage system. Invaders called "invasive species," like unwanted mosquitos and other bacteria, cause problems and damage to ecosystems. It was fun to come up with something on our own. 

The best thing I learned was that it is easy for us to make a big difference. 

If you want to get involved it is as easy as going to the Roots & Shoots website!

Watch the interview Miranda and I did with Adrienne on the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps website!

—Kid Reporter Damien Murphy 

Earth Day 2012: Kids Making the Change

Roots & Shoots is a branch of the Jane Goodall Institute that encourages kids and teens around the world to take action and make the world a better place to live. At the Los Angeles Environmental Education Fair in March, representatives from Roots & Shoots demonstrated just how easy it is for kids to come up with solutions to important environmental issues.

Kids and teens grouped into teams to work on a model invention that would be judged by a pretend investor. The assignment was to take the materials provided for us and create a model of an invention that would help stop invasive species in the Los Angeles River. The materials ranged from tape and markers to boxes and plastic lids.

The first step was to understand the problem. We found information about invasive species and used our knowledge of biology to come up with ideas on how to stop them. Once we had our ideas, the groups worked together to build models of them. 

My group was very creative, and I believe our project was awesome. We decided to tackle invasive species that are plants, and our idea was to use special chemicals and machinery to stop them and help the indigenous species grow. It was a fun experience getting to know the people I was working with. Our project didn’t win, but the cool projects that did went on to be recorded on video and shown in schools across the country.

Working on the projects taught us all that solving environmental problems isn’t as hard as it seems. We’re going to be the next generation responsible for the environment, and it's time to step up and become problem solvers.

If you want to get involved it is as easy as going to the Roots & Shoots website!

Watch the interview Damien and I did with Adrienne on the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps website!

—Kid Reporter Miranda Rector

My Interview with Dr. Jane Goodall

Dr. Jane Goodall's name was still fresh in my mind when I first got an email from my editor asking if I would be available for an interview. Just one week before, Dr. Goodall had been the subject of a class conversation.

My classmates and I were to complete an essay discussing the scientific achievements men and women have made in society. Dr. Goodall was one of the scientists we were required to research and discuss.

When I got the message of an opportunity to interview Dr. Goodall, I knew it would be a chance of a lifetime. 

The weekend before my interview, my teacher let me borrow a copy of Dr. Goodall's book, Reason for Hope. I hoped to learn more about her life to better prepare myself to speak to her.

The day before the interview, I prepared the camera, microphone, press pad, questions, tape recorder, and laptop. My interview was in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, about three hours from my home near Detroit. 

The next morning, I met with Dr. Goodall in her hotel lobby. Accompanied with her scheduler and her toy monkey, Mr. H, she greeted me as other hotel guests and employees looked on, surprised to see such a famous face.   After taking a good look at the lobby, Dr. Goodall politely requested that we go up to her hotel room. 

During the elevator ride, I asked Dr. Goodall how she felt to be in Michigan. She expressed concern of the farms she saw on her car ride to the hotel, claiming that most of the farms likely used pesticides. It proved her dedication to the environment.

I set up the camera and microphone and ran a quick audio check. Dr. Goodall waited patiently, placing Mr. H on her bed. 

Mr. H is treated like royalty around Dr. Goodall. He was a gift from Gary Haun, a blind magician who lost his sight in the U.S. Marines. When Haun thought he was giving Goodall a chimp, she handed him the tail.

Since then, Mr. H has been to 53 countries and has been touched by more than 2.5 million people.

I could tell Goodall was passionate by the way she spoke. Her tranquil yet powerful voice proved that she was speaking from her heart. 

At the end of the interview, Dr. Goodall offered some advice.

"You guys who do the news, who talk to people, you have a huge responsibility and a vast influence, so you use it wisely."

Watch the rest of my interview with Dr. Jane Goodall on the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps website.

 

—Kid Reporter Charlie Kadado

Photo: Kid Reporter Charlie Kadado with Dr. Jane Goodall and Mr. H after their interview in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. (Courtesy Charlie Kadado)

Oil Spill? Pass the Mayo!

My science fair project on the Gulf Oil Spill

After covering the Gulf Oil Spill last summer for Scholastic News, I decided to base my 4th grade science project on what I learned.

In Louisiana, the Coast Guard took me and my editor out on a boat to see where the oil had stained the grasses in the wetlands. I also visited the aquarium in New Orleans where I saw turtles that had been cleaned and would be soon be returned to the ocean. I learned that mayonnaise was used to clean the oil off both the grass and turtles.

To clean a turtle that has been covered in oil, the people at the aquarium scrubbed the turtles down with mayo. They cleaned their mouths with mayo on cotton swabs. They also feed mayonnaise to them. Eating mayonnaise cleaned the oil out of the animals’ digestive systems.

In the wetlands, the mayo would stick on the grass and absorb the oil. Pounding waves against the grasses then washed both the mayo and the oil off the grasses and out to sea.

My science fair question was: What well known hamburger condiment could be used to clean up an oil spill? My hypothesis was that mayonnaise would clean oil off the grass the best.

I started out with three identical pots of pet grass similar to the marshes in LA. I covered each with 30-weight automobile oil. Using ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise, I attempted to clean the oil from the three different pots of plants.

I found that the ketchup and mustard dripped off the grass, leaving the oil behind. The mayonnaise stuck to the grass and absorbed the oil.

When I rinsed the grasses in a clean bucket of water, the ketchup came off but not the oil. Same thing with the mustard. However, both the mayonnaise and the oil came off the grass with plain water. My hypothesis was correct! Best part of the whole thing? I got an A!

Now, I wonder what it is about mayonnaise that makes it so oil absorbent? Mayo is made of vegetable oil and egg. Is it the vegetable oil, or the egg? Or do both have to be mixed together a certain way? Hmmmm. Maybe, for next year's science fair project......

—Trinity Vogel

PHOTOS: (TOP) Kid Reporter Trinity Vogel works on her Gulf Oil Spill science fair project. (BOTTOM) Three containers of grasses next to (from left) mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard. (Photos Courtesy Trinity Vogel)

From Garbage to Fertilizer

Using compost for a healthy garden.

Composting is when you recycle organic food materials. It returns the compounds that are in the waste to the earth, where bacteria break them down and reuse them. But that’s just the official definition.

Basically, by composting, you recycle useful plant parts turning garbage into fertile dirt. That's what happens in the woods for example as foliage dies and decays. By collecting organic waste you can speed up this process and make your garden healthier. Once the waste is turned into compost, you put it in the ground around the plants.

Also, the waste you use in the compost does not get hauled off to a dump site, so, besides improving your farming method, you decrease the amount of rubbish you throw away.

My family has a big compost pile in our backyard garden. We use it to create organic fertilizer for the soil.

In our garden, we grow herbs, fruits and vegetables. We grow most of our own fruits and vegetables, so to keep them alive, healthy, and organic, we need fresh fertilizers.

Not all our compost is made of scraps from the kitchen. We also use another basic organic ingredient—horse manure. Yuck, I know, but it helps a lot!

What does your family do to live a healthy lifestyle? Send in your comments below!

—Lily Haffey

PHOTO: Kid Reporter Lily Haffey works organic waste into her family's compost pile. (Photo courtesy Lily Haffey)

Yards That Don't Drink Much

Xeriscaping uses little water and no fertilizers.

Gardening and watering trees and plants can be a lot of hard work. In my family, my job is to water our back yard in our home in New Mexico. Thanks to xeriscaping, that’s a pretty easy job!

Xeriscaping is the term used for growing plants that do well in the region where you live. The unusual word comes from the Greek word xeros, which means dry. Xeriscaping can be used for landscaping anywhere in North America, but it is popular in the Southwest because the climate is hot and dry.

Xeriscaping is great for the environment because it saves water and doesn't require fertilizers or pesticides. Plants native to your area will grow without the need for chemicals that can end up in ground water and pollute drinking water supplies.

Using native plants, shrubs, and trees can also create a wildlife habitat in your own backyard! We planted trumpet vines, which bloom with bright and colorful orange flowers that attract hummingbirds. Mourning doves build their nests in our evergreen trees. This year, we have a nest of newborn chicks living in our trees.

Best part of all this is that I don't have to mow the lawn because we don't have grass! Instead, we have gravel in a variety of colors and sizes. We covered the ground with a fabric before putting down the gravel so that we could keep weeds from growing through. Weeds can steal water from your plants and they are not fun to pick.

We made a garden path with stones and used patio tiles and rocks for decoration. We still have lots of color in our back yard and it looks great, but we don't have to water much.

In New Mexico, we only get about nine inches of rain each year, so the local water authority sets restrictions on watering lawns. Rules are made for how much water can be used from spring through fall, and also what times of day you can water. When I water our yard, I try to water only in the morning or evening because if you water when it's hot in the middle of the day, a lot of the water evaporates.

At my house, we planted lots of trees. Trees are good because the shade helps slow down water evaporation after you’ve watered. Another good tip for xeriscaping is to plant a little bit of tall grass around your trees. This can help retain moisture and you only have to water once, because you're watering the trees and grass at the same time.

Whether you live in a dry place or a wet place, I recommend xeriscaping. It is a great way to save time on yard work while helping the environment. You will have fun learning about native plants while doing something great for the Earth!

—Jacob A. Schroeder

PHOTO: Kid Reporter Jacob Schroeder surrounded by plants native to the southwest U.S. (Photo Courtesy Jacob Schroeder)

Celebrity Earth Day Tips

What are your tips for how to save the planet? Comment below!

I found out a lot of good information about how to be a better citizen of the planet while talking to celebrities at the Oceans blue carpet premiere this week.

Oceans is the new Disneynature movie opening this Earth Day, April 22. Last year, Disneynature premiered the movie Earth. For Earth Day’s 40th anniversary this year, it’s all about the water!

While talking to experts, I found out that kids can be powerful change agents. The celebrities who came to the premiere had advice on how to make Earth Day every day.

“We recycle, we watch our water consumption, we make sure that when we’re brushing our teeth we get the tooth brush wet then turn off the water then turn it back on to rinse,” said Greg Baker, who plays Burger Pitt on Disney Channel’s I’m in the Band. “When we go to the grocery store and we don’t need a bag for that one or two things that we get, we don’t get a bag. We just say that it will just end up in a landfill. We really try to pay attention to Mother Earth. This is the only Earth that we have.”

Ryan Newman, who plays Ginger on Disney XD’s Zeke and Luther, had three words for what to do. “Recycle, recycle, recycle,” she said.

David Lambert from Disney XD’s Aaron Stone says kids should go online to find out more about what they can do.

“This is a really good time, because people are becoming more aware of what’s happening,” he said. “I think it’s becoming easier and easier to do more and help.”

Kelsey Chow, who will be appearing in Disney Channel’s movie Den Brother with Lambert recommended Disney’s Project Green website as a good source of information.

“You can make your voice count; you can decide,” she said. “Disney will make millions of dollars in donations and you can decide how to divide that money to whatever environmental cause.”

The Disney stars are all part of Disney’s Friends for Change, which also includes Chelsea Staub. Chelsea plays Stella Malone on the series Jonas.

“I’m really honored to be a part of Disney’s Friends for Change, which is where all the talent from the Disney channels come together to teach kids these simple lifestyle changes that make a big impact on the environment,” she said. “So I’ve learned a lot being a part of that.”

She also recommended the Friends for Change web site for easy tips. After her second season on Jonas, Chelsea will be working on a new cartoon series Fish Hooks, where she plays a goldfish.

Another suggestion came from Ryan Ochoa, who will be appearing in Disney XD’s Pair of Kings this fall.

“Instead of using water bottles, use a reusable water bottle,” he said. “The ocean is a very big habitat for animals and life underwater and I think it’s very important for people to help the environment.”

Another Friends for Change on the blue carpet, Jennifer Stone from Wizards of Waverly Place, also advocated reusable water bottles and cloth grocery bags. She also drives a hybrid car.

“It’s every little thing you can do that makes a huge difference,” she said.

Allisyn Arm from Sonny with a Chance says we all need to pick up after ourselves, and sometimes others.

“When you’re walking down the street and you see a piece of trash, pick it up, so it doesn’t go into the gutter and pollute our ocean,” she said.

Roshon Fegan of the Camp Rock movies also showed concern for our liquid assets.

“Water is a big issue these days,” he said. “I was at another event—the UNICEF Tap Project, which is something to save water and clean it up for everybody. We really need a lot of fresh water, so one thing you can do is not to let the water run so long—just be conscious of your water usage.”

He also suggested capturing rain water in a tub to use to water your grass.

What are some of your ideas for how to save the planet? Send you comments below!

—Mariam El Hasan

PHOTOS: (TOP) Kid Reporter Mariam El Hasan with Allysin Arm from Sonny With a Chance. (MIDDLE) Mariam with Chelsea Staub from Jonas. (BOTTOM) Mariam with Roshon Fegan of Camp Rock. (Photos Courtesy Mariam El Hasan)

What I Learned for Earth Day!

What are you doing for Earth Day? Comment below!

I learned a lot at the 40th anniversary of Earth Day at a green lifestyle expo in New York City recently. It  was a blast!

I got to see the only highway-capable electric automobile currently for sale. The Tesla Roadster is an amazing sports car. It's an all-electric car, has zero emissions, and is very fast. The Roadster's 0–60 mph acceleration time is 3.7 seconds. The top speed is electronically limited to 125 mph and weighs about 2,700 pounds.

The Roadster is the first production automobile to use lithium-ion battery cells. Compared to a regular car, the Roadster has a much simpler motor. It is powered by an electric motor that weighs about 70 pounds. It is amazing that such a small motor can produce so much speed.

The Tesla Roadster is an example of how eco-friendly technology can be stylish, fun, and cool. I felt like I was riding in a superhero car. It’s truly a green car, it gets about 236 miles per charge at a cost of about $5.

After I enjoyed the electric sports car, I ate the most wonderful treats made by Chef Sandy Kraehling of the Pan Latin Cafe. Chef Kraehling is known for her nutritious, organic, Latin-inspired foods, beverages, and specialty items from every corner of the Latin world. She was not only serving lunch at the expo but also educating the public about eco-friendly and healthy food choices and cooking methods.

I also learned about the health benefits of green cleaning. Dino Leva, president of Green Residential Cleaning and David Kistner, the founder of Green Apple Cleaners both explained to me how harmful chemicals are common in general consumer cleaning product, home construction, and clothing. By using more ecologically-friendly products and services, including green cleaning technology and products, we may be able to reduce health risks by reducing exposure to harmful chemicals.

What have you learned about how to live a more eco-friendly life-style this Earth Day? Send in your comments below!

—Cecilia Gault

PHOTO: (TOP)The lithium-ion batteries in the Tesla Roadster cost only $5 per 236 miles to operate. (BOTTOM) Kid Reporter Cecilia Gault with David Kistner, the founder of Green Apple Cleaners, and his hybrid car. Green Apple Cleans not delivers dry cleaning in an eco-car, it cleans clothes in an environmentally friendly manner. (Photos Courtesy Cecilia Gault)