Project

Issues

• Marine litter is a global problem impacting ecosystems and economies
• Public awareness of inland sources of marine litter is needed to spur community action to address marine litter

Aim

• We are working to prevent marine litter by demonstrating, educating, and communicating about the flow of marine litter from inland communities to the marine environment.

Deliverables

• Trash capture devices deployed in three North American communities
• Community science activities to engage local communities in marine litter reduction
• Public awareness campaign to communicate the problem of land-based marine litter

Principal results

This project helped prevent and reduce land-based marine litter by using engagement and communication tools and campaigns to raise awareness about the presence and effects of marine litter in selected inland communities along waterways in North America. By collecting information on the amount and type of waste found in the waterways, bringing attention to local sources of litter captured in deployed trash traps, and sharing this information in open meetings, the communities were empowered to develop local action plans for land-based marine litter reduction. Other communities can replicate these actions to prevent or reduce litter locally by applying the Community Engagement Toolkit and “Last Stop: The Ocean.” These public awareness campaign materials were developed as part of this project and made publicly available online.