Our Beaches & Plastic

Gr 7 Up—This segment in the 13-part series featuring teens who have made a commitment to be green focuses primarily on plastic and how its dumping into the ocean and onto the beaches is causing environmental degradation of natural ecosystems. Four young hosts narrate the film which employs a soft musical background, colorful backdrops, and quick editing to hold viewers' attention. With a theme of "kicking the plastic habit," a Girl Scout troop in California cleans up a beach and a 4H group hands out reusable bags at a farmer's market and makes a film about our plastic footprint. The focus then turns to the ocean where a female scientist heads a team to study the negative impact of the Pacific Ocean garbage patch on marine life. A visit with one of the Earth Day founders, Denis Hayes, draws attention to the need for everyone to work to protect the earth and includes vivid footage of the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill. Eco-bytes (printed statements) appear onscreen to summarize and re-emphasize the film's message. Timely topics with hip-editing make this an attractive addition to classrooms to launch lectures or further research.—Patricia Ann Owens, Illinois Eastern Community Colleges, Mt. Carmel, IL