This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Every year, over 9 million metric tons of plastic waste enter the ocean and can harm its ecosystems. When it comes to marine microbes, most of the current research has focused on those that directly colonize the plastic particles. But plastic also leaches chemical additives into the water, which could impact planktonic microbes as well. So, researchers tested the impact of leachate from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a common plastic, and zinc, a plastic additive, on a natural planktonic community. Some microorganisms, including both bacteria and eukaryotes, were impaired by exposure to plastic leachates. Photosynthetic microorganisms, the base of the food web, were particularly strongly affected, showing declines in photosynthetic efficiency, diversity, and abundance. Other important and normally highly abundant bacterial groups were also negatively impacted. In contrast, microorganisms that thrive in nutrient-rich environments, copiotrophs, dramatically increased in relative abundance..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

Part one in the series Paradise under Pressure/ Paradis under pres: https://paradis-under-pres.simplecast.com/

Plastic bottles are impossible to avoid when travelling for vacation to southern countries. In Zanzibar, thousands of plastic bottles are sailed in from the mainland every day. They float as waste everywhere on beaches, streets, and in between bushes, trees and tall grass.
In this episode, we will meet Aziza Biubwa of the State University of Zanzibar, a researcher in waste management, Justin Madho, who works for the waste company Zanrec and Sjani Müggenburg, director of Ozti East Africa - a company that has made furniture plastic screw cap.

Danish:
Plastikflasker er umulige at undgå, når du holder ferie i syden. På Zanzibar bliver tusindvis af plastikflasker hver dag sejlet ind fra fastlandet, men som affald flyder de overalt på strande, gader, og imellem buske, træer og højt græs.
I denne episode skal vi møde Aziza Biubwa fra State University of Zanzibar, som forsker i affaldshåndtering, Justin Madho, som arbejder for affaldsfirmaet Zanrec og Sjani Müggenburg, som er direktør for Ozti East Africa – et firma der har fundet ud af at lave møbler af plastikskruelåg.

Students are introduced to the growing worldwide environmental problems that stem from plastic waste. What they learn about microplastics and the typical components of the U.S. water treatment process prepares them to conduct three engaging associated activities. During the lesson, students become more aware of the pervasiveness and value of plastic as well as the downstream pollution and health dangers. They learn how plastic materials don’t go away, but become microplastic pollution that accumulates in water resources as well as human and other animal bodies. They examine their own plastic use, focusing on what they discard daily, and think about better ways to produce or package those items to eliminate or reduce their likelihood of ending up as microplastic pollution. A concluding writing assignment reveals their depth of comprehension. The lesson is enhanced by arranging for a local water treatment plant representative to visit the class for Qs and As. In three associated activities, students design/test microplastic particle filtering methods for commercial products, create mini wastewater treatment plant working models that remove waste and reclaim resources from simulated wastewater, and design experiments to identify the impact of microplastics on micro-invertebrates.

This optional homework asks students to investigate some of the impacts of previous mines, mining, and/or mineral resources processing on the surrounding environment and human health. Many of the sites were operated prior to significant changes in the U.S. regulation of mines that was instituted in the late 1960s. Through the investigation of an Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) National Priority List (NPL) website (aka Superfund), students will explore not only the impacts but also the amount of time, effort, and resources it takes to remediate the sites. This background can be referred to in later parts of the module when discussing mining in other countries where the regulations are not as stringent as those in the United States.

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Students investigate the life cycles of engineered products and how they impact the environment. They use a basic life cycle assessment method that assigns fictional numerical values for different steps in the life cycle. Then they use their analyses to compare the impacts of their products to other products, and suggest ways to reduce environmental impact based on their analyses.

Simulating the Tragedy of Commons illustrates for students to how sustaining our natural resources requires conservation and the cooperative use of those resources.

These lessons were created with the aim of highlighting the need to reduce waste and being more sustainable. The lessons are targeted for Second Level Primary School Children (Primary 4-7) with Scottish Curriculum for Excellence Areas in Expressive Arts, Science, Social Studies and Technologies.

Over the course of three sessions, students act as agricultural engineers and learn about the sustainable pest control technique known as soil biosolarization in which organic waste is used to help eliminate pests during soil solarization instead of using toxic compounds like pesticides and fumigants. Student teams prepare seed starter pots using a source of microorganisms (soil or compost) and “organic waste” (such as oatmeal, a source of carbon for the microorganisms). They plant seeds (representing weed seeds) in the pots, add water and cover them with plastic wrap. At experiment end, students count the weed seedlings and assess the efficacy of the soil biosolarization technique in inactivating the weed seeds. An experiment-guiding handout and pre/post quizzes are provided.

This is an assignment I worked on with Dr. Brusseau (University of Arizona) for his Contaminant Transport class. In this problem solving exercise, students are provided data sets that could be obtained by monitoring flow and transport of a tracer or contaminant in the field or in a soil column experiment in the laboratory. They will need to input the equations into a spreadsheet to complete the assignment.

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This course examines quantitative techniques for life cycle analysis of the impacts of materials extraction, processing use, and recycling; and economic analysis of materials processing, products, and markets. Student teams undertake a major case study using the latest methods of analysis and computer-based models of materials process.

Students collect, categorize, weigh and analyze classroom solid waste. The class collects waste for a week and then student groups spend a day sorting and analyzing the garbage with respect to recyclable and non-recyclable items. They discuss ways that engineers have helped to reduce the accumulation of solid waste.

This activity will show why our present ultra consumption way of life is not sustainable and must be changed if the human race is to survive long term. The Story of Stuff is shocking but very informative. Its purpose is to wake people up to the perilous situation we are in and take action individually or collective to make the necessary and difficult changes needed.

In this unit, student groups will evaluate different environmental case studies to critically investigate qualitative and quantitative data analysis, collection, and inquiry. Students will begin to consider different forms of sensory-related data collection and how experiential knowledge informs the ways in which one forms analytical, evaluative questions. Student expert groups are provided one case study (different expert groups will examine at least two different cases) that has a number of different kinds of resources that students will examine (e.g. journalistic, scientific, narrative, visual, auditory). Students will use cooperative learning methods to engage with problem-based inquiry rather than have the case study information delivered via instructor-based lecture. Given that students across disciplinary contexts may not have been exposed to scientific methods of investigation, this unit encourages systems thinking alongside other methods of investigation. As students consider the variety of perceptions that occur within a group of people sharing an environmental experience, students are able to consider the impact that different types of data have on one's perception of data collection and its analysis. This exercise also demonstrates the utility of interdisciplinary thinking -- by examining data sets from multiple academic disciplines, students gain a more complete understanding of the case study compared to what they would have understood by examining data from a single research approach. The activity also provides students with an opportunity to practice interdisciplinary thinking and collaboration skills. The cases address several key environmental challenges: soil contamination, water resources, and the impacts of industrial agriculture.
A collaborative learning method is used in conjunction with guided class and group discussion to critically examine different types of data and encourage consistency of data analysis between student groups. This unit uses a group exploration and presentation activity to ensure equal distribution of materials and accountability among class participants. In essence, the students teach each other about the case studies with the instructor providing questions to elicit depth and synthesis between groups as well as to ensure that critical data analysis is undertaken.

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Students work in small groups to record interviews capturing public attitudes on various types of waste. Students then edit shorter videos into a larger film that incorporates student analysis and synthetic commentary on waste in our society.

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Paras Saluja, inspired by plastic waste innovations across the globe, decided to upcycle discarded plastic chairs, buckets, toys etc. into heavy-duty tiles w...

Part three in the series Paradise under Pressure/ Paradis under pres: https://paradis-under-pres.simplecast.com/

According to the international hotels in Zanzibar, it is difficult to find qualified local workers who speak good enough English and have the right experience and education. But is it, in fact, an excuse used by tourism industry leaders not to live up to their responsibilities?

Danish:
Ifølge de internationale hoteller på Zanzibar, så er det svært at finde kvalificeret lokale arbejdere, som taler godt nok engelsk og har den rette erfaring og uddannelse. Men er det i virkeligheden en undskyldning som turistbranchens ledere bruger, for ikke at leve op til deres ansvar?