Plastic Pollution Solutions

Satilla Riverkeeper, One More Generation and South Georgia State College will present Plastic Pollution Solutions Thursday, Oct. 30 at 5p.m. at the SGSC Waycross Campus Auditorium.

The evening will begin with the movie Bag It, a documentary about plastic bags, followed by a presentation at 6 p.m. by our two young co-founders of One More Generation, Olivia and Carter.
As you know, One More Generation is a non-profit organization aimed at protecting endangered species around the world through plastic pollution control. We will bring to the Waycross community an overview of our “Plastic Awareness Program” and how the public can help protect endangered species through preventing plastic pollution. A six-person panel discussion will follow.

Olivia and Carter started their own non-profit in 2009 in an effort to help educate children and adults about the plight of endangered species so they can save them for at least One More Generation–and beyond. Olivia and Carter worked diligently in response to the Gulf Coast oil spill, volunteering numerous days assisting veterinarians with oil-spill victims such as sea turtles and other wildlife. When the animals were cleaned and ready for release, the responders learned that plastic pollution was one of the main threats to the turtles.

So once they returned, they spent the next five months educating themselves about the issue of plastic pollution, and soon thereafter, launched their Plastic Awareness Coalition and set out to get like-minded local organizations on board. In March 2010, they developed the Plastic and Recycling Awareness curriculum, a program that teaches students about the effects of plastic pollution and what they can do to help.
Since launching their school program, Olivia and Carter have hosted the program in various schools and organizations across the country. Their goal is to get the Plastic and Recycling Awareness curriculum in every elementary school in the United States. The curriculum was written to match the latest National and State Standards for science. Math, literacy and even art are infused throughout and are now available to schools nationwide and has started being introduced in the UK and South Africa. They are also speaking with representatives to have the program introduced in Australia and parts of Canada. They are also working with several organizations in an attempt to have 100 percent of the funding provided for schools so that the entire program is free. Their coalition is also growing and now has over 80 local, national and even international organizations on board.
Olivia and Carter plan to present to the Waycross community their mission and an overview of their Plastic Awareness Program and how the public can help protect endangered species through preventing plastic pollution.
During their visit to Ware County, they plan to teach four Ware County Middle School classes about the Plastic Awareness Program. They also plan to tour the Bandalong trash trap and recycling center and will discuss with local leaders how plastic pollution can be prevented. Their visit will culminate with a Rivers Alive Cleanup at Jamestown Landing on the morning of Nov 1st, from 9-11:30am.