Child-led citizen science helps an Ecuadorian community tackle beach pollution
In short
- An estimated 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are discarded worldwide each year.
- Cigarette butts have been the most common type of beach litter for three decades.
- A child-led citizen science project in Ecuador is helping a community tackle beach pollution.
Why the Good News Desk likes this one
Cigarette butts are among the most persistent pollutants in the sea. The source puts their global discard at about 4.5 trillion a year. Here, children are gathering evidence themselves and bringing it into local decisions, though the report gives few details on outcomes.
From Phys.org
Pollution from human-generated waste in marine ecosystems has reached critical levels, with cigarette butts (CBs) among the most persistent and harmful pollutants. Globally, an estimated 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are discarded annually, making them the most common type of litter on beaches over the past three decades.
Ask this story
For kids
Children in a town in Ecuador are counting litter on their beach. Their counting helps grown-ups decide how to keep the sea clean. Cigarette butts are one of the hardest kinds of litter to clear, so every one counted matters. Talk about it: what litter have you seen somewhere you play, and who could help clear it?
