WASHINGTON, May 6, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- An estimated 22 million tons of plastic pollution
enter the Great Lakes annually, staggering numbers that contribute
to the global plastic crisis and speak to the urgent need for
action. As the fourth session of the United Nations
Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4) wrapped up in
Ottawa last week, with the goal of
negotiating a global plastics treaty, more eyes are on the plastic
pollution crisis. And, perhaps now more than ever, young people are
dedicated to making a difference in the plastic waste crisis.
Today, EarthEcho International and SC Johnson announced the
inaugural Marine Plastics Ambassadors, a dynamic group of 22
young advocates (ages 16-22) from the
United States and Canada
who will develop and execute plastics pollution reduction
campaigns and projects in their local communities.
"Building pathways of leadership and professional opportunities
for young ocean conservation advocates is key to eliminating marine
debris and restoring the ocean to health and abundance," said
EarthEcho International Founder Philippe
Cousteau. "These passionate young leaders bring diverse
perspectives, vision and a sense of urgency to the critical issue
of marine plastic pollution."
"It's great to see this dynamic group of young adults tackling
the plastic pollution crisis and stepping up as leaders in their
local communities – we can all learn from them," said Sheila Redzepi, Chief Communications Officer, SC
Johnson. "As a company, we view plastic pollution as a significant
environmental challenge that needs to be addressed. We are grateful
for this meaningful partnership with EarthEcho and we can't wait to
see the final projects from these young advocates – as they're sure
to be inspiring."
Meet the 2024 Marine Plastics Ambassadors who kicked off
their program in Chicago, IL
exploring The Blue Paradox immersive exhibit, presented by SC
Johnson and Conservation International:
- Jenna Barad, 19, Madison,
Wisconsin
- Sownok Barua, 17, Hamtramck,
Michigan
- Jack Benson, 16, Chicago, Illinois
- Clara Brown,
16, Merrickville, Ontario
- Xavier Cunningham, 17,
Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Maya Heller, 17, Buffalo Grove,
Illinois
- Mutaz Ismael, 17, Detroit, Michigan
- Siya Jariwala, 17, Chicago, Illinois
- Ryann Jibson, 19, Whitehall, Michigan
- Dev Katyal, 17, Ottawa,
Ontario
- Arianna Lawrence, 19,
New York, New York
- Winnie Lin, 17, New York, New
York
- Yalina Lopez, 20, Berwyn, Illinois
- Olivia Miller, 17, Alpena,
Michigan
- Samantha Moorhead, 17, Glen
Ellyn, Illinois
- Lucas Prokopinski, 17, Chippewa
Falls, Wisconsin
- Francisco Rodriguez, 20,
Queens, New York
- Aana Shenai, 18, Chicago, Illinois/Cincinnati, Ohio
- Khushi Soni, 16, Toronto, Ontario
- Joey Wu, 20, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania
- Marlin Xie, 16, Elmhurst, New
York
- Doris Zheng, 16, New York, New
York
Marine Plastic Pollution Facts
- Over 400 million tons of plastic are produced around the globe
each year - two thirds of which are single-use plastics, designed
to be used once or for a few minutes and then thrown away.
- Approximately 11 million metric tons of plastic waste enters
oceans annually (the equivalent of a garbage truck load of plastic
every minute) with estimates of that number nearly tripling by
2040.
- Plastic litter and resulting microplastics have
devastating effects on marine ecosystems. Microplastics can now be
found throughout the food chain, including within humans.
For more information, visit
www.earthecho.org/plastics-ambassadors and follow us on social
media:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/earthecho
Instagram: @EarthEcho
Twitter/X: @EarthEcho
For information about EarthEcho International, please visit
www.earthecho.org.
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SOURCE EarthEcho International