This is one of the most pressing challenges facing the ocean. Right now, there is more plastic in the ocean than phytoplankton, a microscopic plant creature that sustains life for the entire food chain!
Plastics pose a huge threat to the ocean ecosystem because they do not biodegrade. Instead, they continue to break into smaller and smaller pieces, which litter the ocean and its beaches. Countless sea animals and birds die each day from ingesting and getting entangled in plastic debris.
For this year's contest, we want you to explore the major questions surrounding ocean plastic pollution. Why is there so much plastic in our oceans? Where does it come from? How does it affect ocean animals and ecosystems? Is this a problem worthy of international attention? Are there alternatives to plastic that could help alleviate the ongoing problem of ocean pollution? How does our "throwaway culture" impact the amount of plastic in our oceans?
We invite you to explore these questions and more in the 2014 Ocean Awareness Student Contest, which runs through June 15, 2014. You may work alone or in a group, and submissions can take one of the three following forms: Art, Essay and Advocacy.
ELIGIBILITY: The contest runs through June 15, 2014, and is open to students who are in grades 9 through 12 (JSS3-SSS3 )as of September 2013.
RULES AND REGULATIONS: Detailed rules and regulations can be found here
PRIZE:
THREE SETS OF PRIZES WILL BE AWARDED IN THE AREAS OF ART, ESSAY, ADVOCACY:
First place: $1,500
Second place: $1,000
Third place: $500
HOW TO APPLY: The procedure for submission can be found @ www.fromthebowseat.org/contest.php
Competition Ends on the 15th of June, 2014