Ocean Plastic Project inspires students to think about solutions 

Founder Rory Jackson has worked in the marine trade for more than 40 years, and noticed a big gap in knowledge about plastic pollution in Irish seas.

You hear all about this island of plastic that’s floating out in the Pacific, but I wasn’t hearing much about the plastic in the North Atlantic and on our shores. There’s a barrage of plastic in our oceans and coming ashore in Ireland every minute, every day, every week.

“People are great for doing beach clean-ups, but there wasn’t really any research into where the plastic was coming from, what beaches were affected, and which were worse than other beaches,” he said.

Mr Jackson saw an opportunity to gather data about plastic pollution in our waters, and at the same time inspire the next generation of environmental activists.

“I’ve seen a continual and increasing barrage of plastic coming into the ocean, and I really wanted to combat that in an educational way. Picking up on the Greta Thunberg effect on a whole new generation becoming interested in the environment, I thought, maybe we can utilise this and teach them about it” he said.

Transition year students at Skibbereen Community School, Scoil Phobail Bhéara, Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí, and Schull Community College are collecting all kinds of data as part of the Ocean Plastic Project, from microplastics in water samples to larger debris washed up on shore, building up a knowledge base of the worst-affected areas, and coastal changes due to erosion and climate change.

The Ocean Plastic Project also places a huge emphasis on innovation, encouraging students to come up with their own ideas for reusing and reducing plastic waste.

“It’s more than just going out onto the beach and picking up plastic. We encourage students to make it their own, and come up with new ideas to utilise plastic waste in another way,” said Mr Jackson.

“We teach them about different ideas out there, like turning plastic back into oil or a heat source, and encouraging students to come up with their own.” 

Students are using collected plastic for art projects, upcycling ideas, the annual Junk Kouture fashion competition and BT Young Scientist Competition, as well as for possible business ideas.

Mr Jackson hopes that in the future, as many schools as possible engage in the Ocean Plastic Project, and that eventually it could be incorporated into the transition year curriculum on a national level.

“It depends on what the school is able to facilitate, but at the moment there's not much about marine awareness or environmental issues taught in transition year, and for me its a key period in a student's life where they can be actively engaged in it,” he said.

“The aim is for this project to become a module in the transition year curriculum. The schools we’re working with at the moment are very much making it that. I have been focusing on coastal schools primarily, but the aim is to go national. 

"I like to think that we could instil an awareness and possibly a passion in students, and as a module they would also get certified and acknowledged for their work,” he added.