Solomons Island: A Pilot Study
Scientists from UMCES Chesapeake Biological Laboratory are partnering with a number of restaurants on Solomons Island, Maryland, to work together on reducing plastic waste. We will be working with these businesses to “make the switch” from common, single-use petroleum-based plastics, such as straws and take-out containers, to compostable and biodegradable products. Using a survey, we will evaluate the effectiveness and public satisfaction of these more environmentally friendly products. The partnership will also educate people about their “plastic footprint” and the effects of plastic on local wildlife. Randomly selected participants in our survey, as well as the owners of the businesses we are partnered with, will then get to participate in a research cruise of the Patuxent River, where scientists will sample microplastics from the water and observe some of the wildlife it is affecting. Long term goals of this project are to inspire a plastic revolution in restaurants to “make the switch” and clean up our local habitats.
This website was prepared by the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science using Federal funds under award number NA16NOS4190170 from NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of NOAA or the U.S. Department of Commerce.
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