Environmental Plastic Assessment Program (EPAP)
Working closely with Professor David Schwartz, now retired Chair of Geology, Oceanography, and Environmental Science departments at Cabrillo College, COI developed a training course in field survey tools and techniques to describe and document localized plastic pollution globally.
Over the course of 8 years Cabrillo College Oceanography and Environmental Science students earned extra credit while learning to document the amount and types of plastic on our beaches using COI’s protocol. In addition, students were able to practice basic field assessment and data recording.
Over the course of 8 years Cabrillo College Oceanography and Environmental Science students earned extra credit while learning to document the amount and types of plastic on our beaches using COI’s protocol. In addition, students were able to practice basic field assessment and data recording.
Field Survey Program
Our Environmental Plastic Assessment Program (EPAP) is a precursor to any given community taking steps to reduce its plastic footprint. COI developed this manual survey process to document the types and quantity of plastic debris in designated areas.
Action to reduce plastic pollution is critical at this point in history. However, it is critically important to assess each situation before starting in order to see the change we strive to achieve. EPAP quantifies and classifies environmental plastic which allows residents to determine sources of plastic pollution and monitor efforts to improve local waste management capability and usage.
Our goal is to invite schools, businesses, environmental organizations, and the public to “adopt a beach” and conduct surveys usings COI’s EPAP protocol. To learn more, please contact David Schwartz at davids@cointl.org.
Action to reduce plastic pollution is critical at this point in history. However, it is critically important to assess each situation before starting in order to see the change we strive to achieve. EPAP quantifies and classifies environmental plastic which allows residents to determine sources of plastic pollution and monitor efforts to improve local waste management capability and usage.
Our goal is to invite schools, businesses, environmental organizations, and the public to “adopt a beach” and conduct surveys usings COI’s EPAP protocol. To learn more, please contact David Schwartz at davids@cointl.org.
Fantastic Results
The program has evolved through 16 semesters of trial and sharing with other organizations and school programs in ocean centric communities.
Students from this training have become volunteers for COI. For some, the experience gained in these trainings and expeditions has set them on a path to become our instructors at home and internationally.
The Goal is to provide trained instructors to teach our program to partner communities, enabling localized plastic monitoring at a global scale at almost no cost. For any plastic reduction program to be effective, it must have a comparative baseline to define progress.
Future expeditions will have opportunities for greater public involvement.
Students from this training have become volunteers for COI. For some, the experience gained in these trainings and expeditions has set them on a path to become our instructors at home and internationally.
The Goal is to provide trained instructors to teach our program to partner communities, enabling localized plastic monitoring at a global scale at almost no cost. For any plastic reduction program to be effective, it must have a comparative baseline to define progress.
Future expeditions will have opportunities for greater public involvement.