On the 15th of November, Venice Lagoon Plastic Free had the privilege of engaging with students (1st middle school class) during a science class at the International School of Venice.
Dr Marina Doria, was invited to speak to the students as an extension of their STEAM project focused on oceans.
The aim was to shed light on the critical issue of plastic pollution, both locally in the Venice Lagoon and on a global scale.
The students were very interested in Dr. Doria’s presentation, which delved into the mission of Venice Lagoon Plastic Free: reduce plastic pollution and foster awareness through clean ups, monitoring initiatives and the development and implementation of innovative measures.
As part of the session, Dr. Doria showcased three impactful videos covering three different aspects of our work—clean-up initiatives, monitoring efforts, and the haunting issue of ghost boats (fibreglass boats abandoned in nature). To better involve the students, their teacher gave them a set of questions to answer in a post-meeting session. Their inquiries ranged from the most prevalent type of plastic found in the sea to understanding the environmental impact of plastics.
The enthusiasm of the students didn’t stop there. Indeed it was truly heartening to notice their genuine curiosity in participating in a clean-up activity.
Numerous questions flooded in: can they join, are they too young, and how could they sign up?
This isn’t the first time our organization has collaborated with the International School of Venice. Also, last year, we were invited, and the positive response from the students prompted a return visit this year.
The students’ desire to actively participate in environmental initiatives and the school’s pursuit of becoming a European Blue School demonstrate the ripple effect of our efforts.