Puerto Rico's Shoreline Target of Education Effort
Puerto Rico's shoreline will be the focus for a new environmental education effort funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and spearheaded by the University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla, according to a Nov. 11 press release.
Under the program, students, teachers, and community members will learn how to get rid of garbage and other debris that float on the water surface and impact the land, waters, and shoreline. University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla students will run workshops for teachers, students, and local community residents throughout Puerto Rico. EPA has granted the university $49,861 for the project.
"It is so important for young people to experience and understand the ways in which daily habits can impact the wildlife and beauty of Puerto Rico's shoreline," said EPA Regional Administrator Alan J. Steinberg. "This program will engage children, teens, university students, and adults in the effort to stamp out litter and floating debris that can mar Puerto Rico's waters and shorelines."
The University' program will teach participants to become environmental stewards and take action to change behaviors, like littering, that produce the debris that impacts local and global waters. The university students will conduct 19 educational workshops for kindergarten through 12th-grade students and six workshops for the general public. The program includes four beach and four lake cleanups to get students and members of the public involved in hands-on stewardship activities. University students will also develop public service announcements and enhance the marine debris Web site: http://vidamarinapr.blogspot.com/2008/03/banish-bags-amazing-picture-of-2lb-of.html.
The UPR at Aguadilla Web site is http://www.uprag.edu/