Firth are full of good ideas!

 

This week PU3P visited the Pupil Council at Firth School, which is situated in a fantastic location for marine education. The Pupil Council found out about some of the effects that marine litter has on animals that live in the ocean.

The we had a look at the collection of bruck which has been gathered on Orkney shores. The plastic film, wrap and carrier bags as well as single use bottles have been removed, leaving a surprising mix of items. Some of these may be local, some have been in the ocean for a long time and some have travelled all the way from Canada, probably swirling around in the North Atlantic gyre for a while before being flung out towards us.

 Everyone was aware of the masses of unecessary plastic packaging that there is for food in supermarkets and toy packaging, but some of the litter was surprising. Why were there inhalers and shot gun cartridges floating around in the sea? No wonder fulmars are called flying dustbins!

 

Lots of good questions meant that by the end of the session the Pupil Council had plenty of ideas about how to take action. They are ready to share what they have learned throughout the school and beyond, and spread the message, Pick Up Three for the Sea!