In Norway, Farsund Ungdomsskole has been participating in the Alcoa W5 project for years, and they keep raising the bar! Students at this secondary school have taken it upon themselves to increase awareness of the issues surrounding plastic waste in the ocean and find ways to deal with them.
As part of their efforts to tackle marine pollution, students from Farsund Ungdomsskole’s Eco-Committee took action during last year’s Strandryddeuka, or ‘Beach Cleaning Week’. Accompanied by three ocean experts from MARFO (the Norwegian Centre against Marine Litter), five students travelled by boat to Spinfjord, an area of the sea just outside of Farsund, having heard that this area was a ‘hotspot’ for accumulated marine waste.
When they arrived at the first island, the students were shocked to find a large amount of plastic waste. The litter on the island’s beaches included large items such as life vests, ropes, and Styrofoam, many of which appeared to have been there for several years. Within a few hours, the students had collected 134kg of waste!
After collecting the litter on the first island, the students travelled to a second island. In contrast to the first, this island was littered with layers upon layers of small pieces of plastic. Despite this, the students worked hard and managed to pick up 70kg of plastic.
Reflecting on the experience, Jonas Ketil Bjorge, a 10th grade student, said,
“I found this activity very exciting, and the crew from the MARFO had a lot of knowledge. The amount of rubbish was shocking to find. We found a lot of garbage that was several years old, and many things that don’t belong in nature.”
Charlotte Lundekvam, a teacher at Farsund Ungdomsskole, noticed the impact this project had on the students:
“Being part of the Eco-Committee gave the students a chance to actively contribute. I noticed how proud they were about their involvement. Traveling into the archipelago and having a different school day outdoors had great value. Everyone was serious and put effort into the activity. The students got to talk to employees of MARFO, the Lista outdoor council, and the archipelago service, and they learnt what other people are doing for the environment. The students also shared their learnings with their classmates. I believe that such experiences can help shape their identity, fuel their commitment, and remind them of the importance of working together.“
Not only did the students from Farsund Ungdomsskole collect over 200kg of rubbish from the shores, contributing to a cleaner coastal zone, but they also learnt about the issues surrounding marine waste including the formation of ‘hotspots’, the production of microplastics, and the subsequent impact on marine life. The experience left the students wanting to encourage the whole community to care for their local area and motivate everyone to do their part in keeping their environment clear of plastic waste.
The Alcoa W5 project of Farsund Ungdomsskole supports the following SDGs:
