<section><h2>Plastic Pollution Quiz</h2><p><p>Each year, 22 million pounds of plastic enter the Great Lakes, according to Rochester Institute of Technology. We see evidence of this during our Adopt-a-Beach cleanups. In 2021, 85% of all the litter picked up from Great Lakes beaches was plastic.</p><p> </p><p>Do you know what happens to this plastic on the beach or in the Great Lakes? It is broken up into smaller pieces through photodegradation and physical forces like water, wind, and rocks. When plastic photodegrades, it is broken up into smaller and smaller pieces by the sun. An example of physical forces degrading plastic items would be waves crashing a food wrapper into some rocks, tearing it into smaller pieces. </p><p> </p><p>These processes can take many, many years! It is important to remember that this plastic never <em>really</em> goes away. It just breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces. </p><p> </p><p>Test your knowledge on how long it takes some of the litter found on our beaches to degrade! </p></p></section><section><h2>How long do these litter items take to break down? Put them in order from fastest to slowest!</h2><p>How long do these litter items take to break down? Put them in order from fastest to slowest!</p></section><section><h2>Nice job!</h2><p><p>Once plastic makes its way to our beaches and into the Great Lakes, it can take a very long time to degrade. View the image above to see how long some of these plastic items take to degrade, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Woods Hole Sea Grant. Think about how degradation times for plastic items compare to those of a newspaper or banana peel. </p><p> </p><p>Even after plastic litter degrades, it is not gone, but just broken up into smaller and smaller pieces. Preventing these items from ever entering the Great Lakes ecosystem is key. Try to brainstorm some creative, reusable substitutes for single-use plastic items you use at home!</p></p></section><section><h3>Great job!</h3><p><p></p><p>Once plastic makes its way to our beaches and into the Great Lakes, it can take a very long time to degrade. View the image above to see how long some of these plastic items take to degrade, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Woods Hole Sea Grant. Think about how degradation times for plastic items compare to those of a newspaper or banana peel.</p><p> </p><p>Even after plastic litter degrades, it is not gone, but just broken up into smaller and smaller pieces. Preventing these items from ever entering the Great Lakes ecosystem is key. Try to brainstorm some creative, reusable substitutes for single-use plastic items you use at home!</p><p></p><p> </p></p></section>