New children’s book addressing the catastrophic problem of plastic debris in our oceans gets Kickstarted. Kickstarter campaign to enable publishing of this important story about the impacts of plastic on ocean life.
Salt Spring Island, BC, Canada – March 8, 2017 – Plastic in our oceans is a problem so devastating, colossal and heartbreaking that it is easy to give up in despair, feeling there is no way to make a real difference. Eight million tons of plastic enter the ocean every year from the land, the equivalent of 16 grocery bags full for every meter of coastline throughout the world. More enters through ocean activities, such as fishing.
This plastic end ups floating, submerged, or sinking to the bottom in the oceans. 50% is plastic that is used only once and then thrown away. This is harming and killing marine life, either through external entanglement that injures, traps, and often drowns them or through plastic ingestion, which causes suffering and often death by poisoning or starvation.
Though this may seem impossible to overcome, Salt Spring islander Michelle Mech believes that we can’t give up and is on the brink of making a reality, a project aimed at children that could have ripple effects for generations.
“With the amount of plastic entering our ocean on the increase, it is extremely important that people are strongly influenced to change their ‘plastic habit’. I believe that one of the ways to do this is to educate young children so that they will be empowered to take action and to also influence their parents and other adults and change can then be multi-generational.” Mech explained.
“Ocean Champions is beautifully illustrated by Ian Fry and tells a tale of two children, Kai and Morgan, who are playing on a beach and make friends with Botley, a plastic bottle who is afraid of being pulled into the ocean. They soon discover a dolphin tangled in fishing net and call a rescue centre for help. The rescuers arrive in a super submersible, ‘Spirit’, and thus begins a journey of discovery about the devastating effects that plastic debris is having on marine animals. Their adventure takes them to several places, including the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in the North Pacific.
“Mech provides the grim facts in a way that doesn’t overwhelm. The child characters learn and accept and then go on to do something about it – exactly as she would want readers to respond.” Dawn Hage, Gulf Islands Driftwood Newspaper
The book has received endorsements from world experts in this field, and several were consulted in the process of developing this story. As well, support and advice was supplied by the primary school coordinator of the author’s local school district, along with test readings with students from Kindergarten to Grade 4.
Through this story Mech empowers children to become champions for the oceans. The book includes a list of ways to reduce our use of plastic, providing the reader with actions they can take to start helping. It also has a list of sample projects for students and teachers, and more information, ideas and success stories will be provided on the book’s website.
Mech’s Kickstarter campaign can be accessed at: goo.gl/Jty3hs
She strongly encourages people who care about our oceans to support this Kickstarter campaign.
Contact Information:
Michelle Mech
Email: michelle.mech@gmail.com
