Day 1 - Water Pollution: You Bring it, You Take it
Water Pollution Problem it addresses:
This project deals with litter, the result of Forest visitors leaving their trash on the ground or in the water.
Location at EYF:
1. El Portal Rain Forest Center (Visitors Center): Informational and instructional video in Spanish and English
2. Signage with information and instructions throughout the Forest trail system
3. Recyclable/reusable food packaging at Forest Food concessions
Who benefits from project: (describe)
a. EYF Animals and Plants
Animals benefit from reduced debris in their habitats, minimizing injury and death, unwanted migration and negative impacts on the food chain.
b. Visitors
Visitors will benefit because the Forest which they came to see due to its beauty, will be preserved.
Detailed Project Description:
a. What is being created?
(1) A 5 minute video in Spanish and in ENglish will be created to be placed on a continuous loop screen at El Portal Visitors Center, the building into which almost every visitor comes during their Forest visits. (2) Signage will be posted throughout the Forest on wooden 2 x 4's, looking natural so it won't distract from the beauty of the environment. Small laminated cards will be placed on the posts with 1 sentence (Spanish and ENglish) information and illustrations about what the visitor can do to help the litter problem. (3) Analyze and propose a recyclable /reusable food packaging alternative for the Forest concessions.
b .Describe the outcome and how it addresses the water pollution problem:
This project is education and ecology focused, aiming at all of the Forest visitors. The video will highlight the kind of debris/litter usually left behind and it will include "horror" stories about what can happen to the animals, plants and the ecosystem from the litter. It will also illustrate how litter thrown on the ground finds its way into the water resulting in water pollution. The video will then address how litter should be properly handled, specifically "you take it" out with you. Instructions and locations for disposal of trash will be clearly marked on new sign posts. Encouraging visitors to utilize recyclable containers with their picnics will also encourage them to take their things out of the Forest to reuse them. Selling food with less packaging and recyclable paging at the Forest concession will be researched, analyzed and panned as part of this project.
List different parts of project that eco-tourists will work on as teams
Each team will have a chance to do all activities:
a.Team 1: Research problems caused by litter to the animals and plants in the Forest. Write script for video in English and Spanish.
b. Team 2: Tape video.
c. Team 3: Research packaging alternatives and prepare proposal for food vendor. Create sign posts for educational messages and pictures that will be placed throughout the Forest.
d. Team 4: Create signs in two languages for laminates with educational messages and pictures.
e. Team 5: Distribute and set up sign posts.
Skills used:
Light interview skills, research, writing, communication, artwork
HIGHLIGHT all that apply: (Ecology, sociology, education, economic, political)
Ecology - help the ecosystem
Sociology - work in cross-cutural groups
Education - research and create educational material
Economic - analyze recyclables which will have cost savings
Besides their own groups, who else will they work with?
Work with local Puerto Rican high school students and local videographers. The students will help to create the Spanish video and signs, plus allow some cross-cultural exchange with the American students. Interview concession staff and suppliers to develop alternative food packaging in the Forest.
This project deals with litter, the result of Forest visitors leaving their trash on the ground or in the water.
Location at EYF:
1. El Portal Rain Forest Center (Visitors Center): Informational and instructional video in Spanish and English
2. Signage with information and instructions throughout the Forest trail system
3. Recyclable/reusable food packaging at Forest Food concessions
Who benefits from project: (describe)
a. EYF Animals and Plants
Animals benefit from reduced debris in their habitats, minimizing injury and death, unwanted migration and negative impacts on the food chain.
b. Visitors
Visitors will benefit because the Forest which they came to see due to its beauty, will be preserved.
Detailed Project Description:
a. What is being created?
(1) A 5 minute video in Spanish and in ENglish will be created to be placed on a continuous loop screen at El Portal Visitors Center, the building into which almost every visitor comes during their Forest visits. (2) Signage will be posted throughout the Forest on wooden 2 x 4's, looking natural so it won't distract from the beauty of the environment. Small laminated cards will be placed on the posts with 1 sentence (Spanish and ENglish) information and illustrations about what the visitor can do to help the litter problem. (3) Analyze and propose a recyclable /reusable food packaging alternative for the Forest concessions.
b .Describe the outcome and how it addresses the water pollution problem:
This project is education and ecology focused, aiming at all of the Forest visitors. The video will highlight the kind of debris/litter usually left behind and it will include "horror" stories about what can happen to the animals, plants and the ecosystem from the litter. It will also illustrate how litter thrown on the ground finds its way into the water resulting in water pollution. The video will then address how litter should be properly handled, specifically "you take it" out with you. Instructions and locations for disposal of trash will be clearly marked on new sign posts. Encouraging visitors to utilize recyclable containers with their picnics will also encourage them to take their things out of the Forest to reuse them. Selling food with less packaging and recyclable paging at the Forest concession will be researched, analyzed and panned as part of this project.
List different parts of project that eco-tourists will work on as teams
Each team will have a chance to do all activities:
a.Team 1: Research problems caused by litter to the animals and plants in the Forest. Write script for video in English and Spanish.
b. Team 2: Tape video.
c. Team 3: Research packaging alternatives and prepare proposal for food vendor. Create sign posts for educational messages and pictures that will be placed throughout the Forest.
d. Team 4: Create signs in two languages for laminates with educational messages and pictures.
e. Team 5: Distribute and set up sign posts.
Skills used:
Light interview skills, research, writing, communication, artwork
HIGHLIGHT all that apply: (Ecology, sociology, education, economic, political)
Ecology - help the ecosystem
Sociology - work in cross-cutural groups
Education - research and create educational material
Economic - analyze recyclables which will have cost savings
Besides their own groups, who else will they work with?
Work with local Puerto Rican high school students and local videographers. The students will help to create the Spanish video and signs, plus allow some cross-cultural exchange with the American students. Interview concession staff and suppliers to develop alternative food packaging in the Forest.