Kids vs. Plastic: Ditch the straw and find the pollution solution to bottles, bags, and other single-use plastics

by Julie Beer

Overview

Jam-packed with surprising information about plastic's effect on the environment, plus loads of practical ways kids can cut down on their plastic footprint, this is the kids guide to being part of the pollution solution!

It's in your toothbrush ... your clothes ... your earbuds. Chances are, you're touching it right now. We're talking about plastic! Plastic is absolutely everywhere and in practically everything we touch, from pens to water bottles to sports equipment. And a lot of it is used once and then thrown away. Unfortunately, it takes a REALLY long time for plastic to break down and it can be harmful to our environment, especially wildlife. But why and when did we start using it in so much stuff? And how do we stop?

Discover shocking stats and surprising facts; inspirational interviews with National Geographic explorers and leading researchers who are working tirelessly to protect the planet; tons of simple suggestions for sustainable swaps; and more eco-friendly choices and smart action steps. This book answers all of your burning questions about plastic and offers tangible ways to get involved, reduce plastic use, and create a more plastic-free future!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781426339110
Publisher:	Disney Publishing Group
Publication date:	12/01/2020
Pages:	128
Sales rank:	649,414
Product dimensions:	9.00(w) x 11.25(h) x 0.75(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Julie Beer has been a writer, editor, and researcher in publishing and radio for more than 20 years. She is a regular contributor to National Geographic Kids books, including the popular Weird but True series, the Ultimate Explorer Field Guide series, and the This or That? series. Beer lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Table of Contents

Introduction: A Plastic Planet 6

Chapter 1 Plastic 101 8

What Is Plastic? 12

Going, Going…Not Gone 14

How Plastic Gets From Land to Sea 16

Planet Protector: The Last Straw 18

All Bottled Up 20

Try This!: I Spy Plastic in the Bedroom 22

Chapter 2 An Ocean of Plastic 24

Sizing Up the Ocean's Plastic 26

Looks Are Deceiving 28

The Big Catch 30

Sea Turtle Rescue 32

Deadly Debris 34

Planet Protector: Ultimate Recycler! 36

Try This!: Take a Close Look 38

Chapter 3 Waste Warriors 40

All in It Together 42

This to That: Alternatives to To-Go Plastic 44

Creative Cleanups 46

Planet Protector: Ultimate Recycler! 48

Chipping Away at the Plastic Problem 50

Take Action!: Kids Have a Say 52

Try This!: Personality Quiz 54

Chapter 4 Paring Down on Plastic 56

This to That: Single-Use Plastic Alternatives 58

What About My Toys? 60

The Best of Plastic 62

Planet Protector:

Living (Nearly) Plastic Free: For Real! 64

Pass on Plastic 66

Try This!: I Spy Plastic in the Bathroom 68

Chapter 5 Plastics Repackaged 70

Threads From the Sea 72

This to That: Turn Your Toys Into Something Totally New 74

A Bright Idea 76

From Trash to Art 78

Turning Plastic Into Fashion 80

Paving the Way With Plastic 82

Try This!: To-Go Tote 84

Chapter 6 The End of the Line: Recycle! 86

The Life Cycle of Plastic 88

Decode Your Plastic 90

High-Tech Recycling 92

Planet Protector:

From Bottles to Bracelets 94

Headed Out to Sea 96

Is That Recyclable? 98

Try This!: Recycling Bin or Craft Store? 100

Chapter 7 Looking Ahead 102

Yum, Plastic! 104

Something Fishy About This "Plastic" 106

The Future Is Sparkly 108

Planet Protector:

Imagining the Future of Plastic 110

Building Blocks of the Future 112

Take Action!: Plastic Smarts 114

Take the Pledge! 116

Try This!: Pom-Pom Puffs 118

25 More Ways You Can Save the Ocean From Plastic 120

Index 122

Photo Credits 126

Editorial Reviews

11/01/2020

Gr 3–8—Plastic pollution is a global problem. Items as small as contact lenses, grocery bags, and microbeads in soaps contribute to the worldwide epidemic. This title highlights some of the ways people can eliminate or cut back on plastics, especially single-use items such as straws, disposable drink cups, water bottles, packaging, and Styrofoam containers. Interviews feature young entrepreneurs who have made an impact and emphasize how much these young advocates care about their causes. Milo Cress, a 19-year-old white American, created the "Be Straw Free" project. He is currently a spokesperson for reducing plastic waste. Angelina Arora, a 16-year-old Indian Australian girl, used shrimp shells to create a natural alternative for plastic bags. Ideas to reduce, recycle, and help eliminate plastic dependance are doable. "Try This!" suggestions are sprinkled throughout, including using cloth bags at the grocery store and bringing storage containers to a restaurant for leftovers. There are also familiar ideas for reusing plastics, such as creating a piggy bank out of a plastic bottle and repurposing old toys. The text offers a plethora of information about plastic, and photos fill the pages and reinforce the concepts explained in the prose. A lengthy index helps pinpoint precise information. VERDICT A win-win for everyone and a reminder that even small actions help protect the planet. Readers will walk away with ideas to recycle and eliminate plastics.—Sandra Welzenbach, Villarreal Elem. Sch., San Antonio

School Library Journal

2020-09-29
In a world that’s being “swamped by plastic,” kids can help make change.

This eye-catching title introduces the problem of plastic and its durability and offers its young readers suggestions and examples for helping to battle this aspect of the “global pollution crisis.” The opening chapters explain the issue, the history of plastic, its long-lasting nature, and its threat to sea life. Three subsequent chapters provide examples from around the globe and offer readers ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle plastics in their own locales. The author concludes with some potential solutions. The lively, busy design features text set on double-page spreads illustrated with large photos as well as photo collages. (Eight spreads must be turned sideways to view.) Further facts are set off in small boxes and other shapes. There are familiar comparisons, such as weight measured in units of school buses; interviews with “Planet Protectors,” often teen activists, and National Geographic explorers; maps; and photographs of people from all over the world (mostly light-skinned). “Take action” boxes feature concrete suggestions: Don’t flush your contact lenses; do carry a reusable straw. “Try this” projects range from “I Spy” photo challenges to directions for craft projects. National Geographic adds this print title to its extensive online collection of “Kids vs. Plastic” links: videos, project suggestions, and teacher resources, many of which use the same material. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10.9-by-17-inch double-page spreads viewed at 86.5% of actual size.)

Familiar content in a new package designed for preteen readers. (index, photo credits) (Nonfiction. 10-14)

Kirkus Reviews