AP Biology

Elusive Ocean Trash - The North Atlantic Garbage Patch

A Public Policy Analyst (PPA) Approach to this social problem

Mrs. NeesemannAP Environmental Science

Bay Ridge Preparatory SchoolLneesemann@bayridgeprep.org

AP Biology

Trash is a problem!

As our population increases, so too does

the consumption of materials that must then be disposed of. Often

times that disposal leads the trash into our

oceans.

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Ocean currents

The North Atlantic patch is estimated to be hundreds of km across, with a density of over 200,000 pieces of debris per square km. The debris

zone shifts by as much as 1,600 km north and south seasonally, and drifts even farther south during El Nino times, according to NOAA.

AP Biology

The PPA – public policy analyst6 Steps: you will use these steps to come up with policy options that might be implemented

Define the problem Gather the Evidence Identify the Causes Evaluate an Existing Policy Develop Solutions Select the Best Solution

AP Biology

The PPA Define the problem Gather the Evidence Identify the Causes Evaluate an Existing Policy Develop Solutions Select the Best Solution

AP Biology

Define the Problem Start by stating the problem

What is it? Where does it occur? What are undesirable consequences of

this problem?

Define the Problem Worksheet

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The PPA Define the problem Gather the Evidence Identify the Causes Evaluate an Existing Policy Develop Solutions Select the Best Solution

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Gather Evidence Do some research!

Google is a good place to start…but… Statistics are better! Surveys Case Studies Scholarly articles

Remember to cite your sources!

Gather Evidence Worksheet

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The PPA Define the problem Gather the Evidence Identify the Causes Evaluate an Existing Policy Develop Solutions Select the Best Solution

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Identify the Causes What are the underlying factors? Can you support those with evidence?

Identify the Cause Worksheet

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The PPA Define the problem Gather the Evidence Identify the Causes Evaluate an Existing Policy Develop Solutions Select the Best Solution

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Evaluate Exisiting Policies What is one current policy to deal with

trash in our oceans? Advantages/Disadvantages to this

policy? Should this policy be replaced?

Strengthened? Improved?

Evaluating Worksheet

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The PPA Define the problem Gather the Evidence Identify the Causes Evaluate an Existing Policy Develop Solutions Select the Best Solution

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Develop Solutions What are 3 new policies

that could be implemented? Who will be responsible

for implementing this? Which of your 3 policies

do you think is the most promising?

Develop Solutions Worksheet

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The PPA Define the problem Gather the Evidence Identify the Causes Evaluate an Existing Policy Develop Solutions Select the Best Solution

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Select the Best Solution Feasibility – how realistic is this idea? Effectiveness – how well will it work? Where does your policy fall into the

matrix of these two parameters?

Select the Best Solution Worksheet

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Share! Since we’ve all been working with the

same problem, lets share each group’s best solution. What did you come up

with??

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Citations: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Atlantic_garbage_patch

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Atlantic_Gyre

http://5gyres.org/

http://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/trashislands.htm

http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/smart-takes/massive-garbage-patch-discovered-in-atlantic-ocean-1000-miles-long/4804

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/03/100302-new-ocean-trash-garbage-patch/

http://www2.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/ltgwestinghouse2/ltg.html