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YRE JOURNALISM COMPETITION

Welcome! Here you will find submissions from the 2023 Young Reporters for the Enviornment Journalism Competition. Participants consisted of students aged from 11-25 with a passion for the envionment. They were encouraged to be a voice for their enviornment by sharing their thoughts, spreading awareness and advocacy through wiriting, photography and videography.

The 2023 theme was Exposing Marine Pollution.

Winners were chosen for each category and are clearly marked. Some of these winning submission were also submitted to YRE Global.

Articles

Plastic Pollution on Nonsuch Island, the Home of the Endangered Cahows

ARTICLE WINNER!! 11 – 14 Age Group

Submitted to YRE Global

By Zoë Mir | Somersfield Academy | Age: 13

 Walking down the flourishing trails of Nonsuch Island, I was struck by both the beauty of the scenery and the connection I felt with nature. This is how Bermuda would have looked when the first settlers arrived to this uninhabited archipelago more than 400 years ago. The well-worn paths were overflowing with native and endemic plants and wildlife, and I could hear waves gliding across the rocks in the distance. As I began to make my way down a steep trail to the water with a group of Bermuda Youth Climate Summit participants, we passed an unmarked graveyard where victims of a centuries-old Yellow Fever outbreak were buried, and we saw an upturned bucket of shells, originally taken illegally from coastal areas but delivered back to nature to become hermit crab homes on Nonsuch.

One of the smaller piles of trash by a beach on Nonsuch Island overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. (Photo by Zoë Mir)

Just as the path began to open up, everyone began to slow down. At first, I didn’t know why, but then my eyes widened in shock. A huge pile of junk stretched out before me on the side of the path: plastic crates, trash cans, coils of synthetic rope, bottles, toys, buoys, boat parts, fishing gear, octopus traps, tires, and so many other unidentifiable pieces of human trash. Another 20 feet down the path, the trash finally thinned out, but as we reached the beach, we were greeted by a new mound of washed-up trash as well as more plastic littered across the beach.

Nonsuch Island is one of the many islands that make up Bermuda, a 21-square-mile territory in the North Atlantic Ocean, about 650 miles east of the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in St. George’s Parish at the east entrance of Castle Harbor, the 14-acre island is a thriving wildlife sanctuary. With beaches, open spaces, endemic forests, and a freshwater marsh, the rocky island can be described as a “Living Museum of Pre-Colonial Bermuda.” However, to keep it this way, access to the public is restricted.

I’ve spent almost my entire life within eyesight of this island, even swimming and sailing around it, yet I was never allowed to visit until this trip. There are signs around the cliffs warning that no one is allowed to dock or step foot on the island without permission, or they can be fined $5,000 and/or sentenced to 6 months in prison. Even as we walked onto the island, we had to scrub the bottoms of our shoes in water and bleach to ensure that no parasites from the mainland would disturb the delicately balanced ecosystem. Because of the precautions, when I got to the beach, I had been expecting a pristine, natural landscape. Instead, I was greeted by those mountains of foreign trash. With all of the restrictions, how is so much trash ending up on Nonsuch?

An endangered cahow chick about to get weighed and measured on Nonsuch Island. (Photo by Zoë Mir)

This feeling of disillusionment only grew as I got to meet some of the island’s cutest and most famous residents: the cahows. The Bermuda Petrel, or cahow, is one of the rarest seabirds on the planet. It was thought to be extinct for 330 years until it was rediscovered in 1951 by David Wingate. When he started a program to bring them back from the brink of extinction, there were only 17 known breeding pairs. Now, as of 2023, there are 167 breeding pairs, with 37 of them living on Nonsuch. Although they are making a steady comeback, no one can be sure how long it will last. In 2022, 78 cahow chicks hatched, but just one year later, even with more breeding pairs, just 71 chicks hatched. After learning how much has been done to save these birds, I felt motivated to help them and their island home. It turns out that I am not alone.

Trackers for the Message in a Bottle Project. (Photo by Nonsuch Expeditions)

In 2017, the Nonsuch Expeditions team, in collaboration with Bermuda’s Department of the Environment and Natural Resources, started setting aside the washed-up trash for further examination. They have determined that less than 10 percent of the tons of trash collected from Nonsuch’s beaches was from Bermuda. This is a small part of the ongoing Nonsuch Plastic Project.

Aside from collecting and monitoring the plastic trash on the island, the Nonsuch Plastic Project also aims to cut off the plastic at its sources. Plastic pollution is a huge problem worldwide. When it gets into oceans, it breaks down into microplastics, which are plastic pieces smaller than 5 mm in diameter. They are then eaten by fish and are passed all the way through the food web to people, who may be even more affected by the plastic than the individual fish through a process known as biomagnification. These microplastics, along with larger chunks of plastic, are carried by global currents, meaning plastic that enters the water in one area can end up on the other side of the globe. Bermuda is in the middle of a current that circulates around the Atlantic Basin.

To find out where Nonsuch’s trash came from, the Plastic Project is releasing trackers resembling soda bottles in Bermuda and all around the Atlantic Basin through a program called Message in a Bottle. These trackers are monitored by GPS and send signals three times a day. They also record water temperature and will eventually have other features as well. In collaboration with partner organizations, these trackers will be deployed by schoolchildren around the Atlantic. They will be used to discover the areas that receive the most plastic and will help to determine where it entered the ocean.

As I collected trash on Nonsuch Island, clearing the home of the beautiful cahow, I realized the effort cannot be one-sided. Everyone needs to do their part, clearing litter, reducing use of plastics, and cutting the waste off at its source.

 

Bibliography:
http://www.nonsuchisland.com/
https://www.britannica.com/place/Bermuda
https://buei.bm/
The Plastic Plague: Confronting the Devastating Impact of Marine Pollution

ARTICLE WINNER!! 15 – 18 Age Group

Submitted to YRE Global

 

By Asia Robinson | Bermuda College | Age: 18

Who, What, Where, When And How Is The Looming Environmental Crisis Of Marine Pollution Threatening Our Planet’s Health?

Plastic pollution in the ocean has become a global environmental issue in recent years, causing harm to marine life and impacting the overall health of the ocean ecosystem. In this essay, we will explore the Who, What, Where, When, and How of plastic pollution in the ocean.

This image captures just a glimpse of the vast amount of plastic waste that pollutes our marine environment. Robinson, Asia. Photograph of piece of plastic in the ocean. 10 June 2022.

Plastic pollution in the ocean is a result of the actions of various individuals and industries. Plastic waste generated by households, businesses, and industries all contribute to the problem. In addition, illegal dumping of plastic waste by ships and boats is also a major contributor.

Plastic pollution in the ocean refers to the accumulation of plastic waste in the ocean waters, which can range from microplastics to larger plastic items such as bags, bottles, and fishing nets. These plastics can take hundreds of years to degrade and can harm marine life through ingestion, entanglement, and disruption of the food chain.

Plastic pollution in the ocean occurs worldwide, affecting both coastal and open ocean areas. It is estimated that there are over 5 trillion pieces of plastic debris in the ocean, with the Great Pacific Garbage Patch being one of the largest accumulations of plastic waste in the world.

Plastic pollution in the ocean has been a growing problem since the 1950s, coinciding with the widespread adoption of single-use plastics. The problem has worsened in recent years, with the production of plastic expected to double by 2050, and the continued improper disposal of plastic waste.

 

Environmental Campaign Photo

Winners:

11 – 14: Sophie Eden (Happiness Ahead) YRE GLOBAL SUBMISSION

15 – 18: Caitlyn Glawdwin (Washed Away)

19 – 25: Anthony Buckley (War for a Dying Planet)

War for a Dying Planet

Anthony Buckley | Age: 24 | Bermuda College

 

War for a Dying Planet is a call for action, urging people, governemnts, and companies to take action to fight climate change before it’s too late. For this photo, I wanted to show that there’s a lack of action and urgency to tackle climate change and that people are not prioritizing climate change as much as they should be.

The Breaking Chain

Rhys Pedro | Warwick Academy | Age: 11

I saw this broken chain and it reminded me that everything was connected. The world is breaking as well with pollution and Global Warming.

People are throwing away things they can recycle and most of the time it ends up in the ocean and by 2050 at the rate that we are going there’s going to be more pieces of plastic in the ocean.

However, we can stop this if we recycle things and dispose of trash properly. If the world works together the chain will be mended.

Capturing Beauty

Sadiya Bean | Homeschool | Age: 13

As I strolled along the beach, almost every step I took was something more than what nature produced.

Red, green, blue just to name a few of the plastics I saw.

Well… I even saw a shoe.

Chip bags, snack bags, all around my feet. Bottle caps, broke bottles, and large plastic containers.

I walked further to explore; I saw more trash floating a shore.  While I went to remove it, I thought what our beaches will look like if we don’t start to take better care of them.

But I could only picture what I wished for it to be.

Picture it with me.

White clouds in the bright blue sky, with long tails flying by. Green Sea turtles swimming over seaweed and tiny crabs searching in tide pools.

I looked north, south, east, and west and wished that no matter where my eye could see I wished for it to be as beautiful as beauty could be.

I wished for soft pink sand and crystal-clear blue water. I wished for our Bermuda beaches to be free from trash and other debris, so that we could walk and swim without shoes.  So that the sea life could live in clean clear water and live as happy as you and me. Can you picture what I can see? I believe we can change our ways so that we can capture its true beauty.

 

Happiness Ahead

Sophie Eden | Warwick Academy | Age: 11

This picture inspires me because when I took it, it made me think of where all these bottle caps came from and their journey to the wonderful island of Bermuda.

This makes me think about how much plastic is coming into our oceans and soon, if we keep on littering then our beaches won’t be lovely anymore and be filled with plastics.

Soon, there will be more plastic than there are fish in the world.

Whenever me and my mom go to Shelly Bay beach and we walk on the trail, I see so many pieces of trash in the clear water. It makes me very disappointed and sad when I see this. But this terrible habit also motivates me to clean up more beaches. And I hope this also motivates others.

Wave Crash

Ariana Fox | Bermuda College | Age: 19

What motivates me to protect nature is knowing that my future generation can make a difference. Also seeing wild creatures while I am out and about motivates me…

 

Washed Away

Caitlyn Glawdwin | Bermuda High School (BHS) | Age: 16

The once eco-friendly huts are now being washed away yet the structures still stand and ruin the beautiful environment around them. Pylons were used to create a minimal impact so they could be easily removed with little disruption to the environment. They now sit abandoned, an eye sore to the landscape, and are slowly being broken apart due to storms/hurricanes. They clutter up the nearby beaches and parts of these units are being washed overboard creating pollution in the water. They are harmful to 2 environments (the land and sea). As far as I can see the only solution is to have them removed and return the land back to its natural beauty.

Among the Seaweed

Grace Amaradasa |Bermuda High School (BHS) | Age: 16

My photo shows lots of small and big pieces of plastic entangled between lots of seaweed. You can see how the plastic is weaved into the seaweed, showing how long the plastic has been with the seaweed. You can also show the decomposition and the faded color of them showing how long they have been in the ocean. The photo demonstrates the major issue of plastic in the issue, and how it can bind the seaweed, harming the animals who live within the seaweed, for example prawn, and the ones that eat them, for example sea urchins.

Washed Out

Madison Ebbin | Somersfield Academy| Age: 16

The plastics have been camouflaged by the seaweed, where it almost looks natural and meant to be there. However, this is not true and is not good for our environment, especially the species that live near the coastline. To fix the issue, the seaweed could be sifted to remove the plastics. By sifting, it will prevent the plastic from blowing onto the shoreline or back out to sea once the seaweed has degraded. The area could be targeted with beach cleanups and get schools involved to keep Bermuda’s shorelines clean and plastic free.

War for a Dying Planet

Anthony Buckley | Age: 24 | Bermuda College

 

War for a Dying Planet is a call for action, urging people, governemnts, and companies to take action to fight climate change before it’s too late. For this photo, I wanted to show that there’s a lack of action and urgency to tackle climate change and that people are not prioritizing climate change as much as they should be.

The Breaking Chain

Rhys Pedro | Warwick Academy | Age: 11

I saw this broken chain and it reminded me that everything was connected. The world is breaking as well with pollution and Global Warming.

People are throwing away things they can recycle and most of the time it ends up in the ocean and by 2050 at the rate that we are going there’s going to be more pieces of plastic in the ocean.

However, we can stop this if we recycle things and dispose of trash properly. If the world works together the chain will be mended.

Capturing Beauty

Sadiya Bean | Homeschool | Age: 13

As I strolled along the beach, almost every step I took was something more than what nature produced.

Red, green, blue just to name a few of the plastics I saw.

Well… I even saw a shoe.

Chip bags, snack bags, all around my feet. Bottle caps, broke bottles, and large plastic containers.

I walked further to explore; I saw more trash floating a shore.  While I went to remove it, I thought what our beaches will look like if we don’t start to take better care of them.

But I could only picture what I wished for it to be.

Picture it with me.

White clouds in the bright blue sky, with long tails flying by. Green Sea turtles swimming over seaweed and tiny crabs searching in tide pools.

I looked north, south, east, and west and wished that no matter where my eye could see I wished for it to be as beautiful as beauty could be.

I wished for soft pink sand and crystal-clear blue water. I wished for our Bermuda beaches to be free from trash and other debris, so that we could walk and swim without shoes.  So that the sea life could live in clean clear water and live as happy as you and me. Can you picture what I can see? I believe we can change our ways so that we can capture its true beauty.

 

Happiness Ahead

Sophie Eden | Warwick Academy | Age: 11

This picture inspires me because when I took it, it made me think of where all these bottle caps came from and their journey to the wonderful island of Bermuda.

This makes me think about how much plastic is coming into our oceans and soon, if we keep on littering then our beaches won’t be lovely anymore and be filled with plastics.

Soon, there will be more plastic than there are fish in the world.

Whenever me and my mom go to Shelly Bay beach and we walk on the trail, I see so many pieces of trash in the clear water. It makes me very disappointed and sad when I see this. But this terrible habit also motivates me to clean up more beaches. And I hope this also motivates others.

Wave Crash

Ariana Fox | Bermuda College | Age: 19

What motivates me to protect nature is knowing that my future generation can make a difference. Also seeing wild creatures while I am out and about motivates me…

Washed Away

Caitlyn Glawdwin | Bermuda High School (BHS) | Age: 16

The once eco-friendly huts are now being washed away yet the structures still stand and ruin the beautiful environment around them. Pylons were used to create a minimal impact so they could be easily removed with little disruption to the environment. They now sit abandoned, an eye sore to the landscape, and are slowly being broken apart due to storms/hurricanes. They clutter up the nearby beaches and parts of these units are being washed overboard creating pollution in the water. They are harmful to 2 environments (the land and sea). As far as I can see the only solution is to have them removed and return the land back to its natural beauty.

Among the Seaweed

Grace Amaradasa |Bermuda High School (BHS) | Age: 16

My photo shows lots of small and big pieces of plastic entangled between lots of seaweed. You can see how the plastic is weaved into the seaweed, showing how long the plastic has been with the seaweed. You can also show the decomposition and the faded color of them showing how long they have been in the ocean. The photo demonstrates the major issue of plastic in the issue, and how it can bind the seaweed, harming the animals who live within the seaweed, for example prawn, and the ones that eat them, for example sea urchins.

Washed Out

Madison Ebbin | Somersfield Academy| Age: 16

The plastics have been camouflaged by the seaweed, where it almost looks natural and meant to be there. However, this is not true and is not good for our environment, especially the species that live near the coastline. To fix the issue, the seaweed could be sifted to remove the plastics. By sifting, it will prevent the plastic from blowing onto the shoreline or back out to sea once the seaweed has degraded. The area could be targeted with beach cleanups and get schools involved to keep Bermuda’s shorelines clean and plastic free.

War for a Dying Planet

Anthony Buckley | Age: 24 | Bermuda College

 

War for a Dying Planet is a call for action, urging people, governemnts, and companies to take action to fight climate change before it’s too late. For this photo, I wanted to show that there’s a lack of action and urgency to tackle climate change and that people are not prioritizing climate change as much as they should be.

The Breaking Chain

Rhys Pedro | Warwick Academy | Age: 11

I saw this broken chain and it reminded me that everything was connected. The world is breaking as well with pollution and Global Warming.

People are throwing away things they can recycle and most of the time it ends up in the ocean and by 2050 at the rate that we are going there’s going to be more pieces of plastic in the ocean.

However, we can stop this if we recycle things and dispose of trash properly. If the world works together the chain will be mended.

Capturing Beauty

Sadiya Bean | Homeschool | Age: 13

As I strolled along the beach, almost every step I took was something more than what nature produced.

Red, green, blue just to name a few of the plastics I saw.

Well… I even saw a shoe.

Chip bags, snack bags, all around my feet. Bottle caps, broke bottles, and large plastic containers.

I walked further to explore; I saw more trash floating a shore.  While I went to remove it, I thought what our beaches will look like if we don’t start to take better care of them.

But I could only picture what I wished for it to be.

Picture it with me.

White clouds in the bright blue sky, with long tails flying by. Green Sea turtles swimming over seaweed and tiny crabs searching in tide pools.

I looked north, south, east, and west and wished that no matter where my eye could see I wished for it to be as beautiful as beauty could be.

I wished for soft pink sand and crystal-clear blue water. I wished for our Bermuda beaches to be free from trash and other debris, so that we could walk and swim without shoes.  So that the sea life could live in clean clear water and live as happy as you and me. Can you picture what I can see? I believe we can change our ways so that we can capture its true beauty.

 

Happiness Ahead

Sophie Eden | Warwick Academy | Age: 11

This picture inspires me because when I took it, it made me think of where all these bottle caps came from and their journey to the wonderful island of Bermuda.

This makes me think about how much plastic is coming into our oceans and soon, if we keep on littering then our beaches won’t be lovely anymore and be filled with plastics.

Soon, there will be more plastic than there are fish in the world.

Whenever me and my mom go to Shelly Bay beach and we walk on the trail, I see so many pieces of trash in the clear water. It makes me very disappointed and sad when I see this. But this terrible habit also motivates me to clean up more beaches. And I hope this also motivates others.

Wave Crash

Ariana Fox | Bermuda College | Age: 19

What motivates me to protect nature is knowing that my future generation can make a difference. Also seeing wild creatures while I am out and about motivates me…

Washed Away

Caitlyn Glawdwin | Bermuda High School (BHS) | Age: 16

The once eco-friendly huts are now being washed away yet the structures still stand and ruin the beautiful environment around them. Pylons were used to create a minimal impact so they could be easily removed with little disruption to the environment. They now sit abandoned, an eye sore to the landscape, and are slowly being broken apart due to storms/hurricanes. They clutter up the nearby beaches and parts of these units are being washed overboard creating pollution in the water. They are harmful to 2 environments (the land and sea). As far as I can see the only solution is to have them removed and return the land back to its natural beauty.

Among the Seaweed

Grace Amaradasa |Bermuda High School (BHS) | Age: 16

My photo shows lots of small and big pieces of plastic entangled between lots of seaweed. You can see how the plastic is weaved into the seaweed, showing how long the plastic has been with the seaweed. You can also show the decomposition and the faded color of them showing how long they have been in the ocean. The photo demonstrates the major issue of plastic in the issue, and how it can bind the seaweed, harming the animals who live within the seaweed, for example prawn, and the ones that eat them, for example sea urchins.

Washed Out

Madison Ebbin | Somersfield Academy| Age: 16

The plastics have been camouflaged by the seaweed, where it almost looks natural and meant to be there. However, this is not true and is not good for our environment, especially the species that live near the coastline. To fix the issue, the seaweed could be sifted to remove the plastics. By sifting, it will prevent the plastic from blowing onto the shoreline or back out to sea once the seaweed has degraded. The area could be targeted with beach cleanups and get schools involved to keep Bermuda’s shorelines clean and plastic free.

Photo Story

PHOTO STORY WINNER!!

Submitted to YRE Global

Josiah Darrell | Bermuda College | Age: 20

April 17, 2023

What motivates you to want to protect

nature and the ocean?

During my early youth years, I developed a massive interest in marine life. I wondered about the unknowns of the ocean, I was fascinated with bioluminescence and the creatures that used it, and I really liked sharks. As I got older, with more expectations and pressure being put onto me, I started to appreciate nature and the peace it brought me.

I enjoyed looking at the sparkling stars in the night sky, the violent yet calming waves that crashed against rocks and shores, and the soft, whistling wind that cooled my body. I want to protect nature and the ocean because it protects and brings me peace. Sometimes it even motivates me to create an amazing art piece. I want to protect nature and the ocean because they allow me to be the person I want to be.

Single Reportage Photo

Winners:

11 – 14: Lailah Parker-Smith (A Golf Ball With A Smile) 

15 – 18: Yeshai Burgess (The World in Plastic) YRE GLOBAL SUBMISSION

Blue Miracle

Cataleya McCallan | West Pembroke Primary | Age: 10

The marble had a wonderful ocean view, and it was also made with hard plastic that looks like glass.

The marble is pollution even though it look so beautiful. It looks like the color of the ocean and a piece of jewelry. It also looks like something that you would love to look at every day. Even though this looks gorgeous it can still hurt animals in the ocean.

When people throw trash in the ocean it makes me feel sad because all the animals in sea can get sick. When the wind blows the trash into the ocean it stays there for years and will break down into small pieces.

If people keep Bermuda clean it would be a huge help for the environment.

A Golf Ball With A Smile

Lailah Parker-Smith | Whitney Institute | Age: 11

There are many golf balls in the sea.

One in the shore, and one in the deep.

There is algae in the little spots of the golf ball.

And it’s shaped like an oval and not like a ball.

It’s not a ball anymore.

 

I feel like it’s been in the ocean for four years.

The colour is faded but it has a chip that looks like a smile.

If a big fish tries to eat the golf ball it might choke and die.

 

What motivates me to want to protect the ocean is the fact that all the fish are eating the plastic that is in the ocean.

If the fish are eating plastic and you eat the fish, you are eating plastic.

Some fish and birds get caught in plastic soda rings from soda bottles.

Sometimes turtles get caught in fishing nets.

Don’t litter. Don’t throw your trash into the sea.

Small Wonder

Madison Branco | Somersfield Academy | Age: 11

This picture symbolizes that our environment is full of small, yet beautiful wonders. There are small ways to help our marine environment and there are big ways, but every word and choice you make about our environment makes a difference.

What motivates me to save our ocean is when I see documentaries about marine pollution. I see fish either stuck or eating plastic. These animals think that plastic is food, so they eat it, causing pain for those creatures. Eventually, those fish come to us as seafood and once we digest this food, we also digest chemicals. So, in the end, throwing plastic and other man-made debris in the ocean affects us humans and our marine population.

 

Protecting the Ocean

Tanaka Kunze | Purvis Primary | Age: 11

Most animals in the ocean are suffering from pollution that’s why we all have to put the work in to make the world more clean. Most of the animals are not smart enough to notice the difference between plastic and the food they eat. For example, turtles don’t know the difference between plastic bags and jelly fish. We also have to look out for wild life outside of the water because the land animals have to deal with their houses being taken down by cruel humans. All humans and animals have to deal with deforestation and the world melting down slowly. Soon the Artic ocean will start to melt down even faster and that will make its economy melt down quickly.

Plastic in Cahow Paradise

Zoë Mir | Somersfield Academy | Age: 13

The Nonsuch Plastic Project aims to collect and monitor the plastic trash that washes up on Nonsuch Island, the home of the endangered cahow seabird. It also works to cut off plastic at the source through the Message in a Bottle project.

Feeding the Fish

Kailyn Stevens | Bermuda College | Age: 18

I am motivated to protect the ocean for a variety of reasons. Firstly, the ocean provides a lot for me and as such I want to keep it clean and protect both it and the species that reside in it. As a photographer, the ocean is both a great subject for me and provides many other subjects that I am able to capture. In addition, I find the many species in the ocean to be very fascinating, I am always interested in learning more about the species that live there and the environments that they live in. Secondly, I understand that any harm that is done to the ocean will in turn affect humanity negatively in both the king and short term. 

The World in Plastic

Yeshai Burgess | The Berkeley Institute | Age: 17

My photo encompasses the growing littering problem around the world today. My picture shows bubble wrap suffocating the earth which is a reference to how plastic in the ocean suffocated oceans and how burning plastic suffocates humans. I believe that the solution to this issue is reform from the government and to encourage people to put their trash in the correct places. As seen in my photo, there is a window in the bubble wrap to show that there is a window of opportunity for our earth to change our ways, to change our earth.

Blue Miracle

Cataleya McCallan | West Pembroke Primary | Age: 10

The marble had a wonderful ocean view, and it was also made with hard plastic that looks like glass.

The marble is pollution even though it look so beautiful. It looks like the color of the ocean and a piece of jewelry. It also looks like something that you would love to look at every day. Even though this looks gorgeous it can still hurt animals in the ocean.

When people throw trash in the ocean it makes me feel sad because all the animals in sea can get sick. When the wind blows the trash into the ocean it stays there for years and will break down into small pieces.

If people keep Bermuda clean it would be a huge help for the environment.

A Golf Ball With A Smile

Lailah Parker-Smith | Whitney Institute | Age: 11

There are many golf balls in the sea.

One in the shore, and one in the deep.

There is algae in the little spots of the golf ball.

And it’s shaped like an oval and not like a ball.

It’s not a ball anymore.

 

I feel like it’s been in the ocean for four years.

The colour is faded but it has a chip that looks like a smile.

If a big fish tries to eat the golf ball it might choke and die.

 

What motivates me to want to protect the ocean is the fact that all the fish are eating the plastic that is in the ocean.

If the fish are eating plastic and you eat the fish, you are eating plastic.

Some fish and birds get caught in plastic soda rings from soda bottles.

Sometimes turtles get caught in fishing nets.

Don’t litter. Don’t throw your trash into the sea.

Small Wonder

Madison Branco | Somersfield Academy | Age: 11

This picture symbolizes that our environment is full of small, yet beautiful wonders. There are small ways to help our marine environment and there are big ways, but every word and choice you make about our environment makes a difference.

What motivates me to save our ocean is when I see documentaries about marine pollution. I see fish either stuck or eating plastic. These animals think that plastic is food, so they eat it, causing pain for those creatures. Eventually, those fish come to us as seafood and once we digest this food, we also digest chemicals. So, in the end, throwing plastic and other man-made debris in the ocean affects us humans and our marine population.

 

Protecting the Ocean

Tanaka Kunze | Purvis Primary | Age: 11

Most animals in the ocean are suffering from pollution that’s why we all have to put the work in to make the world more clean. Most of the animals are not smart enough to notice the difference between plastic and the food they eat. For example, turtles don’t know the difference between plastic bags and jelly fish. We also have to look out for wild life outside of the water because the land animals have to deal with their houses being taken down by cruel humans. All humans and animals have to deal with deforestation and the world melting down slowly. Soon the Artic ocean will start to melt down even faster and that will make its economy melt down quickly.

Plastic in Cahow Paradise

Zoë Mir | Somersfield Academy | Age: 13

The Nonsuch Plastic Project aims to collect and monitor the plastic trash that washes up on Nonsuch Island, the home of the endangered cahow seabird. It also works to cut off plastic at the source through the Message in a Bottle project.

Feeding the Fish

Kailyn Stevens | Bermuda College | Age: 18

I am motivated to protect the ocean for a variety of reasons. Firstly, the ocean provides a lot for me and as such I want to keep it clean and protect both it and the species that reside in it. As a photographer, the ocean is both a great subject for me and provides many other subjects that I am able to capture. In addition, I find the many species in the ocean to be very fascinating, I am always interested in learning more about the species that live there and the environments that they live in. Secondly, I understand that any harm that is done to the ocean will in turn affect humanity negatively in both the king and short term. 

The World in Plastic

Yeshai Burgess | The Berkeley Institute | Age: 17

My photo encompasses the growing littering problem around the world today. My picture shows bubble wrap suffocating the earth which is a reference to how plastic in the ocean suffocated oceans and how burning plastic suffocates humans. I believe that the solution to this issue is reform from the government and to encourage people to put their trash in the correct places. As seen in my photo, there is a window in the bubble wrap to show that there is a window of opportunity for our earth to change our ways, to change our earth.

Blue Miracle

Cataleya McCallan | West Pembroke Primary | Age: 10

The marble had a wonderful ocean view, and it was also made with hard plastic that looks like glass.

The marble is pollution even though it look so beautiful. It looks like the color of the ocean and a piece of jewelry. It also looks like something that you would love to look at every day. Even though this looks gorgeous it can still hurt animals in the ocean.

When people throw trash in the ocean it makes me feel sad because all the animals in sea can get sick. When the wind blows the trash into the ocean it stays there for years and will break down into small pieces.

If people keep Bermuda clean it would be a huge help for the environment.

A Golf Ball With A Smile

Lailah Parker-Smith | Whitney Institute | Age: 11

There are many golf balls in the sea.

One in the shore, and one in the deep.

There is algae in the little spots of the golf ball.

And it’s shaped like an oval and not like a ball.

It’s not a ball anymore.

 

I feel like it’s been in the ocean for four years.

The colour is faded but it has a chip that looks like a smile.

If a big fish tries to eat the golf ball it might choke and die.

 

What motivates me to want to protect the ocean is the fact that all the fish are eating the plastic that is in the ocean.

If the fish are eating plastic and you eat the fish, you are eating plastic.

Some fish and birds get caught in plastic soda rings from soda bottles.

Sometimes turtles get caught in fishing nets.

Don’t litter. Don’t throw your trash into the sea.

Small Wonder

Madison Branco | Somersfield Academy | Age: 11

This picture symbolizes that our environment is full of small, yet beautiful wonders. There are small ways to help our marine environment and there are big ways, but every word and choice you make about our environment makes a difference.

What motivates me to save our ocean is when I see documentaries about marine pollution. I see fish either stuck or eating plastic. These animals think that plastic is food, so they eat it, causing pain for those creatures. Eventually, those fish come to us as seafood and once we digest this food, we also digest chemicals. So, in the end, throwing plastic and other man-made debris in the ocean affects us humans and our marine population.

 

Protecting the Ocean

Tanaka Kunze | Purvis Primary | Age: 11

Most animals in the ocean are suffering from pollution that’s why we all have to put the work in to make the world more clean. Most of the animals are not smart enough to notice the difference between plastic and the food they eat. For example, turtles don’t know the difference between plastic bags and jelly fish. We also have to look out for wild life outside of the water because the land animals have to deal with their houses being taken down by cruel humans. All humans and animals have to deal with deforestation and the world melting down slowly. Soon the Artic ocean will start to melt down even faster and that will make its economy melt down quickly.

Plastic in Cahow Paradise

Zoë Mir | Somersfield Academy | Age: 13

The Nonsuch Plastic Project aims to collect and monitor the plastic trash that washes up on Nonsuch Island, the home of the endangered cahow seabird. It also works to cut off plastic at the source through the Message in a Bottle project.

Feeding the Fish

Kailyn Stevens | Bermuda College | Age: 18

I am motivated to protect the ocean for a variety of reasons. Firstly, the ocean provides a lot for me and as such I want to keep it clean and protect both it and the species that reside in it. As a photographer, the ocean is both a great subject for me and provides many other subjects that I am able to capture. In addition, I find the many species in the ocean to be very fascinating, I am always interested in learning more about the species that live there and the environments that they live in. Secondly, I understand that any harm that is done to the ocean will in turn affect humanity negatively in both the king and short term. 

The World in Plastic

Yeshai Burgess | The Berkeley Institute | Age: 17

My photo encompasses the growing littering problem around the world today. My picture shows bubble wrap suffocating the earth which is a reference to how plastic in the ocean suffocated oceans and how burning plastic suffocates humans. I believe that the solution to this issue is reform from the government and to encourage people to put their trash in the correct places. As seen in my photo, there is a window in the bubble wrap to show that there is a window of opportunity for our earth to change our ways, to change our earth.

Environmental Video Campaign

Honorable Mention: Francis Patton Primary School