Launch of a participatory science action between French and Japanese youth on the topic of plastic pollution

In the framework of their “Nature and Culture” project , the two French-Japanese Oceanography Societies of France and Japan are developing a citizen science action on the theme of “Plastic pollution of the oceans”.

For the 60th anniversary of the French-Japanese Society of Japan, a special session with the title: “Transforming our society in the face of a changing sea – On the problem of marine microplastics” dealt with this scourge which affects all marine ecosystems: coastal, deep-sea and offshore. http://socfjp.com/journee-sur-la-pollution-par-les-micro-plastiques-a-la-maison-franco-japonaise/

 Every year, 8 million tonnes of plastic end up in the oceans (an average of 15 tonnes per second) and fragment into small particles that can contaminate the entire oceanic food chain and have a lasting impact on ocean productivity. The vast majority of this plastic comes from inadequate treatment of this waste on land. It is therefore important not only to improve the collection and treatment of these plastics, but also to better educate and inform about the harmfulness of these wastes that affect our seas and oceans.

The aim of this project is to bring together young French and Japanese secondary school students and their teachers on the issue of plastic pollution by developing citizen initiatives to warn of the danger of this contamination.

As an example, we report on the initiative of the Chireki Club students of Sanyo Gakuin high school, whose teacher and advisor is Mr Takashi Inoué. https://www-sanyogakuen-ed-jp.translate.goog/schoollife/club/chireki?_x_tr_sl=ja&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=ja

This project, which is to be developed in 2022 with various French and Japanese partners, aims to promote a participatory science action between young French and Japanese people and their supervisors, the first results of which will be presented jointly at the SFJO Symposium/Forum organised at the University of Caen in the Autumn of 2023.