Abstract

Accumulation of anthropogenic debris (AD) in the environment, especially plastic, is a pervasive issue that impacts human communities and ecosystems worldwide. Since AD pollution at every scale stems from human activities, its mitigation is contingent on analyzing and modifying the scale-dependent drivers of human behavior surrounding this issue. Although the underlying mechanisms driving litter input and accumulation are not well understood, these patterns suggest a need for hyperlocal solutions. Because environmental education (EE) fosters a significant influence on environmental knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors, it can play an important role in the mitigation of debris input and littering behavior. One method of EE is community science, which involves hands-on research conducted by the residents of a community, with guidance from professional scientists. Our work took a mixed approach to develop solutions for stormwater debris input by assessing awareness of pollution issues in the general population of Monroe County, New York, evaluating the effectiveness of targeted educational programming, empirically measuring litter and debris input to the environment at educational sites, and assessing student interactions with debris items. By evaluating a local water quality organization, H2O Hero, we were able to identify longitudinal and current opinions, knowledge, and concerns about water quality status and threats in the area. This showed that while residents are concerned about these environmental issues, they may not be knowledgeable in the finer details or aware of how to become part of the solution. A program called CASCADE (Community Action for Stormwater Cleanup and Debris Elimination) was also evaluated using traditional pre- and post-surveys and assessment of how participants reacted to programming materials. While there was little measurable change in understanding found through surveys, student engagement was better illustrated through analysis of their creative products. However, after exploring the comparison of the measured composition of debris at these educational sites to the debris items mentioned by students in their program materials, it was clear that students engaged with unique and familiar items most consistently. Additionally, the content produced suggested a lack of connection to water quality issues locally and confusion associated with more readily available, ocean type information about debris. The results of this study point out clear opportunities for more strategic connections between local educational organizations to residents, supporting the ongoing effort to mitigate the plastic pollution crisis and improve water quality of the Great Lakes.

Publication Date

12-8-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Student Type

Graduate

Degree Name

Environmental Science (MS)

Department, Program, or Center

Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences

College

College of Science

Advisor

Anna Christina Tyler,

Advisor/Committee Member

Matthew Hoffman

Advisor/Committee Member

Kaeti Stoss

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

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