KIDS FIGHT PLASTIC

An environmentalist’s guide for kids to take action to reduce use of plastics and protect the oceans.

The British author/activist started in 2013 with an online campaign called #2minutebeachclean that encouraged people to spend two minutes picking up plastic waste that had washed ashore onto beaches. In that same spirit, with the creation of 50 #2minutesuperhero challenges kids can do, this aims to lessen the amount of plastic that gets into the ocean in the first place. Engaging diagrams help convey the amount of plastic in the ocean, different kinds of plastic, and the history of plastics. Brief explanations illuminate why people need to limit plastic use and plastics’ effects on climate, air quality, and animal life. Looking at plastics use in school, home, and recreational activities, the book explores the unusual places that plastics show up; through the challenges, it provides actions readers can take to limit their use and impact. When it comes to minimizing use of plastic around shopping, cooking, and meals, it assumes a certain amount of food security, and the fictional “Everyday Superheroes” highlighted are either marine animals or, despite the presence of other dark-skinned characters, White-presenting individuals. Supporting evidence is scant and at times anecdotal, making this more a tool for those already committed to the environmental cause than a piece of persuasion.

Light on the science but packed with good suggestions for environmental action.