Save the Dunes is kicking off our new program, funded by the Lake Michigan Coastal Program, with "Plastic Pollution Impacts & Beach Clean Up", a collaborative event in partnership with the Indiana Dunes State Park, Plastic Reduction Alliance, and Alliance for the Great Lakes, to bring you a morning event focused on educating the community about the impacts single use plastics have on both the human body and the environment.
This event will take place at the Indiana Dunes State Park, beginning at 9:00 AM at the Nature Center. We will kick off the event with a presentation by Dr. Julie Peller, a Professor of Chemistry at Valparaiso University. Her current research focus is the study of micro- and nanoplastics, particularly in water media. Dr. Peller has published studies on the pollution of plastic microfibers in the Great Lakes and works with students to monitor plastic pollution along the Lake Michigan shoreline. Her collaborative laboratory research investigations have contributed to knowledge of the fates and properties of plastic particles in water. Dr. Peller is the Executive Director of the Plastic Reduction Alliance, a nonprofit organization working to spread awareness about the plastic pollution crisis, sponsor activities for plastic waste reduction, and partner with other establishments for solutions to plastic pollution.
Then, we'll head out on a short walk (.5 mile), led by Save the Dunes staff, out to the beach, where we will participate in a beach clean-up facilitated by Alliance for the Great Lakes. The cleanup will focus on the less-populated area of the beach east of the Pavilion. Clean up supplies, including gloves, will be provided.
Please dress for the weather, and bring a reusable water bottle.
Those who RSVP will have entrance fees waived by mentioning their participation in our event at the main gate upon arrival.
