Plastic bottles bobbing up and down in open waters may not seem much of a threat to the naked eye, but scientists have learned that macroplastic and microplastics are having a devastating impact on marine life. Understanding how much pollution humans have been responsible for in the ocean will play a key role in developing actions to make changes. Through working with the New York Aquarium in Brooklyn NY, I plan to educate younger kids about why we should address this issue and what people can do to help raise awareness on this pressing issue. Through this project, I will also work with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). As part of my placement there, I will visit beaches and coastlines and see how much pollution is washing up on shores and being collected underwater to indicate why we should invest resources to conserve aquatic life. My research will culminate in a paper where I will provide solutions that could be used to lower the amount of pollutants humans are responsible for.