As deeply concerned members of our community, Lego Masters team in 5th grade and their parents are troubled by the pollution our oceans face. Each day, thousands of pounds worth of garbage flow into them. One significant source of this pollution is the storm drains in our neighborhoods that meet. With each rain, trash is washed into the drains, finding its way unfiltered into our oceans. This threatens our marine life, upsets the ecosystem, and endangers human health and the future of our planet. 

Lego Masters team and their parents propose a solution: the implementation of filtering systems within our storm drains. These innovative contraptions could collect the rubbish that falls through, preventing it from reaching the oceans. Equipped with fullness sensors, these filters would alert volunteers or workers to come and empty them when nearly full.

According to a report by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), stormwater runoff is a leading source of water pollution in the U.S. (EPA, 2019). On a global scale, a staggering 8 million metric tons of plastic waste enters our oceans each year (Jambeck et al., 2015), 80% of which is carried by storm runoff (Inemesit Ukpanah, 2024).

Let us be the change we wish to see. By campaigning for the inclusion of these filters in our storm drains, we can combat pollution at its source and take a necessary step towards cleaner oceans. Let's protect our sea life, our ecosystem, and our future. Please, sign this petition to encourage the government and relevant authorities to consider this viable, forward-thinking solution.