NEWS RELEASE: San Diego Unified Students to Participate in Sixth International Marine Debris Conference Hosted by United Nations Environment and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[cid:E951FA3D-09DD-4EC6-B018-45053BF64137] NEWS RELEASE


San Diego Unified Students to Participate in Sixth International Marine Debris Conference Hosted by United Nations Environment and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

SAN DIEGO (March 13, 2018) - Mission Bay High School will send nearly 40 students to the Sixth International Marine Debris Conference (6IMDC) in San Diego this week to serve as ambassadors of the Blue Tech STEM academic and career pathway, which combines science, technology, engineering and math with the region's greatest resource: The Pacific Ocean.
The students will attend a screening featuring films about marine debris and three members of the Mission Bay High delegation have been credentialed as student journalists, giving them the opportunity to interview scientists and report on the issues up for discussion at the conference. Board of Education President Kevin Beiser, who introduced a resolution to the Board of Education welcoming the conference to San Diego, will join the students for the film screening.

Organized by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the United Nations Environment, the five-day conference will bring together more than 600 experts from around the world, including policy and decision makers, multinational agencies, state and federal coastal and ocean resource managers, waste management representatives, scientists, planners, and academics. Among the topics to be discussed: The focus on the global problem of marine debris and pollution. The 6IMDC will spotlight solutions to marine debris, modern research and technological advances, and strategies to minimize the impacts and occurrence of marine debris throughout the world's oceans. The event takes place at the Hilton in Mission Bay March 12-16.

The San Diego Board of Education recently adopted the San Diego Unified's Climate Mitigation and Adaptation Goals, which closely align with the conference's mission to reduce human impacts on marine environments. As part of the district's climate goals, the district aims to increase the usage of renewable energy, increase energy efficiency, and reduce waste throughout district operations. To meet its goals, the district has invested in storm water retention systems, energy efficient lighting and solar photovoltaic systems.
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Media Inquiries: Isabella McNeil, San Diego Unified School District, 619-341-2343 Imcneil@Sandi.net<mailto:Imcneil@Sandi.net>