Lesson overview
Plastic does not just have an environmental and health impact, it can also affect economies and communities. For tourism locations, a pristine beach will attract more visitors than one covered in plastic waste. Local government in the UK currently spends about £15 million per year to clear litter from beaches. In this lesson, students will look at a tourism case study centred on the high end tourism on Lamu Island off the coast Kenya.
Learning outcomes
- Assess what makes Lamu a popular tourist destination
- Evaluate the threat caused to Kenya’s economy by plastic waste
- Describe how actions at a range of scales are addressing plastic pollution
- Apply mapping skills to locate places and describe processes
Lesson steps
- What makes Lamu popular? (15 mins)
Students view a range of information about Lamu and assess what they think makes Lamu a popular tourist destination. - Where might plastic be coming from? (15 mins)
Lamu’s beaches are being affected by marine plastic pollution. This could have a knock-on impact on the local tourist industry. Students use their prior knowledge and a mapping activity to develop an understanding of potential sources of plastic.
- What action is being taken? (15 mins)
Students watch a video about the Lamu beach clean-up, and actions of volunteers and residents’ groups to tackle the plastic build up. The plastics found on the beaches in Lamu may also give students a clearer idea about the sources of plastic debris in the region.
- How is Kenya changing? (10 mins)
The build-up of plastic waste could stymie Kenya’s strategy to grow its tourism sector. Students review development data about Kenya to reflect on the potential impact of plastic waste on the Kenyan economy. - How can the Kenyan government help? (5 mins)
As a plenary, students suggest additional actions that the Kenyan government could take to address the issue of plastic pollution
Additional information: Home learning
Students create a report or presentation on the Flipiflopi project.