Catrina McCoy

Senior Project Proposal

October 2, 2018

A. SUMMARY
The overarching topic of my research is ocean pollution; however, the specific

topic which I will be diving into is water pollution caused by recreation. Growing up in

Virginia Beach, water has played a massive role in my life. With water all around the city

going to the beach, fishing on the lake, and boating in inlets are all activities my family

and I have enjoyed partaking in for years. Civilians have certain duties to protect the

environment. Unfortunately, the ocean has been treated like a bottomless dumpster.

These little activities that humans take part in for recreation cause major damages to the

water. Boats emit foreign objects into the ocean causing pollution; nonetheless, little

efforts have been made to transition the old model of boats to a more eco-friendly

model. Laws passed to prevent ocean pollution are vague and hard to enforce. It is

important to protect the water to maintain the balance in our ecosystem

In order to guide my research and project, my driving questions will be as

follows:

➢ What regulations are in place to prevent large emissions from boats?

➢ Are there any places with progressive boat laws, how do the laws in the US
compare?
➢ What are the exact ways which boats attribute to ocean pollution and the effect it
has on humans and the ecosystem?
➢ What is an attainable way to change the effects of boat pollution?
 My plans for conducting a project relating to this topic is to save an available

space at a local marina and reach out to boaters in the area. I plan to show a

demonstration on the effects of the modern boat and prove ways to revitalize the older

model into a newer more efficient one. My advisor will be Ms. Besal, the Chemistry

teacher here at First Colonial High School. I chose this advisor because due to her

relation to science, she will be able to contribute her input on harmful chemicals to the

environment. The idea I have brainstormed to decrease the effect of a boat pollution in

the ocean is to design a modern boat, or “green boat,” that contains eco-friendly

attributes. At the marina, I will explain the negative effects of recreational boating on

the environment and show ways which boaters can personally contribute to the decrease

of pollution. There will be an environmentalist speaker at the event and a boat

technician who will explain the functions of a boat and how the changing the ways you

act in the environment can result in long term positive effects. As an incentive to attract

more boat owners in the audience, I will raffle off prizes including a chance to win an

alternative boating device that will prevent boat pollution. To record my success I will

give a survey to boat owners and future boat owners asking whether they think that

changing their ways would be effective.

B. New Skills, Enhanced Skills, and Growth Goals

New Skills
● Engineering
● Event Planning
Enhanced Skills
● Public Speaking skills
● Communication
 ● research
Growth Goals
● Meeting deadlines
● Not procrastinating

C. Marketing Plan/Facilities/Audience

The facilities I will need to complete my project are Norfolk Machine & Welding to design and

build my green boat model, as well as a local Virginia Beach marina to present my project to the

public. My target audience will be boaters, soon to be boaters, and anyone else interested in

learning about the environment. Norfolk Machine & Welding has already agreed to donate their

space and materials to allow me to work on my model. My audience should be motivated to

attend and learn about my topic because the problems I will be talking about ways which could

save them money in the long run. I plan to ask for donations for materials needed, but if that is

not achievable the alternative will be to raise money with some type of fundraiser: cashola, car

wash, etc. After creating my “green boat” I will showcase the differences seen in my boat

compared to the average recreational boat. The showcase will be at the marina where I will also

explain the mishaps of boat pollution and how the boaters can do something about it. As well as

my speech there will be professionals to input their opinion based on their field of study. The

issues I will touch on are the effects of fuel leakages, boat toxins, and debris on the surrounding

environment.

D. Project Steps

Preliminary Locate donations and venue, reach out to professionals, make the 10
Steps “green boat,” research the effect of change, phone calls, analyze data, hours
create graphs, weebly site
 Midway Test inventions, secure venue and speakers, establish itinerary for 7
Steps project day, finalize data, write presentation, Advertize the project, hours
update weebly

Later Steps Practice run through, go to venue and check all equipment and 5
electronics at least a week prior to project, set up room, create signs hours
for venue, incentives for venue and project (snacks, prizes, etc.)

Follow Up Thank you notes, clean up, follow ups, survey update all info for 3
panel presentation, finish website hours

Total 25
hours

E. PROJECT DOCUMENTATION

· Screenshots of text messages concerning project

· Screenshots of any posts on social media about project

· Blueprints

· Prototypes

· Email conversations

· Phone log for calls

· Receipts from any purchases

· weebly site

· Photos of event

· Data/ graphs

F. PROJECT JUSTIFICATION

The presentation of major environmental dangers that are associated with boating will provide

the audience the knowledge necessary to prevent actions contributing to pollution. Not only will

this project provide a valuable learning opportunity for the boating community in this area, it will

also present examples of first hand alternatives to modern boating habits that will contribute to
the decrease in water pollution. Pollution from boats is a major issue that drastically affects

water, the largest geographical feature on Earth. The waters on our Earth provide the largest

ecosystems of the world and contributes to economic benefits that the Tidewater region thrives

off of. Water pollution has a direct negative effect on these ecosystems and thus harming not

only the environment, but also the economic stability of our community, These creations

presented in my project will protect our community from heading into these threats and turn

toward a more safe and clean method of boating. These efforts are designs that only few

engineers have even accomplished, not by inability, but by lack of innovation. Creating these

products is not only new for me, but new for the entire boating community.

G. PROJECT-PAPER CONNECTION

The effect of which human interaction with waterways contributes to pollution is my main

driving question that my paper will be answering. The answers to this question and other relative

questions will explain the importance of clean water ways. The purpose for this project is to

show the connection for between boats and pollution. The paper teaches the way which boaters

affect the environment and the project will give them an option to help prevent future water

pollution. The goal of both the project and paper is to educate and hope to change the way

boaters view the environment.