Why Do Helpers Cut Six-Pack Rings?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hi, explorers! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Why do helpers cut six-pack rings?

The Big Idea

Plastic six-pack rings are loops that can trap animals. A loop can slip over a bird's neck or a turtle's flipper, and it can tighten as the animal grows. Cutting every loop removes the trap!

Step 1

Step one: the rings hold cans. Plastic rings hold a pack of cans together. Then the cans are gone, and the rings get tossed out.

Step 2

Step two: a loop can slide over a neck. If a ring ends up outdoors, a bird or turtle may get a head or flipper stuck in it. As the animal grows, the loop gets tighter.

Step 3

Step three: a grown-up cuts each loop. At home, a grown-up snips every loop open before the ring goes in the bin. An open ring can't close around a neck.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look at a snipped ring! An intact ring is a closed loop. That's the trap. Cut loops are open pieces that can't close. And safe scrap is what's left when the loops are all cut.

Quick Facts

Quick facts! A two-second snip on land can save a wild animal you will never meet. Better still is skipping the rings entirely. Cut rings at home over the bin, not at the beach. If you see tangled wildlife, tell a grown-up, who can call trained rescuers.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, think like a scientist! Why does growing make a loop worse? What is the difference between scrap and a trap? With a grown-up, find a safe loop of paper and think about how an open one differs from a closed one.

Outro

A cut ring is a trap that retired before it went to sea. Science is amazing! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!