(WFRV)- After spending years working at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, Jack Benson discovered EarthEcho and has set his mind to providing animals with a plastic-free environment to live in throughout the Great Lakes. The 'Blue Paradox Exhibit' in Chicago's Griffin Museum of Science and Industry showcases the problems facing wildlife in the Great Lakes, specifically, regarding plastics. Sustainably Speaking: Teaching students about plastic pollution in Lake Michigan The display partnered with SC Johnson and shows visitors how much plastic is entering the Great Lakes and ways in which this issue can be stopped while encouraging those to take action. Benson's project is still in the planning phase, but he hopes to make an impact in the community by influencing the public's decision-making on what to do with their single-use plastics, more specifically those who visit their local beaches. Sustainably Speaking: Reminders ahead of National Recycling Day "The main thing about my project is that I want to focus on plastics going into the lake and a lot of their impacts on wildlife," says Benson. "Unlike the oceans, the current takes the plastic into the middle of the ocean. We don't have that in Lake Michigan, it all goes to the shore and it ends up affecting a lot of local wildlife." The plan is to host an event at the Blue Paradox Exhibit in the Spring, where Benson will encourage museumgoers to sign up for a trash cleanup at a local beach sometime after the event.