Consequences

Very few actions are neutral. Most actions create impact or change that has to be dealt with.

18 April 2018

I paired up with our fabulous humanities teacher to deliver a one-off activity day in celebration of Earth Day. We took our cue from this year's theme Ending Plastic Pollution to learn more about the consequences of having so much plastic available everywhere, from straws and cutlery to bottles and shopping bags. After sharing what we learned with the kids, we spent a few hours creating some visual poetry in the hopes of inspiring a change in our attitude and behavior about plastics.

Year 6 and 7 students learned about the environmental consequences of the proliferation of plastics as they worked to depict the globe covered in plastic. Using trays from the local markets as their substrate, they collaged blue and green pieces of plastic waste in the shapes of the world's oceans and landmasses, creating views of our planet that illustrate the global scale of plastic pollution.

Needless to say, it was uncomfortable learning the extent to which our landfills are overflowing with and oceans swimming in plastic. Leatherback turtles, which are critically endangered, often mistake plastic bags for jellyfish, their main source of food. Straws and six-pack rings injure and maim many marine animals and birds, and micro beads and micro plastics swishing about in the oceans release and absorb toxins, which move throughout the food chain, causing hormone disruption and cancers. This is a high price to pay for the convenience of plastic.

The solution? It's no easy feat, but a behavior change on an individual level and then on a global scale. Reducing the use of single-use plastics. Saying no to disposable straws and cutlery. Bringing our own shopping bags to the store. Carrying a reusable water bottle. Bringing our own cups, or insisting on a glass or ceramic mug. Packing lunches in reusable containers. Some of these things I already do, and some I forget. I was able to source so much plastic for this project by simply holding on to the plastics that might ordinarily be thrown away.

After an eventful and creative day (with a lot of hot glue– thermoplastic, sorry!), we will hopefully be more mindful of how we use plastics and make even small changes in our everyday lives to help reduce plastic pollution for ourselves and our environment.