At EarthDay.org, which bills itself as the global organizing hub of the “world’s largest environmental movement,” an announcement proclaims this year’s Earth Day theme, “Planet versus Plastics.” Organizers “demand” a 60% reduction in the production of plastics by 2040 and set a goal of “building a plastic-free future for generations to come.”
Earth Day was officially April 22, but local Earth Day events throughout April highlighted a diverse array of environmental issues. In addition to presenting alternatives to plastic products, local events featured electric car shows, recycling reminders, energy saving ideas, gardening tips, and the usual fun, food, and music of festivals.
However, one school in Ventura focused on a practical way to avoid litter and reduce single-use plastics. Students in Emily Noel’s and Flow Hansmeier’s fourth grade class at Ventura Charter School calculated the school’s lunches resulted in the discard of 4,320 plastic utensils per month and started a campaign to reduce the waste. They created a video (see hereunder) and coordinated other outreach, urging fellow students to bring their own reusable utensils. Parents and teachers joined the effort, buying metal utensils from thrift stores, providing those for students who did not bring their own, and washing the utensils after meals.
Perhaps many more students will be inspired by EcoHero shows sponsored by various public agencies for presentations at school assemblies. These 40-minute shows grab and hold the students’ attention by quickly earning respect from a critical mass of kids. Professional presenters impress the kids with call-and-response chants, clever and easy-to-repeat-and-perform songs, involvement of volunteers from the audience, and funky dance moves, all while clearly communicating important messages and providing easy-to-implement tips.
At ecoheroshow.com, schools in Ventura County’s unincorporated areas, outside cities, can book an EcoHero show about avoiding food waste free, sponsored by Ventura County Public Works. Schools countywide can arrange for a similarly impressive free show focusing on stormwater pollution prevention, sponsored by the Watersheds Coalition of Ventura County. Schools in Simi Valley can arrange for a great show focusing on bottles, cans, and avoiding litter of material such as plastics.
David Goldstein
David Goldstein, an Environmental Resource Analyst with the Ventura County Public Works Agency, may be reached at david.goldstein@ventura.org or (805) 658-4312
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