Connect With Youth
Connect With Schools, Colleges, Universities:
Environmental Action Clubs or Sustainability Studies Programs
Secure Permission
Step 1. To work in schools, you will need to get permission from the school's administration. You can also look for groups that have afterschool programs. Colleges and universities often have ustainability or environmental studies students who are interested in working on plastics reduction efforts.
In NH, Hanover High School students wrote a Climate Action Plan. Lebanon High School lists various plastic waste reduction option on their Students for Sustainability Action Menu.
If you know of students who have this type of experience, ask them to do a presentation to your group.
Ten Towns Toolkit Highlight
We have been working with students from the University of New Hampshire. Cassie Lefleur completed a project that demonstrates how reusables in schools make economic sense.
Kennedy McGrath (in photo) helps with the Plastics Working Groups's social media.
Brainstorm Engaging Educational Ideas
Step 2. Find ideas that will inspire youth to rethink plastics.
Introduce students, club members, & faculty advisor to Cafeteria Culture.
Watch the documentary Microplastic Madness and suggest hosting a screening at your school. The fee will be waived if you conduct a post screening survey and provide secure photos of the event. NOTE: Trailer is to the left.
Learn about environmental projects you can do in your own school community from students in New South Wales, Australia.
Narrow Down the Possibilities & Set Goals
Step 3. Goals are important! A long term one should come first (what you want to accomplish by the end of the year), and then short term objectives of how to get there.
Step 4. Consider data collection on plastic waste, eliminating plastic straws in your school, or starting a bee farm!
Promote the Effort & Get Started!
Step 5. Take a week to promote with fliers, announcements and through the teachers leading the club.
Step 6. Keep brainstorming activities to do like plastic free lunch day, cafeteria waste audit, recycling, composting, reducing single use plastic, environmental film screenings, guest speakers.
Step 7. Choose one project to start working on.
Step 8. Connect with other sustainability clubs in your area to increase impact.
Resources
Ten Towns • Ten Actions Leader Resource: Bonnie Christie, Kennedy McGrath