Think Globally Act Locally | The Power Of R

Southgate Middle School has been a real focus for me this year. So far I have presented to over 10 different classes there on various topics and given multiple leadership workshops.  Southgate has been battling a tough mentality around the school that produces more than desirable amounts of litter in the schoolyard. Building a greater sense pride in ownership of the school is important to all of us. We don’t like spending our day surrounded in garbage. It was high time to get serious and rethink the solid waste that is literally making mountains around us at the school yard and in our community.

Good inroads are being made around the school and kids are feeling more empowered to engage the problem of litter head on, in and out of the school. When our consumption habits are compounded by irresponsible waste management, scary things happen around the world.  There is currently a giant island of plastic that is twice the size of Texas spinning around in the Pacific Ocean. This is affecting sea life and our life by getting into the food chain and poisoning the environment. The amount of garbage that makes its way to the ocean is staggering. Over 2 million water bottles are being consumed and tossed every 5 minutes in the United States, and over 4 million coffee cups are being thrown away each day in Canada. Although most of these items sadly end up in our landfills, a percentage of them also make their way to the ocean after being carried by rainwater. Even a small percentage is a huge amount when you’re dealing with numbers like that. That’s why litter is such concern. It’s time to fall in love with tap water and travel mugs permanently. The students at Southgate are now making the move to clean up “the swamp.” Go Gators Go!

“You totally had kid’s attention the entire time – and that says something for Middle School kids. Your knowledge and passion were passed along effectively. The kids really remembered what you said and took to heart your thoughts and ideas.”  - Marjorie George – Teacher

Litter is also a concern for Highland Secondary’s Eco-Team. Highland has been working hard to manage garbage awareness along Guthrie in Comox. Irresponsible customers and the introduction of new fast-food chains on Guthrie have amplified the amount of litter alongside of the road.  Plastic cups and plastic wrappers are making their way into the dairy farm field that spans the stretch between Anderton and Pritchard. It may not seem like a big deal at first glance, but it is… it’s a very big deal. Each year the farmer cuts his field for silage (a fermented grass that is used to feed cows) and sometimes plastic based litter hides in the grass when it’s cut. This plastic gets chopped up and eventually is eaten by dairy cows on the farm. Cows are a ruminant animal, which means that they have multiple stomachs. Any plastic in their food can actually kill them because it lodges between their stomachs and plugs their digestive system. Dairy cows, or any cow for that matter, can get sick and die because people are littering. It’s a major problem that can be easily solved with common sense and diligence. Hold your friends accountable the next time they litter anywhere. You are the solution that the world is waiting for.