By Max B., Sadie M., Nate R. and Jake R.
Special to the Milford-Orange Times
Jennifer Bronson’s fourth grade class at Race Brook School in Orange convinced a local business owner to adopt measures that would benefit the environment. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Bronson.
Did you know that by 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish? In Mrs. Jennifer Bronson’s fourth grade class at Race Brook School, we have been learning about the dangers of plastic in the environment. In our research we learned about a turtle that was discovered with a straw stuck in its nose. The straw ended up in the ocean because they are so lightweight that they can blow away from landfills and often end up floating in water. That is just one example of the dangers of plastic. We also heard about some whales and birds that have been found dead with stomachs full of plastic.
Plastic acts like an impostor for food, and some animals accidentally eat it. Because they eat plastic, one quarter of all fish now contain plastic. Scary, isn’t it? We have to do something to prevent this from continuing.
There will be a new store opening soon in Orange called Small Town Nutrition. They will sell smoothies and teas. Some of the shake flavors include double chocolate, cheesecake, and cinnamon roll. Some of the tea flavors are sting ray, big beluga, and rainbow candy.
Sounds great, right? But one thing we noticed is that every time you order a shake or tea, it is served to you in a one-time-use plastic cup with a plastic lid and a plastic straw. All this plastic can be harmful to marine animals and birds.
We invited Marie Small, the owner of Small Town Nutrition, into our classroom to discuss this problem of plastics and discuss some of the solutions she’s created to make her business more eco-friendly. First, we discovered that she offers cardboard or paper straws as well as plastic.
Next, we think she should encourage her customers to buy the reusable plastic cups with her company logo on it. She sells them for $20. Each time they use this cup she rewards them by taking $1 off of their drink price. They could also bring in their own reusable cup and save 50 cents. We think this would save Mrs. Small money since she won’t have to buy as many one-time-use plastic cups, while also saving the environment.
We think this is a win-win solution for the business, customer and environment. We would like to thank Maria Small for coming to our classroom to hear our presentation. So remember when you visit Small Town Nutrition, bring your own reusable cups. The birds and fish will thank you.