Name: Julia Smith’s First Grade Class

Description:
Class of 21 first graders living in SF and one teacher. About 5 students each day eat a school lunch. We only collected the plastic that we were going to throw out at school.

Total items: 98

Total weight:

Items: Recyclable
3 lunchables (#7)
1 coffee cup lid (#6)
1 disposable coffee cup (compostable in SF)
2 yogurt containers (#5)
flavored water bottle (#1)
2 plastic boxes (#7)

Items: Nonrecyclable
chip bags
tape dispensers
glue stick
broken old playhouse clock
straws
sporks
food containers from school lunch
drink boxes
zip lock and other plastic bags
granola bar and other individually packed bags
seran wrap
edamame bag
plastic bags to hold school lunch napkin, spork and straw
old stamp pad

What items can I replace with plastic free or less plastic?
As a class we have decided to use white glue rather than glue sticks whenever possible.

Some children thought they would ask their parents if they could use reusable containers for their snacks rather than zip lock bags.

We decided as a class that on days that we don’t need a utensil/spork for the school lunch that the children would do without a straw and just get a small piece of paper towel instead of taking the whole prepackaged utensil set that contains 3 pieces of plastic when they only need a napkin.

What items would I be willing to give up if a plastic free alternative doesn’t exist?
I have decided that on the days I forget my coffee cup I will do without coffee. That ought to teach me pretty quickly to bring my mug!

What Items are essential and do not have a plastic alternative?
Tape, glue (at least we can refill the glue bottles), sporks and plastic wrapping for food (especially those who rely on school lunch)

What lifestyle change(s) might be necessary to reduce my plastic consumption?
I think as a class we will be able to be more mindful of natural resources and I am hoping that once I teach my class to only take a utensil pack when they need it that we will be able to take our findings to the student council. I am also planning on having the class write letter to the head of food services asking them to provide the utensils separately to conserve resources.

What one plastic item am I willing to give up or replace this week?
glue sticks (at least for a week) and much more limited use in the future.

Are there any other conclusions I can draw?
This was a very interesting process. I am sure we did not get every piece of plastic that was used in the class but it still was an eye opening experience for me and my students. I am really excited about the changes that we are going to make in our small way in room 107. The images of the Pacific Garbage patch were shocking to me and to my first graders. Hopefully it will get us all to be more thoughtful about our use of plastic and all natural resources. I have to say I was pretty happy to see the number of zero waste lunches that were coming to school. That was pretty refreshing! Now if we can just change the school lunch packaging and the food that comes in them!