Page 10 The Earth Scientist

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

It’s

Elementary! Tish Manning

Refuse Plastic:

Save the Seas

Abstract

The coast of Maine provides our students with views of rocky beaches, sea birds and the 

beautiful ocean, but not many students get to see the fish, sea turtles and whales which live 

in the Gulf of Maine. Even fewer understand that their actions on land can have an impact 

on the animals in the Atlantic Ocean. BRRRR (Belfast Refuse Reduce Reuse Recycle) is a 

group of dedicated third, fourth and fifth graders who volunteer their time to reduce waste 

in the school to protect the ocean. With funding from the NOAA Planet Stewards Project, 

our group focused on reducing waste by raising awareness about, and access to, reusables 

in school and home lunches. Students gathered data about cafeteria waste, learned about 

the impacts of plastic on the ocean and experienced positive choices students can make to 

reduce waste. Finally, they educated their school community and held a Zero Waste Lunch 

Campaign. Refuse Plastic- Save the Seas was designed to encourage a love of the ocean and 

an understanding of how simple choices can help our ocean friends. We can all be ocean 

heroes!

Introduction

A healthy ocean is important to the tourism and fishing industries and the enjoyment of all 

Mainers. On my daily walks I see plastic of all types on the roads, along sidewalks, even on our 

school grounds and our city park. Much of this waste ends up in the ocean, where it degrades into 

smaller and smaller particles, posing a threat to all marine wildlife (Le Guern, 2019). The garbage 

that makes it to the Belfast City, Maine, transfer station is sent to an incinerator. When plastic is 

incinerated it releases CO2 (Center for International Environmental Law [CIEL], 2019), contributing to climate change and ocean acidification. Incineration also creates a toxic ash, which must 

be landfilled (Connett, 2013). Clearly, our students could make a big impact on the health of our 

community and the ocean by using less plastic. Learning to use less plastic is a valuable habit which 

can be practiced over a lifetime and is an action even young children can take. Research shows that 

environmental education boosts academic skills, knowledge gains, community engagement and 
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© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XXXVII, Issue 1

leadership. Furthermore, environmental education increases environmentally-friendly behavior in 

students (Ardoin, 2018). Educating a small group of students about environmental issues had a big 

outcome for our entire school.

The Process

BRRRR students meet weekly during lunch to learn about the issue of waste and how to help the 

ocean. Our school projects for this year included encouraging students to reduce cafeteria waste 

by bringing zero waste lunches to school and hosting an ocean celebration for the entire school to 

promote stewardship.

After learning about the effects of plastic on the ocean and ways to reduce waste, BRRRR students 

set out to raise awareness and educate their peers about how to tackle this problem. Students 

collected, measured and recorded the cafeteria lunch waste. Students used the data as a baseline 

and analyzed the data after each zero-waste lunch (ZWL). With the help of NOAA Planet Stewards 

funding, stainless steel water bottles were purchased for K-1 students to ensure our youngest 

students could choose reusable bottles. BRRRR students made videos, posters, announcements and 

presentations to the entire school to promote ZWLs. Student volunteers helped to coordinate the 

ZWLs and actively took part in the cafeteria. Although this project was done at the elementary level, 

it could be adapted for any grade.

Desired Outcome(s)/Specific Effects of Project

n	 Created a Sustainability Committee involving a variety of staff and faculty.

n	 Reduced the cafeteria use of plastic dressing cups and lids by 100%.

n	 Switched from single-serve one-use breakfast cereals to bulk cereals served in reusable 

bowls.

n	 Raised awareness about problems of plastic through posters and announcements.

n	 Measured trash from one lunch to get baseline data. Had 5 Zero Waste Lunch days to 

try for no waste.

n	 Instituted school-wide marker recycling program.

n	 Created a website about our campaign to reduce single-use plastic in our school.

n	 Held World Oceans Day Celebration.

Learn-Create-Educate-Make a Difference

The model developed for the BRRRR group uses lunchtimes to provide a time for interested 

students to meet. Most of the teaching was done in a very short time, but true student understanding comes from discussions and from working on their projects with feedback from teachers 

and peers.

Learn

In order to understand the issue, students explored the effects of plastic pollution, lunch waste and 

each of the four Rs, with an emphasis on refusing single-use items, as it is the action most beneficial 

to the environment. Plastic pollution resources for every grade are readily available online. The 

sources used for this project were the Washed Ashore Integrated Arts Curriculum (NOAA, 2017) 

and the Marine Debris Monitoring Toolkit for Educators (NOAA, 2017). Students learned the 

harmful impacts of marine debris, and the benefits to ocean life if we reduce the debris. 
Page 12 The Earth Scientist

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Create – Educate

The next step is to connect the issue to the 

students. Students looked at their own 

school and noticed factors contributing to 

the use of plastic. Students were encouraged to design their own response to these 

local factors.

Students also watched inspiring videos. 

They saw other young people making a 

difference for the ocean or people taking 

a creative approach to raising awareness 

about plastic pollution. These videos 

motivated the students to get involved 

and to think creatively about the problem.

Students work on projects during recess 

or club time, at home or during our few weekend work sessions. Student work is reviewed to 

include 3 components: 1) a statement of the issue; 2) information, examples or effects of the 

issue; 3) an action which kids can take. BRRRR students work to communicate positive and 

empowering messages of change, connecting science and data with local action.

Make a Difference – Zero Waste Lunch Project

Presenting to the entire school, BRRRR students explained what Zero Waste Lunches 

were and why they mattered. Fourth grade teacher, Dana Bierwas, created flyers to 

explain the project to families, the purpose of the water bottles and how to pack a ZWL. 

BRRRR student videos and messages were shared with the school via emails to teachers, 

and announcements on the school Facebook page before each ZWL. Bierwas created a 

BRRRR website which all families could access to learn about the group’s mission and 

campaigns. A local news station featured the campaign on the evening news.

Gathering Data – Determining Next Steps

Partnering with Malia Demers, our Food Corps service representative, we planned and 

coordinated our data collection process. To establish a baseline, Demers worked with all third 

graders to collect waste from one lunch day in the cafeteria. After sorting the waste into categories, 

each type of waste was then measured and recorded. BRRRR students analyzed the results, and 

focused on two waste streams to target: trash and food waste.

After learning about the effects of plastic and food waste, and gathering data about the waste generated at our own lunch, students were ready to lead the way. They created a variety of educational 

materials including:

l	 posters showing what kids can do to help the ocean

l	 jingles to encourage reusables

l	 videos demonstrating why and how to pack a ZWL

l	 why to skip using straws

l	 the meaning of the 4 Rs

l	 negative effects of food waste on the climate

Figure 1. Ms. Demers checks in with

student helpers.

Photo Credit: Tish Manning

Figure 2. Third grader separating food from trash at the 

baseline waste audit

Photo Credit: Tish Manning

Figure 3. Students were excited 

to use reusable napkins

Photo Credit: Tish Manning 
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© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XXXVII, Issue 1

Cafeteria Set Up

A cloth napkin drive in the community secured a cloth napkin 

for each student and most were handmade. On ZWL days 

all students were given a cloth napkin. Bins of clean napkins 

replaced the paper napkin dispenser. Students separated waste 

into the following categories: 1.) dirty napkins, 2.) liquid milk, 

3.) milk cartons, 4.) food waste, 5.) paper products, 6.) recyclables, 7.) recyclable plastic, 8.) nonrecyclable drink containers, 

9.) waste. Two 4th grade boys were taught how to wash, dry, and 

then fold the napkins for the next lunch. Students assisted with 

waste separation, and measured and recorded it after each lunch. 

Many students outside of BRRRR were eager to participate in 

the data collection and to volunteer to assist with ZWLs.

Results

After each ZWL, students studied the results, and brainstormed ways to improve the outcome for 

the next one. Early on, single-use plastic drink containers became a target for waste reduction. 

One strategy the students came up with was to count and publish the exact number of juice boxes 

after each lunch to bring the number down. Another was to create a giant bar graph composed of 

the actual containers collected. We did not meet our goal for containers, but we did see that when 

we had ZWLs for 2 days in a row, the older students remembered to bring their reusable bottles 

to lunch. This indicates that regular reinforcement is necessary to establish the habit of waste 

reduction behaviors. The students speculated that it might be harder for K-3 students to pack their 

own lunches.

Another waste reduction target was to reduce trash from school lunches by 50%. By recycling the 

paper waste we reduced the amount of trash by at least 90%. It was a clear illustration of the power 

of recycling to reduce waste.

Additionally, single-serve breakfast cereals were eliminated and replaced with bulk cereal served in 

reusable bowls, and the cafeteria use of plastic condiment cups was reduced 100%, by simply placing 

any desired condiments directly on student lunches. These changes affect all 

lunches and breakfasts, and are a huge benefit to our environment.

There are two relevant Next Generation Science Standards performance expectations (NGSS, 2013) for this project. 

5-ESS3-1. Obtain and combine information about ways individual 

communities use science ideas to protect the Earth’s resources 

and environment. 

4-ESS3-1. Obtain and combine information to describe that energy and 

fuels are derived from natural resources and their uses affect the 

environment.

Students were able to investigate solutions to a problem caused by human activities 

that have had major effects on the ocean. They learned that individuals and communities can do things to help protect Earth’s resources and environments. Students 

also learned about energy and fossil fuel resources and how their use affects the environment in many ways. This project allowed students to investigate ways to reduce 

the waste coming from the school and to see positive behavior change. 

Table 1. CASS Zero Waste Lunch Data

Total Waste For Each Category

Date

Compost 

(lbs)

Trash 

(lbs)

Milk Cartons 

Recycled 

(lbs)

Juice 

Pouches

(count)

1/3/19 10.38 10.26 N/A N

1/31/19 21.36 11.46 N/A N

2/28/19 27.72 9.96 N/A

4/30/19 25 14 N/A 11

6/4/19 24 1.24 6.2

6/5/19 23.32.78 6.8

Figure 4. After pausing to 

consider how our waste causes 

problems for animals in the 

ocean, students and staff pass 

through garlands of waste, then 

enter a hallway lined with trash 

dumped on school property, 

eventually finding the “clean” 

ocean with art, information and 

activities

Photo Credit: Malia Demers
Page 14 The Earth Scientist

© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Celebrate

BRRRR students helped plan and run 

our World Oceans Day celebration. 

Packaging and container waste from 

our school population was carefully 

collected and cleaned and then strung 

to create garlands hanging across the 

entryway into the “ocean” hallway. 

Trash cleaned up off the school 

grounds, including bottles, an old 

hose and a broken shovel, was strewn 

around the hallway entrance. Students 

wrote a script to introduce each class 

into the hallway showing the impacts 

of marine debris on the ocean, and 

asking them to imagine how it feels to have to live in marine debris. After passing 

through the “dirty ocean” classes emerged into a clean ocean, decked with oceanthemed artwork and lights, where they could touch and taste seaweed, learn about ways 

to help the ocean and finally, make a pledge to help it. At the World Oceans Day event 

many students waited in line to be able to make an ocean pledge, and first and second 

graders began asking if they could join BRRRR.

Go Team!

A big part of the success of the project was building a team of stakeholders. A 

Sustainability Committee, including the principal, was created and met regularly. 

Kitchen and custodial staff support were critical, and their input influenced all decisions. Our art teacher guided all students to create meaningful ocean-themed artwork, 

and our school librarians curated ocean books and transformed the library for our 

Oceans Day. Community and parent volunteers mentored students to create artwork 

from discarded cardboard to decorate the halls.

Conclusion

This project was unique in that these young students volunteered their time to learn 

and make a difference in their community. The students raised awareness about plastic 

pollution and zero waste lunches, and became advocates for change. The following year 

Zero Waste Lunches continued weekly until the pandemic. Students learned they can 

create an ocean of change.

Supporting Documents

Student Project Suggestions and Guidelines https://docs.google.com/

document/d/1BeVCu7snoGElqytIeKU3hH0vju-qFNAYuCBWU8_kIuc/edit?usp=sharing

Plastic Waste Survey and Follow-Up https://docs.google.com/

document/d/1106V3scXX672ECIk0Zz02WuHtq6fv_Hrni0G-Xr_PJE/edit?usp=sharing

Figure 5. Students used visuals to raise 

awareness about our lunch waste

Photo Credit: Tish Manning

Figure 6. The entire school collected used 

markers for recycling – diverting 82 pounds of 

plastic from the incinerator

Photo Credit: Tish Manning

Figure 7. Fifth graders handing out Maine seaweed 

samples to celebrate the ocean

Photo Credit: Tish Manning
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© 2021 National Earth Science Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved.

Volume XXXVII, Issue 1

References

Nicole M. Ardoin, Alison W. Bowers, Noelle Wyman Roth & Nicole Hothuis (2018). Environmental 

education and K-12 student outcomes: A review and analysis of research, The Journal of Environmental 

Education, 49:1, 1-17, DOI: 10.1080/00958964.2017.1366155

Also see https://naaee.org/eepro/research/eeworks/student-outcomes

CIEL (2019). Executive Summary Plastic and Climate. Center for International Environmental Law. Retrieved 

February 14, 2021, from https://www.ciel.org/plasticandclimate/

Connett, P. (2013). The Zero Waste Solution. Green Press Initiative. (pp. 67-72).

Le Guern, C. (2019). When the Mermaids Cry: The Great Plastic Tide. Coastal Care. Retrieved February 14, 2021, 

from https://plastic-pollution.org/

NGSS Lead States. (2013). Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By States. Washington, DC: The National 

Academies Press. http://www.nextgenscience.org/

NOAA. (2017). Marine Debris Monitoring Toolkit for Educators. NOAA Marine Debris Program. Retrieved 

February 13, 2021, from https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/publications-files/

MarineDebrisMonitoringToolkitForEducators.pdf

NOAA. (2017). Washed Ashore Integrated Arts Curriculum. NOAA Marine Debris Program. https://marinedebris.

noaa.gov/curricula/washed-ashore-integrated-arts-marine-debris-curriculum.

About the Author

Tish Manning has been teaching for 25 years at the elementary and middle school level. She has taught in

Puerto Rico and Hawaii, but has spent most of her teaching years in Maine. She led a group of middle and

high school students, parents and teachers to the Amazon rainforest to study rainforest ecology in the late 

1990’s. She has dedicated the last 5 years to helping students learn how to protect the ocean. Her wor

earned the New England Aquarium’s School Group award for Ocean Stewardship in 2019. She has received

two NOAA Planet Stewards Project awards. She can be reached at tgmanning31@gmail.c