Should Hoboken ban the plastic bag? Fourth graders at All Saints Episcopal Day School think so, after completing a yearlong research project and presenting their findings to the City Council last month.
The project is part of the fourth grade curriculum at the private elementary school in a class called Action Research in which students investigate a problem and then try to find ways to fix it.
This year the students decided to revisit two initiatives previously started by past fourth grade classes: banning the plastic bag, and introducing curbside composting.
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“I was walking in the park yesterday and looked up at this big tree and there was a plastic bag stuck in it.” –Sara
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“We wanted to try and present them again to the City Council because nothing happened yet,” said fourth grader Avery.
“We hope the City Council will see how polluted our city is with plastic bags,” said fourth grader Narina.
The reasons
According to the elementary school’s fourth graders, plastic bags are an eyesore, aren’t biodegradable, and are harmful to animals.
“I was walking in the park yesterday and looked up at this big tree and there was a plastic bag stuck in it,” said Sara. “Plastic bags are an eyesore. I saw it a few days ago and it just ruined it.”
The fourth graders also said there were several reasons the city should introduce free curbside composting.
According to their research, food and yard waste make up 25 to 50 percent of what people throw away. Adding compost to soil can help control soil erosion, provides soil with nutrients, and composting can save the city money. The students felt instead of paying for trucks to haul waste to landfills the city could create its own compost that could be sold or used.
The research
As part of the class, the fourth graders reviewed the previous class’s data, conducted person on the street interviews, surveyed local businesses, researched other cities who banned the plastic bag, visited the North Hudson Sewerage Authority and Earth Matters (a compost site) and interviewed Councilman Jim Doyle a member of the Hoboken green team and an environmental lawyer, and Council President Jen Giattino.
This year students interviewed 85 pedestrians in Hoboken and of the 85, 80 percent say they currently use plastic bags, 89 percent said they knew plastic bags were not good for the planet, and 90 percent said they think plastic bags should be banned in Hoboken.
Some 87 percent of those interviewed believed composting benefits the earth, 88 percent said they would compost if it was free, and 90 percent said they think Hoboken should offer public composting bins.
Of the 24 businesses surveyed, 80 percent stated they knew plastic bags were bad for the earth and 70 percent agreed that Hoboken should ban plastic bags; 92 percent said the city should offer composting, and 75 percent said they would compost if it was free.
According to their research, The Environmental Department of Health and Human Services already works with a private compost company. It costs the city $2.5 million each year to have garbage sent to a landfill in West Virginia and if everyone in Hoboken composted it could cost 75 percent less, or a $1.8 million reduction.
One fourth grader said that although she believes in banning the plastic bag she believed their research might have been skewed.
“I kind of feel we might have some inaccurate information,” said Sara. “I think some people may have just told us what they knew we wanted to hear but I still think it’s a good idea.”
Presentation time
“We practiced a lot on being quiet and good posture and pronouncing certain words,” said Lily on the class’s preparation before the council presentation last month.
“We practiced at home but it was nerve racking standing there,” said Avery. “People were in uncomfortable clothes, and there weren’t enough seats, but we went up there and presented our information really well.”
“We know people might be hesitant to change,” said Sara. “Don’t expect change in like five days after we give our report. They have to pass laws and give stores notice and time to adapt and figure out a better way.”
Recommendations
Many fourth graders recommend using reusable bags instead of plastic ones when grocery shopping, and composting by placing a bin with a lid somewhere in the kitchen.
“I told my parents not to use plastic bags but use reusable bags instead,” said Narina. “Sometimes we use plastic bags but we wash them out unless they get really dirty or if we forgot to bring our reusable bags to the grocery store. “
“Sometimes it’s hard though, because some families might have a dog and it’s hard to use paper when they go to the bathroom,” said Avery. “I think someone should invent a reusable bag for dogs.”
“In the middle of our action research project my family started composting,” said Lily, “some people might think it’s hard but it’s really easy to do. A lot of people say it smells, but the air smells fresh when it breaks down.”
According to their fourth grade teacher Colleen Nguyen, All Saints offers Friday free composting to residents in the area.
“A lot of people are just not educated about it or they are just in the habit of using plastic bags and throwing away food,” said Liam. “We helped plant the seeds so everyone is thinking about it.”
Marilyn Baer can be reached at marilynb@hudsonreporter.com.
