SATURDAY: Plastic Bag Art Expo by Greeley’s “Students and Teachers for Our Planet”
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
by Meaghan Townsend
Looking for a great way to have fun, support the environment and get involved in the New Castle community? Come to the Chappaqua Train Station on Saturday, May 31st from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for a morning of fun and eye-opening entertainment! For the first time, Horace Greeley’s environmental club S.T.O.P. (Students and Teachers for Our Planet) will not only be hosting an exciting new art expo demonstrating the negative impact of single-use bags, but also supporting the movement to transition to more environmentally-friendly reusable ones.
At the expo, you’ll have the opportunity to learn and see firsthand the drastic impact plastic and paper bags continue to have on Chappaqua in a unique, interactive way with activities for the whole family. For example, did you know that Chappaqua alone uses 10,080 plastic bags every day? That’s seven bags a minute! These bags pollute our ecosystems and waste valuable resources.
You might think that paper bags are a viable solution. But were you familiar with the fact that more than 60% of paper bags end up in landfills? Because most single-use paper bags are non-biodegradable they don’t decay for thousands of years, filling up our landfills just as much as plastic bags. And the small percentage of paper bags that are biodegradable release substantial amounts of methane gases during decomposition, which contributes to global warming. In addition, the extensive energy required to process the few paper bags that make it into the recycling bin makes the whole procedure overwhelmingly wasteful.
Clearly, the longer we continue to use single-use bags, the more they will accumulate – and the harder it will be to make the switch to reusable bags.
The good news is that reusable bags are a simple and efficient solution to this problem. Stores have the opportunity to make extra revenue by selling reusable bags to customers. Customers can also receive special discounts for using their own bags. Evidently, the switch to reusable bags is the logical next step for New Castle.
Come show your support at the art expo! Held at the same time and location as the thriving Chappaqua Farmers Market, this event is a convenient, delicious way to support local businesses as well as the environment. Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to contribute to our planet and community while sharing a fun day with your family. Let’s make New Castle a better place!
Meaghan Townsend, a freshman at HGHS, is a passionate member of S.T.O.P. and is committed to making her community and environment a better place. Her other pursuits include basketball, soccer, track, and writing.
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