Everyday, students in FBISD receive hundreds of lunches during lunchtime so they can get the fuel they need to learn. However, in the process of doing this, hundreds of plastic forks, spoons, straws, and hard plastic or styrofoam trays are gone to waste. Let's put this into perspective. There are four non-environmentally friendly items: a spoon, fork, straw, and tray. Assuming one school sells around 500 lunches per day, each school throws away around 2,000 plastic articles for lunch daily. Multiplying 2,000 articles by each of the 86 campuses in FBISD gives us 172,000 items daily. Further multiplying that by five days in a school week gives us 860,000 plastic or styrofoam items that get collected to get thrown into landfills to release an enormous amount of chemicals into the Earth, per week. About 31 million products that release an enormous amount of chemicals into Earth in one instructional school year, where over 7.5 million of those are trays. 

       When Styrofoam ends up in landfills, it could take years and years for it to start to breaking down. Even after it is broken down, they are still present in the form of tiny plastic particles. These particles are easily carried by wind and water through the environment, and can end up in food sources for animals and abet in the pollution of water. Some burn Styrofoam to fully get rid of it, but when it is burn, a harmful Styrene gas is released into the air, contributing to the devastating effects of climate change and global warming. Styrene is a chemical found in Styrofoam, and it can easily find its way into food and drinks. It has many adverse health effects, such as irritation in the eyes, skin, and respiratory tracts, along with causing certain types of cancer. It also has a variety of mental effects when exposed to high amounts, such as impaired learning, fatigue, concentration issues, and depression, to name a few. If FBISD continues to use Styrofoam trays, it can impact the wellbeing and education of students, making it crucial to stop the usage of such trays.

       To do our part in saving the Earth, we would like to start by implementing disposable biodegradable (and possibly reusable, once the pandemic has cleared up) lunch trays, one school at a time, in FBISD. Biodegradable trays are made leftover fibers from sugar cane, wheat straw, or other sustainable materials, and are fully compostable. Biodegradable trays emit significantly fewer chemicals in gasses when being produced, and do not hold the same hazardous health effects as the Styrofoam alternatives. They break down in around 3 months, and compost produced from it has a plethora of positive uses for our environment. Buying these trays are only a few cents more expensive per tray than its counterparts. For those who pay full price for school lunches, the cost of lunch may rise about 10 cents, however, free and reduced lunch prices will not be affected. If we take this step, we'll be one step closer to saving our Earth and making life a little greener. 

      We need your help to bring change in our district and impact the health of our lovely planet. As the 7th largest school district in Texas, what FBISD does makes a difference, and could influence other districts to take some of the same steps. It's going to be a long journey, but one that is worth waiting for. While we have spoken with the FBISD Child Nutrition Department, we need more support to take action. Your signature on this petition will open new pathways for the district, and will help us replace the harmful Styrofoam trays with greener, biodegradable ones. Your signature will protect the health and future of all students in FBISD. Every signature counts! Please spread the word by mouth or over social media to anyone you know that may support our cause. Thank you so much for your support! Let's step into a cleaner future together :)