I am a middle school student and am trying to make a difference at my school. For lunch every day, we eat off Styrofoam plates, which contribute to carbon emissions, pollution, and ocean acidification. We hear so much about climate change in the media, and we talk about how bad it is, and somehow still, small things like this slip by.

Styrofoam containers - like plates, which our school uses - contain notable amounts of polystyrene, a chemical that contributes GREATLY to climate change. It doesn't biodegrade, leaving it in landfills or oceans, contaminating our seas, and poisoning marine life. As if that wasn't bad enough, hydrofluorocarbons are consistently used in Styrofoam manufacture. Hydrofluorocarbons are greenhouse gasses, and destroy the ozone layer, causing climate change. Polystyrene, which is found in Styrofoam, has been linked to several negative health conditions, cancer being only one thing on the list. By switching to paper, not only will that do our part in putting an end to climate change, but it will keep our Pre K - 12 students safe and healthy.

The idea is that if we stop using Styrofoam containers, we can instead use paper or cornstarch containers. Because of our school's strict COVID guidelines, it is unlikely that we will be able to use reusable ones, so paper and cornstarch containers are the next best option. It would be ignorant to not address that paper can be up to three times as expensive as Styrofoam, however, we can fundraise the money to get paper instead. I believe that in order to stop global warming, it starts in our community, with all of us doing our part to positively influence each other to stay green.