Got schooled by a 5th grader at a beach cleanup

I was at a beach cleanup in Santa Cruz last Saturday and a kid looks at my reusable bag full of trash and says 'you know most of that plastic came from a single factory 200 miles away right?' I stood there holding a soggy soda bottle while he explained how ocean currents carry stuff from specific rivers down to us. Has anyone else had their whole climate routine questioned by someone half their age?

2 comments

2 Comments

jackson.jenny1mo ago

But shouldn't we be teaching kids to focus on their own actions instead of getting sidetracked by where the trash came from? Bringing up the source like that just gives people an excuse to do nothing because it feels too big to fix.

briancampbell1mo ago

I just read an article in The Atlantic about a beach cleanup in Oregon where volunteers tracked 60% of the trash back to just three companies. That changed my mind on this. @jackson.jenny, I think you make a fair point about not wanting kids to feel overwhelmed, but I believe knowing where the trash comes from actually helps people take smarter action. A kid who picks up a random soda can might feel like they’re helping, but a kid who learns that most of the litter on their street is from a specific fast food chain can write a letter or start a conversation with neighbors about it. That’s not an excuse to do nothing, it’s a way to make your efforts count for more. I’d rather teach kids to be effective than just busy.