Metro Roundup: Shades Cahaba students organize plastic straw ban

Students at Shades Cahaba Elementary School haven’t used plastic straws at lunchtime since January.

The plastic straw ban was organized by five fourth-grade students at the school after their teacher, Rebecca Smith, asked them to think about ways they could make a difference.

“At the beginning of each year, we talk about problems in the world,” she said. “We make a huge list of all the different problems. Then we narrow them down to things we think we might be able to make a difference on.”

Students Grayson Todd, Rylan Dana, Asher Davis, Yael Vera and Henry Hartsfield chose to do something at their school that would make a difference on the environment. They spoke with the lunchroom manager to get some ideas about what they could do.

At Shades Cahaba, lunchtime beverages include plastic milk jugs and water bottles. The five students realized that although students were using straws to drink these beverages, it wasn’t really necessary. They then began efforts to ban straws during lunchtime.

They wanted to involve the entire school in their decision though, Smith said. So the five students recorded a presentation aired on their school-wide television station and asked every class to vote. Smith said there were very few students who voted against the straw ban.

“When we tallied up the votes, they were thrilled,” Smith said. “Then they got to make the announcement over the loudspeaker, and there was lots of excitement there.”

All five students said they love animals. When they did their research for the project, they discovered that plastic straws can harm sea animals. This is what sparked their passion to do the project, they said.

“It’s Earth,” Grayson said. “We kind of need to not kill the animals. It won’t really be as much of an Earth if all the animals are killed, so we need to stop it before that happens.”

Asher said he felt terrible once he realized how many sea animals are harmed by straws. Grayson agreed.

“How would you feel if you died?” Grayson asked.

Even those who throw away their straws in the proper trash can could still be harming the sea animals, Grayson said.

“It only takes one gust of wind to go to the ocean,” she said. “And people usually drop them on the sidewalks or on the streets.”

Since implementing the ban at lunch, the five students said they have realized they don’t even need straws. Often, they would just grab them because they were there.

“When I was in kindergarten and first grade, I didn’t know about how plastic straws are killing the ocean,” Grayson said. “So I used to get a straw just to blow bubbles in my milk.”

Smith said before the project she noticed that some students would grab three or four straws and use them as toys.

The students have wrapped up their assignment, but the ban is still in effect. When asked how he felt at the end of the project, Henry said he felt relieved. All five students said it felt nice to make a difference.

The five students said they hope to continue making a difference in their community by asking restaurants not to put straws on their tables without asking customers if they need straws. They also asked their classmates to do the same when they go to restaurants.

Smith said she enjoyed watching her students become empowered.

“My goal is to be creating good, productive citizens when they grow up,” Smith said. “So empowering kids to make a change in the world is huge, whatever that may be. I love seeing that, and I love seeing the sense of achievement that comes along with it.”