Kids Exercise Democracy! 5th graders testify at City Hall on plastic litter and wastewater

Fifth graders from PS 15 in Red Hook, Brooklyn went to City Hall to testify on the urgency of NYC to improve the Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) system so we keep dangerous plastic street litter from entering our oceans.

These students have been learning how street litter becomes dangerous marine pollution. When it rains as little as 1/10 of an inch per hour, the city's sewer system's capacity gets overwhelmed, then the street litter that gets into the sewer pipes goes directly out to our waterways.

"In just one street litter survey in only ONE BLOCK in our neighborhood, we found 233 pieces of litter that will never biodegrade."

“We performed plays to teach our neighbors and gave away reusable bags that we made from t-shirts.”

“We made charts and graphs from our litter data to ask the Department of Sanitation for recycling bins on the street.”

The students suggest that the city make the spaces between bars on storm drains smaller in order to catch more litter.

"And why not paint a message right on the drain (catch basin) or the curb? We would love to have permission to make storm drain art in our neighborhood in Red Hook!

Why can’t we?

Cities all over the US have done this."

"We also know that good data drives policy.

We hope that our numbers and our experience teaches you what it taught us: that we need to do something about the Combined Sewer Overflow now!"

“I hope DEP is listening,” said Council Member Richards.

Learn more about Cafeteria Culture's Plastic Free Waters curriculum at: http://www.cafeteriaculture.org/plastic-free-waters.html

Thank you to Patagonia, LUSH Handmade Cosmetics and Focus Camera for generously supporting this urgently needed environmental education in NYC public schools.

Thank you PS 15 Patrick F. Daly 5th grade students and teachers! Keep up the awesome civic action!