We met with Ann Blake on February 15, 2023. Ann is a freelance consultant who has spent the last 30 years looking for solutions that will improve the world. Through our connections with the PPC, an organization we had already interviewed, we got in touch with her. She spoke about many of the projects she has worked on and seemed incredibly passionate about this subject. She genuinely wanted young people like us to be concerned about this issue, so she asked each of us why we were fighting for change in the plastic industry. We found Ann to be very motivating, and it was an honor to hear her opinions and see how interested she seemed in us. Overall, I thought the interview went well, and I learned what people can do when they have a strong motivation to succeed.

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On February 15, 2023, we traveled to 36th Street on the D train, and from there we walked to the SIMS Recycling Facility on the pier. Since we haven’t really gained much knowledge about the recycling process, we wanted to learn more about it. In Sunset Park, Brooklyn, the SIMS Recycling Center is a material recovery facility (also known as a “MRF,” meaning that they receive plastic and other recyclable materials and sort them out). When we were outside, we noticed some tiny plastic pieces being used as decorations outside the recycling facility, which we thought was an interesting addition.

We met Kara Napolitano, who served as our guide and appeared to be very knowledgeable about recycling. She was also a really pleasant person to talk to. Kara did a great job of explaining the various recyclable items as well as which bin they should go in. The blue bin is used for rigid plastic, cartons, metal, and glass. The metal can be anything that contains at least 50% metal, including appliances, though electronics cannot be recycled. You can only put glass bottles and jars in the blue bin because that is what is required to make more glass. Given that the cartons contain both paper and a thin layer of plastic, they should actually go in the blue bin rather than the green bin (paper). Following this, we were released into an interactive room designed for tours, with different activities to help us understand the process more. We learned how the recyclables were sorted, how much money each bunch of sorted recyclables would bring in, and what kinds of jobs can affect social change. After finishing that, we entered the recycling facility. It was enormous and had a musty, slightly sour cheese-like smell. As we walked further in, we could see the various ways they sorted the enormous pile of trash that they had already gathered. To sort the plastic as effectively as possible, they used a magnet, hand sorting, and a few other interesting techniques. We then thanked Kara and departed to return to school. It was very interesting because I don’t believe I’ll ever go to a recycling facility again in my life.

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On February 7, 2023, during lunch and recess, we arranged this meeting with Little Red’s science teachers, Antonia Rocchio and Sherezada Acosta, to discuss the problems with microplastics. Sherezada Acosta teaches the fifth and sixth grades, while Antonia Rocchio teaches the seventh and eighth grades in science. They were very knowledgeable about this subject, and they explained the various types of plastics made for various purposes.  I discovered something that I didn’t know before: using single-use water bottles repeatedly could result in plastics entering your body because they eventually degrade because they are so thin. On the other hand, approved reusable water bottles are made to be reused repeatedly and do not degrade. Knowing this is crucial because some people might reuse a single-use bottle in an effort to save the environment, but they are actually endangering their health.

They were very knowledgeable about this issue, and they explained about the different types of plastics made for different things. Something I learned, which I didn’t know before, is that with single-use water bottles, continuing to reuse them could lead to plastics entering your body since they break down eventually since they are so thin. Official reusable water bottles, on the other hand, are designed for multiple uses and do not break down. This is very important to know because some people might think of reusing a single-use bottle to help the environment, but instead they are damaging their bodies.

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My social justice organization joined a google meet with Erica Cirino, the Communications Manager of the Plastic Pollution Coalition, on January 20, 2023, at 12:15 p.m. She has spent the last ten years investigating the problem of microplastics, nanoplastics, and microfibers in our society as a science writer, author, and artist. In her most recent book, Thicker Than Water: The Quest for Solutions to the Plastic Crisis, she discusses the problems that plastic poses to various ecosystems, shares personal accounts from the communities that are most adversely affected by pollution worldwide, and outlines effective prevention measures to stop plastic from further harming the environment and its inhabitants.

Erica was a great person to interview, as she had lots of personal experience in the field and was very knowledgeable about our issue. She discussed how microplastics are present in all things, including our food and water, and how when we consume those things, the plastic enters our bodies. This issue has an impact on many marine creatures, including whales, fish, and sea turtles. Erica suggested a few ideas, such as avoiding plastic water bottles and once more purchasing clothing that isn’t made of plastic. Since we will be responsible for solving this issue in the future, she believes it is crucial for young people to be aware of it.

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