Maya Ellison
A group of young environmental activists known as Plastic Free MV is looking to inspire the next generation to take action against pollution, waste, and climate change. The group, which was formed by fifth graders from the West Tisbury School, aims to ban the sale of single-use plastic water and soda bottles in all six towns on Martha's Vineyard. In 2019, the group successfully passed a bylaw in Chilmark, banning the sale of these bottles, and they have since received a youth stewardship award for their efforts. The group has also advocated for the use of electric cars and ferries to lower gas emissions on the island.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Group | Plastic Free MV |
| Members | Young environmental activists, including fifth and sixth-grade students |
| Goal | Ban the sale of single-use plastic water and soda bottles 34 ounces and under in all six towns on Martha's Vineyard |
| Achievements | Passed a bylaw in West Tisbury and Chilmark; received the CARE Youth Stewardship Award; convinced stores to stop offering plastic straws through the Straw Free MV campaign |
| Methods | Presented at town meetings, prepared with facts and remarks, garnered media attention, wrote letters, sent postcards, and put up signs |
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What You'll Learn
- Plastic Free MV's goal was to ban the sale of single-use plastic bottles in all six towns
- The group was formed by fifth graders from West Tisbury School
- They received the CARE Youth Stewardship Award for their work
- They also started the Straw Free MV campaign to ban plastic straws
- The group convinced many stores to stop offering plastic straws
Plastic Free MV's goal was to ban the sale of single-use plastic bottles in all six towns
Plastic Free MV is a group of young environmental activists from Martha's Vineyard, comprising fifth and sixth-grade students from West Tisbury School. Their goal is to ban the sale of single-use plastic water and soda bottles of 34 ounces and under in all six towns on the island.
The group was formed by students who learned about environmental activism and pollution in their classes. They were inspired to take action against pollution, waste, and climate change, and to inspire the next generation to do the same. Led by teacher Annemarie Ralph, the group first convinced many Island stores to stop offering plastic straws with their Straw Free MV campaign. However, they wanted to make a bigger impact, and so they set their sights on a bylaw that would ban the sale of single-use plastic bottles.
The students presented their bylaw at the West Tisbury and Chilmark annual town meetings, and it passed with unanimous support, followed by cheering and applause. With the bylaw also passed in Aquinnah, the group had successfully implemented their goal across all up-Island towns. The students' efforts were recognised with the CARE Youth Stewardship Award, presented by Creating a Responsible Environment (CARE) for the Cape and Islands.
The success of Plastic Free MV demonstrates that anyone can make a difference, no matter how small. Their work has inspired other communities to follow suit, with Tod Hardin of Plastic Oceans International calling the bylaw "an example of a long-term solution". The group continues to advocate for waste reduction on the Vineyard, with plans to bring articles before voters in Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, and Tisbury.
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The group was formed by fifth graders from West Tisbury School
Plastic Free MV is a group of young environmental activists who are aiming to inspire the next generation to take action against pollution, waste, and climate change. The group was formed by fifth graders from West Tisbury School, who learned about environmental activism and pollution in their classes. Led by teacher Annemarie Ralph, the group initially convinced many Island stores to stop offering plastic straws with their Straw Free MV campaign. However, they wanted to make a bigger impact.
The group's goal is to ban the sale of single-use plastic water and soda bottles of 34 ounces and under in all six towns on Martha's Vineyard. This goal was achieved through a bylaw that was passed at the West Tisbury and Chilmark annual town meetings. The bylaw was proposed by the students, who had been working hard all year to develop it. The students presented their bylaw to the public and received media attention for their efforts, including an article by the Boston Globe.
The students' work has been well-received, with community members expressing their support and commending the students for their informative presentations. The group has also gained the attention of businesses, with some expressing interest in funding the installation of water refill stations to reduce the use of plastic bottles. The students' efforts have inspired others to change their perspective on plastic and take action to reduce their plastic waste.
One of the group members, fifth grader Tasman Strom, shared his experience presenting at the West Tisbury town meeting, describing it as both nerve-wracking and exciting. He highlighted the fun and exciting aspect of putting the bylaw through and making a positive change. With the success of the first town meeting, the group moved on to present at the Chilmark town meeting, receiving a standing ovation from the voters and cheering upon passing the bylaw.
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They received the CARE Youth Stewardship Award for their work
Plastic Free Martha's Vineyard, a group of young environmental activists, received the CARE Youth Stewardship Award for their work in advocating for a ban on single-use plastic water and soda bottles in Chilmark, Aquinnah, and West Tisbury. The group, made up of fifth and sixth-grade students, was formed by students from the West Tisbury School, who were inspired by their classes on environmental activism and pollution. Led by teacher Annemarie Ralph, the group worked tirelessly to refine their bylaw and gain support for their initiative.
The award, presented by Creating a Responsible Environment (CARE) for the Cape and Islands, recognized the group's outstanding commitment to caring for their community and their efforts to change the way the Island addresses plastic waste. The students' work stood out among many other group and individual initiatives, and they were commended for adopting day-to-day practices that aligned with CARE’s mission to preserve and protect the natural environment and cultural treasures of the Cape and Islands.
The Plastic Free MV group's goal was to ban the sale of single-use plastic bottles 34 ounces and under in all six towns on the Island. They presented their bylaw at town meetings, receiving support and cheering from voters. The bylaw was passed unanimously in West Tisbury, followed by Chilmark, and then Aquinnah, the final up-Island town, making it a huge success for the young activists.
The work of Plastic Free MV has inspired the next generation to take action against pollution, waste, and climate change. Their efforts have also brought media attention, from local to national platforms, including an article by the Boston Globe. The group's success demonstrates that anyone can make a difference, no matter how small, and their dedication to their community and the environment is an inspiration to us all.
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They also started the Straw Free MV campaign to ban plastic straws
The Straw Free MV campaign was started by a group of young environmental activists known as Plastic Free MV. The group was formed by students from the West Tisbury School, who were inspired by their classes on environmental activism and pollution. Led by teacher Annemarie Ralph, they convinced many Island stores to stop offering plastic straws.
The students wanted to make an even bigger impact, so they set their sights on banning the sale of single-use plastic water and soda bottles 34 ounces and under in all six towns on Martha's Vineyard. They presented their bylaw at the West Tisbury town meeting, which passed unanimously, followed by cheering and applause from the attendees.
With the success of the first town meeting, the students continued their campaign, and on April 22, 2019, their bylaw was passed in Chilmark, with voters standing and cheering in support. By May 14, 2019, the final up-Island town, Aquinnah, had passed the PFMV bottle bylaw, achieving their goal of banning single-use plastic bottles across all six towns.
The Plastic Free MV campaign has inspired communities beyond Martha's Vineyard to find solutions to sustainability problems. The success of these young activists shows that anyone can make a difference, no matter how small.
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The group convinced many stores to stop offering plastic straws
Plastic Free MV is a group of young environmental activists from Martha's Vineyard, who are campaigning to ban the sale of single-use plastic water and soda bottles. The group was formed by students from West Tisbury School, who were inspired by their classes on environmental activism and pollution. Led by teacher Annemarie Ralph, the group has successfully convinced many stores to stop offering plastic straws with their Straw Free MV campaign.
The students' efforts have not stopped there, however. They have also been working to ban other forms of waste on the Vineyard, including a bylaw to ban plastic bottles, which was passed in West Tisbury and Chilmark in April 2019. The bylaw was the first of its kind in North America and was followed by the room full of voters standing and cheering. The group's success in Chilmark left them with only Aquinnah left to convince before the article was passed in all up-Island towns.
The young activists have received media attention for their work, from local to national coverage, including an article by the Boston Globe. They were also awarded the CARE Youth Stewardship Award for their efforts in reducing single-use plastics on the Island.
The group's success in convincing stores to stop offering plastic straws and their work in passing the bylaw in West Tisbury and Chilmark is a testament to their dedication and the impact that young people can have in their communities. Plastic Free MV continues to inspire the next generation to take action against pollution, waste, and climate change.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Chilmark passed the Plastic Free MV bylaw at their town meeting on April 22, 2019.
Plastic Free MV is a group of young environmental activists aiming to ban the sale of single-use plastic water and soda bottles 34 ounces and under in all six towns on Martha's Vineyard.
Plastic Free MV was started by a group of fifth and sixth-grade students at the West Tisbury School, led by teacher Annemarie Ralph. The group initially convinced many Island stores to stop offering plastic straws with their Straw Free MV campaign.
Plastic Free MV received the annual youth stewardship award presented by Creating a Responsible Environment (CARE) for the Cape and Islands in recognition of their work in reducing single-use plastics on the Island.
In addition to Chilmark, the bylaw has been passed in West Tisbury, Aquinnah, Oak Bluffs, and Tisbury.
