The Problem
One of the most pressing environmental issues is plastic bag pollution. Worldwide, about 2 million plastic bags are used every minute. I decided to take steps to combat the lack of awareness. With this, I founded Be The Change Shreveport. This organization tries to raise awareness about plastic bag pollution in various ways. I have set up posters at environmental events and talked to the community about plastic bag pollution. I also partnered with a local grocery store (Sunshine Health Foods) where I pass out reusable bags for people to use. This attempts to address the root of the problem, since the most prominent form of plastic bag pollution stems from the bags used at grocery stores. I also talk to people about plastic bag pollution to raise community awareness. I also run an Instagram page where I not only post information and statistics about plastic bag pollution, but also challenge other people to cut plastic bags from their grocery store shopping. About 500 plastic bags have been saved because people opted for reusable bags instead. This number keeps growing, and I am hoping to grow this program to make plastic bag pollution acknowledged in my community.
Our Plan
Once I saw a need in my community, I founded Be The Change Shreveport. To do this, I first talked with my sponsor about how the program could be implemented to maximize impact. I first talked with the national board of Kroger and Brookshire’s in hopes that they would let me pass out the reusable bags at their stores. To no avail, I then emailed the owner of a local grocery story and partnered with them. Now, I pass out reusable bags at this grocery store every weekend with my poster board. I opened an Instagram page because I believed social media would be an adequate place to raise community awareness. I also go to environmental events in the community with my poster board and talk to people about plastic bag pollution and how the combat this issue. I recently received a grant from the Jane Goodall foundation called the Roots and Shoots grant and used this money to launch a statewide billboard campaign in the five biggest cities in Louisiana. To do this, I partnered with Lamar Advertising. The advertisement ran for two weeks in about twenty locations around the state. With this grant money, I also received several additional reusable bags. I plan to give these bags out to the environmental club at my school and talk to them about what they can do to help address plastic bag pollution
