WICKEDLOCAL.com – If it’s not asking too much, Girl Scouts in Troop 69156 would like restaurants and food establishments to “Always Ask” before including plastic cutlery and straws with takeout orders.
Three Junior Scouts met Tuesday with staff of the Plymouth Area Chamber of Commerce to outline their plan to get the local food industry more aware of plastic waste and how to prevent pollution by only giving customers what they need.
“We got the idea when we were talking about how we could help the environment,” said Ruby Miot, one of the Scouts. “We think there is too much plastic pollution. We have big piles of plasticware at our home. I remembered how the 110 Grill always asks if you need it. We thought this would be a good way to reduce using plastic.”
Ruby, along with Callie Golden and Addy Montgomery, made a presentation to the Chamber about how much plastic is produced each year. Some 40 billion plastic utensils are manufactured annually – most of which is unrecyclable.
“It’s a waste of plastic,” Callie told the Chamber. “Families already have silverware at home.”
“Eight million metric tons of plastic goes into the ocean every year,” Addie added.
The 10- and 11-year-old Junior Girl Scouts developed the “Always Ask” idea for their Get Moving Journey, a badge activity that gets members to “Energize, Investigate and Innovate” energy programs in their communities.
“‘Always Ask’ is about reduce, reuse and recycle,” said Troop 69156 Leader Kim Miot, Ruby’s mom. “It focuses on getting restaurants to have their takeout staff always ask if people want plastic cutlery and straws instead of just automatically putting it in the bag.”
Amy Naples, executive director of the Plymouth Area Chamber of Commerce, was impressed by the Scouts’ presentation and plans to recommend “Always Ask” to restaurant members. She intends to send email messages outlining the concept and promote it on social media, and plans to include the “Always Ask” logo the Scouts made in the next edition of the Chamber’s Dining Guide.
“I think a lot of members will be interested in this idea,” she said. “The key point is saving money. That’s a great angle.”
The Chamber will work with Troop 69156 to firm up plans and send information to restaurants after the first of the year. The three Scouts will be invited back to the Chamber office to help make phone calls to members and personally tell them about “Always Ask.”
“I think this is a great way to help the planet and help restaurants,” Naples said. “These Girl Scouts came up with a great idea.”
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