The Thunder Bolt

The Zero Plastic Campaign is challenging the Concordia community to be more aware of the use of plastic. 

Started by Andy (G7) the student-led ASA, the Zero Plastic project is a club where we give everyone opportunities to discuss plastic problems and how we, as a whole, can overcome them. Andy elicited the help of Mrs. Garcia and a fellow classmate, Kay (G7) to build the focus as an ASA offering.

This club also gives students a chance to develop skills like leadership, communication, and critical thinking. 

The Bolt spoke with club members to learn how they’ve changed their own actions to reduce plastic waste:

Andy 
 

What has been the thing you enjoyed most about this project?
I started this club because I realized that plastic pollution is a huge problem, and although most of us already know that, we don't actually take action. Because of this, I want to make a difference in our community. Therefore, I started this club to educate people more about this issue, and what we can do to solve it.I really enjoy teaching the students about how detrimental plastic can be, and how we can tackle them as a community. I also enjoy trying to make each lesson both enjoyable and educational at the same time.

Has anything surprised you during your research or sharing each week?
I was really surprised when I started doing my 30-day zero plastic challenge. I used SO MANY plastic bags (95/week!) at the beginning, and I was really shocked. I started to realize the negative effects of plastic bags on the environment, and I wanted to make a change. In the end, however, I managed to reduce that number to only (35/week!)

How do you feel your personal behaviors and contributions will help Vietnam overcome the plastic waste problem?
Personally, I challenged myself to have a 30-day zero plastic challenge. It was difficult at the beginning, however as time went on, I became more and more aware of the problems of plastic bags. In addition, I also inspired my family to join that challenge with me. 

What advice would you give to other Concordia students about the use of plastics?
I think it is necessary for everyone to take this into consideration before using plastic bags. In addition, they can join my club to have a better understanding of plastic problems and how we can solve them as a whole. They can spread the word by being the role model in the family so that they create a bigger community that truly cares about the environment. 

Khoi 

What has been the thing you enjoyed most about this project?
I enjoyed learning about plastic in general in this class. In this ASA students understand both the positive and negative effects of plastic, so they can shape their own perspectives on their applications of plastic. This class does not solely promulgate the deleterious effects of plastic but presents students with a comprehensive view on this broad topic. 

Another thing that I enjoyed about this ASA is that the teacher and student leader integrate fun activities, such as breakout boxes and dad jokes, to make the lesson more interesting. If they merely teach us about plastic without incorporating these amusing activities into their plan, the lesson may seem tedious.

Has anything surprised you during your research or sharing each week?
I am shocked by the number of plastic that enters the ocean each day, which is approximately 8 million. I find this surprising because I have never predicted the amount to be this much.
 
How do you feel your personal behaviors and contributions will help Vietnam overcome the plastic waste problem?
After learning about plastic and how to be an ideal plastic ambassador, I have endeavored to reduce my use of plastic. For instance, I utilize canvas bags instead of plastic bags, and I learn to reduce, reuse, and recycle. This behavior might not change the overall profile of plastic usage in Vietnam too much, but still, if everyone learns to do the same thing, we will make a difference.
 
What advice would you give to other Concordia students about the use of plastics?
I hope they could lessen their use of plastic. Plastic is something that we use every day, and we almost never realize we use it, and how it impacts our surroundings. There are many other environmentally-healthy replacements for plastic bags, such as paper bags, canvas bags, jute bags, and cotton bags. 

Kay 

What has been the thing you enjoyed most about this project?
What I like about this club is how I am able to use my voice to raise awareness about plastic pollution and the negative impact it leaves on our planet. Being able to teach, but learning while teaching has taught me a lot of lessons and I had a lot of fun with everyone in our club. 

Has anything surprised you during your research or sharing each week?
Something that surprised me the most was the number of marine animals that are harmed because of plastic. The huge numbers of marine animals harmed were extremely large and it was honestly a shock to me. 

How do you feel your personal behaviors and contributions will help Vietnam overcome the plastic waste problem?
I think that as long as there are people who are aware of the plastic waste on our planet and Vietnam, we will all make a difference - even if it is just a few people. 

What advice would you give to other Concordia students about the use of plastics?
A message I want to say to Concordia Students is that although everyone is not perfect and not all of us can avoid plastic, be mindful and aware of the amount of waste you create, and make a difference even if it is small.” 

Vivian 
 

What has been the thing you enjoyed most about this project?
The most enjoyable activity in the class was definitely the cartoon contest. Our members have to choose either drawing a cartoon or writing a story about the journey of a plastic bag. I decided to make a short cartoon, and as a result, I won Joma under 100k. However, the prize wasn't the only one I got from the challenge. While I was composing the story and starting drawing, I once realized how much it would affect our nature and also our daily lives. Plastics that we had just thrown away must come back to us. At that moment, I could reflect on my actions with plastics, and I've made a firm resolution to use plastic in my daily life. 

Has anything surprised you during your research or sharing each week?
I was so surprised by the organizations and individuals that are caring a lot to stop the overuse of plastic, and also by their works. Surprisingly, there are tons of actions that we can take for our nature, such as using tumblers and eco bags, and those really impressed me. 

How do you feel your personal behaviors and contributions will help Vietnam overcome the plastic waste problem?
I've been in Vietnam for only half a year, but I could easily find out that pollution here is a common thing, but actually we should take quick actions. First, it is important for people to be aware of the seriousness of plastic overuse in Vietnam. Then, we should put into action, in terms of eco-friendly. As an example, I personally think that plastic bags are overused the most in this country. Thus, we, as customers, should bring eco bags instead of offering plastic bags every time they buy something at stores. 

What advice would you give to other Concordia students about the use of plastics?
As one of the Concordians, and one of the global citizens, we should be aware of the seriousness of the plastic waste issue in Vietnam. Always be the one who's taking the first wise action. Don't hesitate to lead people to a better nature, and better life.

Duy 

What has been the thing you enjoyed most about this project?
I enjoyed the activities we do in the ASA lessons. They are really engaging and keeps us paying attention to learn more about plastics.

Has anything surprised you during your research or sharing each week?
The amount of plastics humans use and the amount that harms the environment boggles my mind and the numbers show how harmful plastics are.

How do you feel your personal behaviors and contributions will help Vietnam overcome the plastic waste problem?
If we have many campaigns, the plan might spread like fire and will make Vietnam use less plastic.

What advice would you give to other Concordia students about the use of plastics?
I would advise students to start campaigning to spread the news about plastic to those who do not know.