Cafeteria Culture (CafCu) students from PS 188 The Island School in Manhattan's Lower East Side were thrilled for the opportunity to testify at the NYC Council "Skip The Stuff" (Int 0559) hearing today! The 5th grade class won over the hearts of the City Council Members and advocates with their informed and inspirational testimony.
These 5th graders are studying plastic pollution as part of our school program at PS188M. They have been collecting local plastic data on the beach and in their school cafeteria; exchanging data and cultural practices with students in Okinawa, Japan to gain a global perspective of the plastic problem; interviewing school staff; and sharing ideas to reduce single-use plastic with NYC school food directors, who are listening!
These 5th graders are studying plastic pollution as part of our school program at PS188M. They have been collecting local plastic data on the beach and in their school cafeteria; exchanging data and cultural practices with students in Okinawa, Japan to gain a global perspective of the plastic problem; interviewing school staff; and sharing ideas to reduce single-use plastic with NYC school food directors, who are listening!
 |  Xavier’s testimony: Ok we need this bill passed because on average we are wasting too much plastic. We are killing the environment and our eco-system. The fish eat the plastic and then we eat the fish, then we have plastic in our body, making us sick. The plastic will also cause mass extinction. That’s my reason for everything that’s on the bill. |
CafCu Youth Advocates, Rebeca Sabnam and Megan Ortiz, joined the #SkipTheStuff Rally beforehand on the steps of City Hall! and testified in-person with powerful and poetic points! Rebeca, who was a student in our program in 5th grade and now a sophomore at columbia University, has previously testified at City Hall in support of equitable waste reduction legislation, including the styrofoam ban, fees for plastic bags, and universal composting, Megan's testimony, which was presented as spoken word, was an eloquent first-hand poetic account of the wasteful practices and cost of unnecessary (compostable) plastic utensil use in the food service business. (read Megan's testimony ->).
If passed, the "Skip The Stuff" Int 0559 will require restaurants, food delivery services,and online delivery platforms to provide single-use utensils, condiments, and napkins by customer request only. This bill is a money saver for restaurants & will reduce single-use plastic pollution that contaminates our air, water, soil and bodies.
Let's get the Skip The Stuff bill passed!
Rebeca Sabnam, Cafeteria Culture Youth Advocate and Columbia University sophomore, speaking at the Skip The Stuff rally with NYC Councilmembers Erik Bottcher and Marjorie Velázquez, co-sponsors of the bill, and advocates from NRDC, Surfrider, Manhattan Solid Waste Advisory Board, ReusableNYC coalition, businesses, and others (NY City Hall, Dec. 12, 2022; photo CafeteriaCulture.org
 Skip The Stuff poster with illustration designed by CafCu intern, Gigi Davies. |  Skip The Stuff poster with illustration designed by CafCu Media Assistant, Daniel Ramos. |
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