Our school has a mission to reduce the use of plastic straws in our community. Led by the School Council, they are about to take action!

Children at Seaburn Dene are particularly fascinated by wildlife and the environment and are shocked by films and photographs of the way in which our lifestyles damage the earth and creatures within it. We have looked at one little step we can take to reduce the waste we produce and it's to Refuse the Straw.

The Issue

Plastic straws are used only once for a few minutes. They don't make a drink taste any better yet it takes them 500 years to decompose. Wetherspoons have already changed to biodegradable paper straws  which will stop 70 million (isn't that an unbelievable figure?) plastic straws entering landfill or ending up in the ocean.

In school..

Our milk is delivered to the nursery and reception class  in small cartons with plastic straws attached. We have worked out that, in our school alone, each year we are using over 7,000 plastic straws which end up in the waste bin. Imagining that every primary school in Sunderland uses around the same number, we are talking about 562,000 straws each year.

Action...

The School Council is taking action. Mrs Halliday has already contacted out milk suppliers who buy their milk from Muller so feel they are unable to help. In response the School Council are writing a letter to Muller presenting their views and setting up a petition for children and parents to sign which will be sent with their letter. Our mission is to make the world a better place for citizens of the future.

What you can do to help...

When out for a meal or a drink please politely refuse plastic straws at the time of ordering your drink. 

Thank you.

BBC2's 500 WORDS

This amazing annual story writing competition was launched at 8.00am this morning by Chris Evans. Last year entries broke the world record for a children's story writing competition and, with such exclusive and wonderful prizes, wouldn't it be fantastic for one of our own imaginative children to get through to the final?

The last date for submission is Thursday 22nd February ( 7 pm) but, as we are promoting it in school from today, the earlier children begin to think about it, the more exciting their story will be. Here is the link you need for advice, workshops to inspire children and submission information.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4h26FXFQ4KfMV7VVSbJxY3g/500-words-2018