Saskatoon students launch campaign to cut plastic waste

WATCH: Students at a local school are launching their own sustainability campaign, hoping grocery stores and the community will listen.

Students at a local school are launching their own sustainability campaign and hoping grocery stores and the community will listen. It all started in a small Montessori classroom, where some big ideas are being taught.

The lesson is about responsibility and the power of young voices coming together.

“If we learn it when we’re younger, then we can continue to do it as adults,” Grade 4 student Julia told CTV News.

What these Grade 3 and 4 students at Brilliant Stars Montessori are learning is how to protect the environment — one plastic bottle at a time.

“If there’s too much garbage, the ecosystem and a lot of plants and animals would go endangered,” said Rohan who is in Grade 3.

Their teacher, Julie Davidsen, who has run this school for 17 years, came up with the assignment to have students develop a campaign to take directly to grocery store managers.

“It’s about empowering these individuals at a young age to start thinking mindfully about their actions and how they can bring about change in the communities,” Davidsen said.

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They hand delivered letters asking managers to create refill stations for items like soap or sugar.

“We asked them to add sections at their store for customers to refill their containers,” said Raquel, Grade 3 student.

“So they could fill their own bottle every time that they need more, instead of buying more bottles, which makes more plastic,” Saraya said.

The pitch also included asking stores to purchase fewer items in plastic containers or wrap overall.

Even at their age, these students know that change isn’t easy but can be possible with the right attitude.

“Give it a try. You may like it, you may not know it, but you just gotta be flexible and try it,” said Matthew in Grade 3.

“They’re the ones that need to have a voice and be able to articulate the needs that need to be brought about so that we can have a more sustainable future,” he said.

While what they are doing is technically schoolwork, it has the potential to extend far beyond their classroom walls.