While visiting several natural history museums in the US in 2018, Port Elizabeth teenager Sophia Finestone was deeply affected by all the exhibits highlighting the pollution of the oceans by plastic waste – and the toll it is taking on marine life.
Determined to take a stand against this form of pollution, she established the #NoPlasticFantastic society at her school, Pearson High, earlier in 2019.
Her efforts led to her being selected as the first youth ambassador for the Sustainable Seas Trust, a nonprofit organisation spearheading the African Marine Waste Network project, which aims to prevent marine pollution in Africa on land – before it reaches the sea.
Sophia, 16, has also been selected to attend the 10-day Global Youth Leadership Conference, which starts in Washington DC in June, where she will have a platform to share her anti-plastic efforts with other young leaders from 145 countries, along with international agencies including the UN.
“At the National Geographic Museum in New York, there was a terrible series of photographs of sea animals killed by plastic pollution – it made me cry, and I knew I had to something about it at home in Port Elizabeth,” she said.
“As I started thinking about it, I realised that my school is right next to the sea, and yet we had no society addressing plastic pollution.
“I decided I wanted to start a new club.”
She pitched her idea to her teachers, who agreed to establish the society, provided she could prove there was enough interest from pupils.
Within a few days, she had signed up 140 members – and the club was launched, with Sophia voted in as president of a 13-member committee.
To celebrate World Ocean Day on June 8, the #NoPlasticFantastic society will run its second beach cleanup at Pollok Beach.
Its other initiatives include selling glass straws and reusable silicone cups at the school, and introducing the school’s tuckshop to “Recup” – a cup deposit system where coffee cups can be returned, reused and recycled.
“Our main goal is to create awareness about the environmental dangers of plastic pollution, and to get rid of single-use plastics at our school.
“We want to make Pearson plastics-free, and for this to spread from schools to homes,” Sophia, who is hoping to pursue a career in biodiversity or ecology, said.
The society recently organised a plastic art exhibition at Pearson – featuring the work of artist Karen Flood – and it has arranged for a plastics recycling bin to be set up at the school.
As an ambassador for the Sustainable Seas Trust, Sophia will encourage more children to get involved, through visits to other schools.
“One of the aims of the Sustainable Seas Trust is to create ‘clean spots’ in Africa,” she said.
“People always focus on the beaches and sea pollution, but plastic doesn’t originate there.
“You have to tackle plastic pollution at the source.”
● Pupils from other schools are welcome to join the beach cleanup on Saturday, which starts at 9am at Something Good, Pollok Beach.
Anti-plastic pupil makes her mark
Image: Supplied
While visiting several natural history museums in the US in 2018, Port Elizabeth teenager Sophia Finestone was deeply affected by all the exhibits highlighting the pollution of the oceans by plastic waste – and the toll it is taking on marine life.
Determined to take a stand against this form of pollution, she established the #NoPlasticFantastic society at her school, Pearson High, earlier in 2019.
Her efforts led to her being selected as the first youth ambassador for the Sustainable Seas Trust, a nonprofit organisation spearheading the African Marine Waste Network project, which aims to prevent marine pollution in Africa on land – before it reaches the sea.
Sophia, 16, has also been selected to attend the 10-day Global Youth Leadership Conference, which starts in Washington DC in June, where she will have a platform to share her anti-plastic efforts with other young leaders from 145 countries, along with international agencies including the UN.
“At the National Geographic Museum in New York, there was a terrible series of photographs of sea animals killed by plastic pollution – it made me cry, and I knew I had to something about it at home in Port Elizabeth,” she said.
“As I started thinking about it, I realised that my school is right next to the sea, and yet we had no society addressing plastic pollution.
“I decided I wanted to start a new club.”
She pitched her idea to her teachers, who agreed to establish the society, provided she could prove there was enough interest from pupils.
Within a few days, she had signed up 140 members – and the club was launched, with Sophia voted in as president of a 13-member committee.
To celebrate World Ocean Day on June 8, the #NoPlasticFantastic society will run its second beach cleanup at Pollok Beach.
Its other initiatives include selling glass straws and reusable silicone cups at the school, and introducing the school’s tuckshop to “Recup” – a cup deposit system where coffee cups can be returned, reused and recycled.
“Our main goal is to create awareness about the environmental dangers of plastic pollution, and to get rid of single-use plastics at our school.
“We want to make Pearson plastics-free, and for this to spread from schools to homes,” Sophia, who is hoping to pursue a career in biodiversity or ecology, said.
The society recently organised a plastic art exhibition at Pearson – featuring the work of artist Karen Flood – and it has arranged for a plastics recycling bin to be set up at the school.
As an ambassador for the Sustainable Seas Trust, Sophia will encourage more children to get involved, through visits to other schools.
“One of the aims of the Sustainable Seas Trust is to create ‘clean spots’ in Africa,” she said.
“People always focus on the beaches and sea pollution, but plastic doesn’t originate there.
“You have to tackle plastic pollution at the source.”
● Pupils from other schools are welcome to join the beach cleanup on Saturday, which starts at 9am at Something Good, Pollok Beach.
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