After coming across the Brut video about Shelby O'Neil on the Greener Minds Facebook group, about this wonderful teenage Girl Scout from California who has had a powerful impact #BeatingPlasticPollution, I nominated her the first Re.Plastic Change-maker and wrote a post about her contributions.
Then I took it a step further -- taking a page from Shelby's book -- and reached out to her via Twitter and requested an interview. Despite just going back to school Shelby took the time out to answer some questions for the Re.Plastic blog and inspire others to #EndPlasticPollution.
Shelby O'Neil, photo by Gigi Brisson.
Q1) When and how did you first become aware of the
ocean plastic problem?
(A1) The summer going into 7th grade, I was accepted
into the Monterey Bay Aquarium's “Young Women in Science” program and then it
continued the next summer for their second-year program. This is when I
learned the issues facing our ocean and the need to make a change and help
eliminate single-use plastic items.
Q2) When did you start Jr Ocean Guardians?
(A2) I knew ever since I was a little girl that I wanted
to make a change. I seriously started putting my ideas down on paper
after my first Young Women in Science summer program. The summer before I
started high school I was accepted into the Monterey Bay Aquarium's “Teen
Conservation Leader” program and this is when I seriously started putting
everything together and decided to form Jr Ocean Guardians as my Girl Scout
Gold Award project. The Gold Award project is the highest honor you can
receive in Girl Scouts.
Q3) What are some of your non-profit's key activities?
Which particular ones are you really happy with – those that you felt had an
exponential impact.
(A3) The mission of Jr Ocean Guardians is to educate youth
on how they can help our planet. We have an Activity Book that connects kids to
issues currently facing our oceans and it keeps their attention while
making learning fun.
While
working in a classroom one day, I realized that the children were excited to
learn and really want to make a difference, but they didn't know what they
could do. This is when I came up “No Straw November.” #NoStrawNovember
challenges people of all ages to refuse single-use plastic straws during the
month of November and then keep a tally of how many straws they were offered
and how many they refused. It's all about building awareness. 2017
was the first year for #NoStrawNovember and it had a global following. In
the past year, the awareness to the impact of single-use plastic straws and
plastics, in general, has become front-page news, which is a win for all of
earth's inhabitants.
Shelby O'Neil at Watsonville, CA, on April 22, 2018: Earth Day.
Q4) What inspired you to write to CEOs and
influencers about the impact of single-use plastic & the marine plastic
pollution crisis?
(A4) To get things done, you have to start at the top!
CEOs of companies are the ones making the decisions and they need to be
aware that their decisions affect our environment. Companies can say they
are environmentally sustainable, but they sometimes forget the small things
like single-use plastic straws and stirrers.
Q5) Are you aware of the Ocean Cleanup project – set
up in your state (California) which will be launched in September 2018, started
by a Dutch young man when he was just 19 years old to clean up the Great
Pacific Garbage Patch? Have you had a chance to visit the facility?
(A5) It's incredible what Boyan Slat has been able to
achieve at such a young age and it gives me great hope for the health of our
oceans. He and his team are working out of the San Francisco area and
hopefully, I will get a chance to tour his facility one day.
Q6) The Story of Stuff project which was started by
Annie Leonard who is now the head of Greenpeace USA is working on the Story of
Plastic. They just had a #PlasticFreeJuly challenge. Are you aware of their
work and/or are you associated with it?
(A6) I did support #PlasticFreeJuly and I support
awareness campaigns that bring global awareness to the issue of plastic
pollution. The more people that are educated, the more we can make a
difference.
Q7) Could you share a little bit about the impact
of the #NoStrawNovember campaign and describe how you promoted it?
(A7) #NoStrawNovember’s impact has beyond
amazing. I have very little funds but I was able to have close to 10,000
people worldwide pledge online their support to refuse single-use plastic
straws during November.
I
requested a No Straw November Proclamation with the California Coastal
Commission and they unanimously approved it in October 2017, which was a huge
victory for #NoStrawNovember.
After
this victory, I had the support of large non-profits.
Being a
Girl Scout, I reached out to my Girl Scouts sisters throughout the USA and
asked for their support. All of this was down via social media, it just
took off. I had a special edition patch that a portion of the patch
donation went to the Girl Scouts San Jacinto Council in Houston, TX, for
Hurricane Harvey relief and I was able to donate $2,050.
It was
just amazing seeing posts from all over the world with their #NoStrawNovember
posters promoting no single-use plastic straws. There were cities, counties, schools, restaurants, and everyday people participating. It was
definitely a team #NoStrawNovember movement with people all over the world supporting
and spreading awareness, it is much bigger than one person.
Q8) Can you share your involvement and journey in
getting the SCR139 bill passed in the California Senate and making way for
providing Straws only on Demand only.
SCR 139
No Straw November has been an incredible journey! The protocol for a
Resolution is that you first have to request a Proclamation from an Agency
sponsor. My sponsor was the California Coastal Commission and it has been
very rewarding working with the staff at the Coastal Commission. Once my
No Straw November Proclamation passed, it then moved to my sponsor at the California
Senate who is California Majority Leader Bill Monning.
Jr Ocean
Guardians, along with the Monterey Bay Aquarium, co-sponsored SCR 139 No Straw
November with Senator Monning. SCR 139 went to vote in the California
Senate on June 21, 2018, and passed and then California Assembly Majority Leader
Ian Calderon jockeyed SCR 139 in the California Assembly, where it passed on
August 23, 2018.
While
working on SCR 139, I was introduced to Assembly Majority Leader Ian Calderon
and he asked me to testify at the Natural Resources Committee in support of AB
1884 – Straws Upon Request. AB 1884 has passed both the California
Assembly and Senate and is waiting for Governor Brown's signature.
It's
important to note that this bill does not ban straws, you have to request them
as they will not be handed out or put in drinks automatically at dine-in
restaurants.
Q9) As an individual, how have you made your life
plastic-free/reduced plastic use personally and in your home?
(A9) It's not easy reducing single-use plastic and it's
really a step-by-step process. We eliminated single-use plastic straws
and single-use water bottles. We have paper sandwich bags and try to
limit prepacked food items when shopping in the grocery store. We use
reusable shopping bags and shop for more environmentally friendly items.
My friends have been very supportive and they are also reducing their
single-use plastic.
Supportive friends make a real difference.
Q10) What's your dream for a better environment and
the effect & reach of Jr Ocean Guardians?
(A10)
"I want to leave the planet better than I arrived."
My dream for Jr Ocean Guardians is to not only teach children what they can do for our planet, but teach everyone how their actions make an impact and how we all have the power to make positive change.
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