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Meet the five-year-old that’s saving the world with her plastic pick up crew, and she wants your help!
Plastic pollution is one of the biggest challenges our planet is currently facing. More and more of us are becoming attuned to the plastic waste we contribute day-to-day, but arguably, no one is as keen to eradicate plastic waste as keenly as five-year-old CC.
Living with Mum and Dad in Edinburgh (owners of children’s store Bon Tot), CC has taken it upon herself to unite humanity in the mission to clean up plastic waste. ‘CC’s Plastic Pick Up Crew’ was born from CC’s desire to clean up the beaches and green spaces near where she lives – but she needs your help, and wants you to join her crew too!
We caught up with CC – the wonderful little activist herself – to find out more about her crew.
What inspired you to start the crew?
“A long time ago, my mom showed me a picture of a turtle with a straw stuck in its nose. That is the first thing that inspired me. My mom and my dad showed me more things and that’s when I learned how much plastic there is. Then I wanted to move house, to be closer to the beach. The most common thing are picnics on the beach, so there is a lot of plastic there.”
Where are your usual pick-up spots, and what kind of plastic waste do you find?
“Well, my usual pick up spots are the beach or grassy places like parks and meadows. One day, with my friend Ada – who is a part of the crew – we found a buggy wheel, a plastic wrapper, and a bag. Once with my mom and dad, I saw some plastic blowing into the sea. I didn’t have time to go and get it and that made me really sad. I also find; cigarettes, straws, water bottles, and food wrappers.”
Why are you passionate about cleaning up plastic waste, CC?
“Because if we make too much plastic the entire sea will be killed.”
How many members does your crew already have, and what do you hope for your Plastic Pick Up Crew in the future?
“About 180 members right now! I want to hear from the crew what they are doing – videos and messages what they have done about plastic. I really want companies to stop making single-use plastic.”
Is there anything else you’d like to tell our readers?
“Can you please join the pick up crew? I need to get first all of Scotland, then England, then the rest of the world in the crew so we can save the animals from dying. It’s really sad for me to hear most people in the world are using plastic. I want people to know there are other ways to collect food – I went to a store where there is NO plastic! Some people won’t believe me but it’s true. You can use paper, cardboard glass and steel instead of single-use plastic!”
CC’s Mum, Kris, adds:
“CC is very responsive to the life of animals. She sees us all as part of Mother Earth’s planet and she doesn’t see any reason why we wouldn’t take care of everything created here. Empathy and compassion come really naturally to her, as does a connection between action and consequence.
“She knows that every time she uses a plastic bag of a straw, it’s possible that very piece of plastic could be item that ends up hurting a sea creature or a bird. Children aren’t clouded by what they are used to, or inconvenience. They just want to do the right thing.”
Ready to join CC’s Plastic Pick Up Crew? Join the gang on Instagram at @ccs_plastic_pick_up_crew and with the hashtag #kidscleanupcrew and on Facebook.
