Saving the Planet - One Bag at a Time 

           Each year, in honor of Earth Day, the students of Our Lady of Refuge School in Long Beach plant a tree. During the Friday morning prayer service, students, faculty, parents and guests were reminded of the importance of planting trees, bettering the environment and taking care of our fragile planet. But this year, students didn’t stop there. They also lined up to show just how big a problem plastic bags can be!

           After learning that the average American uses between 300 to 700 plastic bags a year, and that the U.S. goes through 100 billion plastic shopping bags annually, the students collected plastic bags at home for one week. Students tied the bags end to end to form an immense chain. After the chain was rolled into a huge ball to demonstrate how much room the bags would take up in a landfill, students walked the chain around the campus to see just how much plastic is wasted in one week! They circled the campus nine times!

           To do their part to save the planet, students have teamed up with ChicoBags, to sell reusable nylon bags that fit into their own pouch so that they can be carried with you at all times. Students hope to get everyone in Long Beach using multi-use bags so that at next year’s Earth Day prayer service, there will be no plastic bags to collect.

            If you would like to see the amazing ChicoBag, contact the school office at (562) 597-0819 or come by - 5210 Los Coyotes Diagonal, Long Beach, 90815.