Super Suckers

Why use plastic when Super Suckers are fantastic!

Student Names: Liam, Finn, Taylor, Olivia, Adeela, Audrée, Ryan, James, David, Tommy

Project GOAL

With our creation of Super Suckers we wanted to help the world by getting rid of plastic waste in the ocean and hurting all the animals affected by the waste and us humans from the toxins from the plastic itself .

This brought a lot of sadness to our hearts when realizing what was happening to our oceans the coral reefs the animals and the toxins leaving the plastic and affecting humans. No one liked the idea of using plastic for a one time use to cause so much harm to our environment, so we decided to come up with something that was biodegradable and also able to reproduce plants to help with our world. We sat down together to come up with multiple ways to eliminate the plastic from the ocean and help our reefs, talking with multiple people outside the school and taking surveys from inside the school almost everyone said that they wanted for this to be spread awarness of. So collectively we were so proud to create Super Suckers to help our world.

[Figure 1]

Our slides on the plastic pollution and marine life for our instagram.

ACTION

For our Youth Action Project, we decided to take action regarding Plastic waste and the benefits of using non-plastic straws by trying to make the perfect Straw. Over the period of time given we experimented with different biodegradable materials like different types of paper (such as white Mayfair, Rice Paper & White Printer Paper.), Corn Plastic and Chia seeds. After our Experimentation with The different Methods of creating the Super Sucker we decided the most effective method was using thin paper and Glue (unfortunately we didn't have access to edible glue.) we then sprinkled the chia seeds onto the wet glue and rolled the straw using a wooden skewer. Even though we weren't able to make this straw perfect with the resources we had we came up with an effective idea that we can use in the future when we have more time and better resources.

[Figure 2]

The prototypes before our final choice with the paper and chia seeds.

ACTION

Our plan to involve other people is to Shark Tank our idea to others. We did so and presented the pitch to LSF who were interested in the project idea and invested to help this project become a real thing. You can see an image of us presenting (figure 3 & 5)

[Figure 3] The presentation

[Figure 4]

Our pitch to LSF.

[Figure 5.] Presenting the pitch

We included many statistics related to plastic since that is what we are trying to find an alternative to. That way we raise awareness on how bad plastic is and its impacts on the environment. All of these statistics were put in a slide and then posted on our instagram as well as our shark tank pitch.

[Figure 6]

Here is our instagram.

[Figure 7]

This is showing some of out impact and because we were a business account, this shows how many other account we have reached in our journey!

[Figure 8]

Another look at the audience reached.

Reflection

We've impacted people's mindsets towards using plastic straws, while also creating a new, innovative alternative to basic paper straws. We created plantable straws that people can throw into the ground after using, and a chia plant sprouts. These chia plants have an impact on the environment and could even potentially improve air quality and reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses in our atmosphere if more straws are produced and planted over time.

Super Suckers didn't go as planned and wasn't always successful at times, we had to have many prototypes and tried different things to see what would work differently and how it could make the straws better. As we worked through the project it became more successful and we were able to generate better ideas to help our prototypes. We would say we were about half way to our goal because when we started off we had a bunch of different ideas and none of which were the outcome that we concluded to.

Our group members' creativity and perseverance were huge contributors to our groups success. We had a few failed attempts and kept trying new ideas until we found the right one. Throughout this project, we made a lot of progress and our ability to work well as a team helped us persevere to the end.

When it comes to doing things differently we could take the project more seriously and limit our ideas so they aren't as broad and think about all the possible outcomes and how our product will react when being used without having to go through so many different attempts.

WHERE IT COULD GO NEXT...

The next phase of the project would be perfecting the straw we have already made, by making it more durable in water and by making it more safe to drink(the white glue). These straws could be perfected it we had more time because all we needed to do was touch up on the current idea and it will be ready and safe to use. We could also find a way to add flavouring but it's hard with pre-made straws.

Next year we can come back into Mrs.Packer's grade 10 class and inspire them to either continue the super suckers idea or use them same idea of paper instead of plastic. If next years grade 10's take on the super suckers idea then we can tell them what worked and what didn't work, so they can continue with new ideas

The continuation of this straw can be very useful and beneficial for the environment in the near future. Switching to chia seed straws will limit the amount of carbon production and will cause our air to be much cleaner and safer. It is important that we do something about this problem so the production of these straws will bring us one step closer to solving it.

I would like to see the paper straws and chia seeds idea perfected into a straw, and see them in small stores or cafe's like sashis. I would like to see an improvement of not only less plastic waste but also more plants and flowers.

Student Reflections

Liam- This is an experience I wont forget, this project from the help from LSF could have been really big but the problem was were grade 10 students. We had multiple ideas that could have been taken seriously and been produced to a well thought out plan. We had the idea after doing lots of research to help the environment with all the problems us humans have caused for the earth. Our straws super suckers were meant to not just help with the problem but enlighten people in the world about this problem so they might want to take action and go out and make it happen. I had a great time learning lots about climate change although I was a bit frightened learning about some of the facts i think it is really important to learn about and to help the world get better with this major problem. The project was filled with enthusiasm which made lots of people smile more and become closer as a group while spreading awareness. Our goal was to put chia seeds inside our straw to make more plants to grow to help with the environment and get rid of plastic was for good. Overall we were able to come up with the idea and actually make the straw with chia seeds inside so this was a sucseful acomplishment so thank you LSF for making this all possible we all greatly appreciate it.

Finn- I enjoyed doing this project especially because the straw idea was mine and im glad we did it. My first idea was to make candy edible straws so that when the user was finished with it they could just eat the straw, or if they threw it away then it would just biodegrade or melt. But then we decided to swap to paper straws(Which was a group decision) and i enjoy that idea just as much. We fist started my trying to make it so that the the chia seeds were enbedded in the paper and I was helping to flatten and dry out the paper after we blended it in the water. I was also the one who made the first prototype(Figure 3) by rolling it before it dried, this ended up making the straw form but there were holes and air getting through it meaning we couldn't use it as a straw. Then we started to swap to bio plastic using corn syrup and corn starch, I was helping to make the mixture and I made another attempt of a prototype but it didn't end up working because the bio plastic didn't turn solid and it ended up becoming a gooey sand instead of a straw. Then finally we tried putting the chia seeds in the straw rather than in the paper which actually worked, i helped make one of the first good straws and then i just helped and showed people how to make them. The unfortunate thing is there was white glue in the straws meaning we couldn't actually sell them for people to use but if we could find an edible glue then the straws would have worked. Overall i really enjoyed this project but we could have used our time a lot more effeciently. I am satifised with the final out come of the project but not with how we got there.

Taylor- Overall I found this project super fun to be apart of and I believe it improved a lot of my skills while working with others and understanding new topics and definitely improved my problem solving skills. There were quite a few ups and downs in this project but I know we worked well as a group and were capable of developing a good outcome and making our project better with all our combined ideas. Personally I learned a lot about how bad plastic is in our oceans and how it is costing marine life their lives. I liked the amount of creativity in our group and how everyone was able to help out everywhere. I enjoyed having the opportunity to do a project like this, thank you LSF.

Olivia- This project was a great opportunity for us as students to take action towards climate change. Unfortunately in our society it is very difficult for youth to take action with the resources we have and the fact that our voices just don't get heard, But with this project we were given funding to create in impact which was an amazing experience. Not only did we get to take action but we also got to learn many important skills like leadership, improvising and working as a team (these are just some of the skills we gained). We learned a lot about the issue at hand and how important it is that we make a change soon. We are so happy we had the chance to make a difference. With the amount of plastic waste that effects our planet we needed to not only create an alternative to plastic straws but something that would eliminate plastic straws while also trying to heal the environment . I really enjoyed this project and am so happy that LSF is listening to the voices of youth. I am so grateful for this opportunity, Thank you LSF!

Adeela- I certainly learned a lot of new things during this project. Not only did I learn new scientific terminology and information, but I also learned operation skills that I will definitely be using in the future like collaboration skills, time management, organization skills etc. This project has educated me on issues I was not aware of and I definitely made progress while working on it. For example, I learned a lot about the effects of plastic pollution on both human and marine life. Throughout this project, I realized how much of the material we learned in class is related to what is happening to our planet right now. I can now better explain climate-related issues to anyone with full confidence. There were certainly bumps in the road, such as our failed attempts at making the straws but we managed to persevere through those failed attempts and create a better idea. I believe that I am capable of doing big things and this project inspired me to reduce my personal plastic consumption to help reduce the impacts of climate change on our planet. Thank you LSF!

Audrée- To start off, this project gave me a real sense of collaboration and ability to work with others. Considering this project had 10 members, we all had to find a way to evenly distribute the work needed for this project. As well as organize ourselves to get the tasks completed together and on time. Overall this was a very fun and interesting experience where I learned a lot of valuable and important information about climate change. Information such as what the main causes of climate change are and how plastic pollution can have a major impact on climate change. I also now better understand how studying biology can have a positive impact our environment.

Ryan-

James- Through this project, I learned much more about the impact climate change, what is causing it, and what we can do to help stop it. I learned about how toxins and chemicals are released from plastics which can cause many different health effects in our bodies and it contibutes to rise in temperatures and climate change. This project showed me that I need to use our work periods more effectively as when we could've been experimenting multiple different papers, we helped test one kind of paper which resulted in not everyone being fully active in the project. I enjoyed working together with this group as I thought we worked very well together and that we agreed many of the same ideas. I hope that in the future if I get the chance to do this again, I get to work with another great group and will have as much fun as I had with this project.

David- From the experience of working on a project in a team to the constant new information I learned, I enjoyed this project above all others in the past. this year I learned about how plastic waste contributes to climate change, how climate change affects the oceans, our health, and the future. this project showed me that you can't simply ignore the fact that the Earth is slowly dying from human activities. There was also some learning experience I learned from the project about working in a large group, about being organized and trying to contribute to the team even when you are not there to help, like when I made and attempt to create a straw at home and showed that our first idea had lots of flaws. I hope that in the future of my education I can participate in more group projects like this.

Tommy- It's sad to say that this project is coming to an end this year. I've learned more than I expected on the causes of climate change and how we can help stop it. Key components that I've learned from this project is that chemicals and carbon dioxide get released from plastic which then get absorbed by our atmosphere. Once I learned this I knew we had to do something to help climate change and paper straws were that exact option. We decided to not make a normal paper straw because that already exists and we wouldn't really be helping to stop climate change. That's when the thought hit us, "We should make paper straws infused with chia seeds." With this project we can at least give back back to the environment by planting our own chia plants once the straws decompose. We tried many different options on how to make this straw although we ran into many flaws. First we started by making paper from scratch with paper pulp although that did not end up working so we moved on to bioplastic which created a slimy substance which when gets heated it turns hard. This option also failed to work and started to fall apart. The last option we had was to use normal printer paper and just put the chia seeds in with that. This option did end up working and was very effective. Remembering that we are just high school students, I believe that a real straw company can take our idea and perfect it in the way we wanted it to be. Another issue we ran through was the equipment, I think if we had the right equipment this straw idea maybe would turn out better although I can't say for sure. If I got the option to contribute on this project again, I would wish to have come up with this idea sooner because a lot of time was wasted finding the right product (although without fails there is no learning). I wish in the near future that I get to work on another project similar to this one because I had so much fun working with friends to create a stop to climate change.

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