O P I N I O N
THE SOAPBOX
Stand up. Speak up. It’s your turn.
Author’s Note: Please help circulate this letter to a school near you, especially to science teachers.
Dear School Principal:
My name is Ann Podlipny. I’m a longtime NH resident interested in protecting the environment and member of the NH Network Plastics Working Group committed to reducing and/or recycling plastic. Recently, I’ve been honored to support a non profit called the Clean River Project which does outstanding work to clean up the Merrimack River. For years, the ‘Mighty Merrimack’ has been degraded by the dumping of tires, cars, furniture, appliances, thousands of plastic bags and other toxic laden trash that breaks down into smaller particles called microplastics, harmful to the environment and human health.
This 117 mile long river supplies water to over 600,000 residents along its shoreline including Manchester and Nashua. The Abenaki, Wabanaki and Pennacook Peoples have protected its watershed for over 10,000 years. Today, Rocky Morrison and his team at Clean River Project continue their stewardship (please see website).
I write in hope of partnering with schools like yours to educate students about the sources of the Merrimack’s pollution and solutions for its ongoing restoration and preservation. CRP’s priority is to get students out on the river to experience its natural beauty. In well equipped boats, high school students can collect waste that builds up along the shoreline in CRP’s specially designed booms. Once waste is hauled ashore it is catalogued, mostly recycled or brought to a local landfill.
Clean River Project offers the following classroom programs for your participation:
- for elementary and middle school students, an educational curriculum complete with graphic illustrations and creative classroom and community projects
- for high school students, boat tours to learn about Merrimack River history including a PBS documentary and ‘all hands on deck’ river cleanups from early spring to late fall
- in partnership with the NH Network, a power point presentation entitled ‘No More Plastic Bags Please’ with follow up discussion on becoming Merrimack River youth activists
- in partnership with ‘The Sea Meadow Foundation in collaboration with scientists from UNH and the Marine Microverse Institute’ a program for students to participate in experimentally based water pollution monitoring
I would be delighted to meet with you at your convenience to discuss possibilities for a school presentation and/or river tour and cleanup and would greatly appreciate contact information regarding your science department teachers and environmental clubs so I can, if advised, write them directly. I can be reached at apodlipny57@comcast.net. In the meantime, looking forward to hearing from you and wishing you a happy new year.
Sincerely,
Ann Podlipny, Chester
Ann Podlipny lives in Chester and is a member of NH Network, Plastics Working Group
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