Aim of activity Future Girl Acts is our new annual week of action. Every year we’ll come together on an issue you care about. This year it’s plastic pollution.

What you’ll get out of it • Discoverhowouruseofplasticscan

harm our planet.• Takeactionagainstplasticpollution.• Getyourvoiceheard.• Usecreativemodellingskillstocreate

plastic sculptures.

What you’ll need • Hardplasticitems–seenotetoleader• Recyclabletape–suchaspapertape• Abottletemplate,1pergirland

sculptureideas–availableatgirlguiding.org.uk/futuregirlactsresource

• Camera• Pens• Paper(optional)• Stickytack(optional)

Plastic free planet

©Girlguiding2019Registeredcharitynumber306016.

60 mins

Future Girl Acts

Give it a go

Peoplerecyclesomeofit–butalotofitgetslefteverywhere.Plastic

staysaroundinourenvironmentforalongtime,asitdoesn’trot.Animalsmayeattheplasticandthishurtsthem.Theanimalsthatgethurtthemostarewhales,dolphins,seabirds,turtlesandfish.Whatdoyouthinkwecoulddotohelp?

Deposit return schemes

Rightnow,onlyhalfofourplasticisrecycled.Somecountriesaretryingsomething new to help us to recycle more.

It’scalledadepositreturnscheme.It’slikeareversevendingmachine.Everytimeyoubuysomethinginplastic,youpayalittlemorebutwhenyougivetheplasticback,you get your money back.

Theseschemesmeanover90%ofplasticisrecycled.ScotlandisalreadyworkingtowardsgettingoneandwewantitallacrosstheUK.

Doyouthinkadepositreturnschemesoundslikeagoodidea?We

candosomethingtohelp,ifweallworktogether.You’reourPlanetProtectors!Your mission is to let people know that wewanttoprotectourplanetandalltheanimals from plastic pollution.

Note to leader Acoupleofweeksbeforethissession,askyourgirlstocollecthardplasticwaste,forexample,yoghurtpots.Ensureit’sclean,safetouseandhasn’tbeenpurchasedspecificallytocompletethisactivity.

If your unit wants to talk more about theplasticproblem,popbacktogirlguiding.org.uk/futuregirlactsresource whereyoucanfindgreatresourcestohelp you explore the issue.

Youcanfinddetailsofyourlocaldecisionmakers(forexample,yourassemblymember)attheyworkforyou.com.

Girlguidingunitseverywherewillbecompletingthisactivityandsharingitonline using #FutureGirlActs anddon’tforget to share your #PlasticPromise as well.Photoswillbeaddedtoaphotowall,soyoucancheckouteachotherscreations.Remembertocheckeveryonehas photo permissions before posting content online.

What to doLook at the plastic you’ve brought in.Howmuchdoyouthinkthereis?

Weuseplasticeveryday–it’susedfordrinksbottles,foodwrapping,

toysandmuchmore.Eachyear300milliontonnesofplasticismade–that’salmostthesameweightasalltheadultsintheworld!Calloutyourideasofwhatyouthink happens to it when we throw it away.

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Wewantdecisionmakerstolistentous.Everyone,grababottletemplate

anddraworwritewhyyoucareaboutplasticpollutionandwhyyouwantittostop.YourleadercansendthesetoyourlocaldecisionmakeraspartofFuture Girl Acts.

Girlguidingunitseverywherearealsodoingthis,nowisourtimetomakeourvoicesheard.Welldone,you’vebeenamazingPlanetProtectorstoday!

Don’tforgettorecyclealltheplasticyou’veused–takeithomeortoa

recyclingcentresowe’redoingourbittostopplasticpollution.Ifyou’veusedstickytack,don’tforgettotakethisoffandreuse it.

Try it this wayWanttotryanotherwaytoinfluenceyourdecisionmakers?Visitgirlguiding.org.uk/futuregirlactsresource to explore what Influenceskillsbuilderactivitiesyou coulddo.

You’re going to use the plastic you’vecollectedtocreateasculpture

of an animal you want to protect from plasticpollution,likeseacreatures.Decideifyouwanttodothisinsmallgroupsorasa whole unit.

Ready?Startyoursculpture.Makeitas big as possible to show how big

theplasticproblemis.Useyourrecyclabletape to stick it all together.

Top tipYou can use small amounts of sticky tack to help your sculpture stick together. Just make sure you remove it before recycling yourplasticandsaveittouseagain!

Whenyou’redone,bringallyourplasticanimalstogether.Yourleader

cantakeaphotoofyourmasterpieceandshare it online using #FutureGirlActsand#PlasticPromise so that other girls can see your creation.

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Take it furtherMakeyourown#PlasticPromise–think about where the plastic for your sculpturecamefrom.Canyoucomeupwithonewayyoucanuselessplastic?Forexample,youcoulduseareusablewaterbottle.Yourleadercanshareyour #PlasticPromise online.