Amy Meek (15) and her sister Ella (13) founded their campaign and charity, Kids Against Plastic, in 2016 after learning about the UN’s Global Goals For Sustainable Development, and in particular the recurring issue of plastic pollution. Their mission started out as a home-school project and has since become an award-winning charity, that has encouraged over 186 schools and over 50 businesses, councils, cafes and even the Houses of Parliament, to #GetPlasticClever!
We asked the girls a few questions about their brand new book, Be Plastic Clever – see what they had to say below!
Ella & Amy Meek
Tell us about your book, Be Plastic Clever!
AM: Be Plastic Clever is about two things very close to my heart: tackling plastic pollution and inspiring more young people to become activists and make a positive difference. The book is split into sections, initially focusing on the issues associated with plastic pollution and how it’s impacting the planet. It then gives you simple tips and tricks on how to make a difference to tackle plastic pollution at home and in your local community. But perhaps the most important part of the book is the last section, focused on showing young people reading the book how to be young activists themselves and take action for what they believe in.
What inspired you to write this book?
AM: There are so many books out there about plastic – it’s a bit of a hot topic now (which is great!). But there aren’t any written by kids for kids! I think that it’s really important that kids hear from others in their generation about the issues that will be affecting us in the future, especially as it’s so much more inspiring when the news comes from people their age.
Who did you write this book for and how can they use it?
AM: I hope that this book could be used by someone of any age, but it’s primarily aimed at young people. You could be an expert on plastic already or have no knowledge of environmental matters at all – hopefully, Be Plastic Clever would still offer some knowledge and advice on how to make a difference for the planet. My hope is also that this isn’t a book that sits on the shelf after a read – it can be taken with you and referenced when you’re not quite sure whether to recycle an item, or when you need some support and tips before your first talk.
What do you hope to achieve with Be Plastic Clever?
AM: I hope that more young people will pick up this book and realise the difference that they can make, and know clearly how to do so.
You’re the founders of the amazing UK-based campaign Kids Against Plastic. What is your ultimate dream goal for this campaign?
A & E: For a start, we’ve got a goal of picking up 100,000 pieces of plastic litter that we’d like to reach! We’ve picked up over 70,000 already, so hopefully it won’t be too long until we do.
We also run a Plastic Clever initiative, through which we encourage cafes, businesses, councils and particularly schools to be more discerning users of single-use plastic by stopping their use of what we call the Big 4 items – plastic cups and lids, straws, bottles and bags. We have over 900 schools signed up already but we’d really love to see this number grow.
What’s one simple thing that we can all do right now to reduce our plastic usage?
A & E: Be Plastic Clever! Start taking small steps to reduce your plastic usage and stop using the Big 4 that we mentioned. It’s as simple as carrying a reusable bottle of water with you, or bringing a refillable bag to the supermarket, and yet it all adds up to have a big positive impact.
Who are your biggest inspirations when it comes to eco activism?
AM: I cover some of the amazing work my biggest inspirations get up to in the book, in the hopes that other young people will be just as inspired as I was. But, we are always particularly inspired by the work of young activists, such as Melati and Isabel Wijsen (the founders of Bye Bye Plastic Bags on Bali). When they started their campaign, they were the same ages we were when we started Kids Against Plastic (12 and 10), so to see the positive impact that they had through their initiative was hugely inspirational for us as young kids.
How important do you think it is for kids and teens to have a voice in the global conversation about plastic pollution and climate change?
A & E: Hugely important. We’ve seen through the actions of activists like Greta Thunberg just how influential the youth voice can be, and we really can’t underestimate the importance of that. After all, issues like plastic pollution are literally never going away (due to plastic’s indestructible nature), so these are problems that we’re going to inherit as the future generation and have to clean up. We just want to make sure that that’s as small a job as possible.
And finally, what’s up next for you two?
AM: We’re going to continue to work on pushing our Plastic Clever initiative and, of course, carry on picking up litter! I’m also doing my own research into plastic microfibres in the environment, a relatively new area of plastic pollution that I’m very interested to find out more about.
Thanks Amy and Ella!
—Be Plastic Clever by Amy & Ella Meek (DK Books) is out now.
Find out more about Kids Against Plastic here.
Be Plastic Clever
Join teenage activists Amy and Ella Meek on their mission to rid the world of single-use plastics in this practical book, perfect for budding eco-warriors.
This environmental book will teach young activists about the dangers of plastic pollution and climate change, but also to help them find their voice. Amy and Ella want their book to help young readers shout about the issues they are passionate about and inspire them to become activists...
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