Plastic waste is poisoning our world – not only the unnecessary plastic items that kill sea turtles but also the energy and time that it takes to recycle plastic. But fret not! Aspen High School has taken a stand against the destruction of our world.

AHS is joining the environmental movement, by switching from disposable plastic water bottles, to recyclable aluminum bottles. This is an important change, proposed by the AHS Earth group, that helps the school take steps to be more environmentally conscious.

Missy Danaher works in Food Services at AHS. She has been selling water to kids in the Cafe for two years. She walked through the transition with the school.

“I would have to think that within the community people would respect our school more because we don’t contribute to as much of the plastic in the waste stream. We are showing them that we are proactive, and we are serious about what we are doing,” Danaher said.

This change benefits the school because it publicizes the fact that AHS has realized an issue in the community, seen the bigger world picture, and acted on it. However, there are some negative consequences as well. Research has shown that long-term consumption of aluminum is very harmful to the human body, and has been linked to many diseases seen in elderly people.

“I’ve read that aluminum is also in deodorant, and Alzheimer’s can be an effect of that, so I’d have to believe that any aluminum in your body is harmful to an extent and obviously can be ingested from these cans.” How much damage could this actually do if so little is being consumed within each canned water bottle?” Danaher said.

Tenille Folk, head of the food service at AHS, also felt compelled to make this environmentally geared change.

“Travis Moore (leader of Earth Group at AHS) gave me a contact of a young lady who is getting her major in environmental studies, and they have this canned bottle to get rid of the plastic that ruins our earth on her campus,” Folk says, “It takes so much longer and so much more energy to recycle plastic than canned water bottles do. That’s why it is better for the environment and why we switched as well,”

Another issue is that these cans are a lot more expensive than plastic bottles. Some may ask if it is worth it. Danaher from the cafe weighed in on this issue.

“These are not inexpensive bottles, the aluminum has just gone up in price due to politics, but we all think it is worth it and necessary,” Missy said. The school is okay with spending a few extra hundred dollars if it means that it will positively benefit, not only the planet but also to inspire the community.

The aluminum water bottles are helping the environment.  AHS decided to make a small change within the school, that is still a big step in decreasing plastic waste. Missy Danaher summed things up with why she supports this change.

“I think the benefit to our school is initially that we are taking a step toward a better environment.”