More Highschoolers Are Using Used Plastic Bags To Make Sleeping Mats For The Homeless

Sep 06, 2020 by apost team

In states all across the country, such as Michigan and Indiana, mindful high school students are using their brainpower to recycle and reuse these wasteful plastic bags.

in 2017, Lakewood High School, located in Lakewood, Colorado, started a club called the "Plarn club," which is dedicated to helping those who spend their lives on the streets.

According to Ocean Crusaders, approximately 500 billion plastic bags are used by consumers each and every year. We’re all aware of how plastic is a detriment to our environment, so many people try to find ways to recycle plastic when they can.

Plastic can end up littering in areas such as the streets and even the ocean, having negative impacts on the creatures that live there. In the past few years, many people have been spreading awareness about how to use less plastic materials and using alternatives instead in order to attempt to save the environment.

As a result, many people have reduced or cut down on their consumption of plastic due to the hazards it causes nature, but now groups of students are taking things into their own hands in order to make a difference in the world.

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In one particular school, Lakewood High School, located in Lakewood, Colorado, they started a club in 2017 called the "Plarn club," and according to one post on their Facebook, the "goal of the club is to take plastic bags, turn them into plastic bag yarn, also known as plarn, and crochet them into sleeping mats."

The post added that the mats will then be donated to JEFFCO Action Center to be given to the homeless.

The post continued: "But in order for this to happen, the club needs lots of plastic bags. It takes 500 to 700 bags to make one mat."

The final result of their efforts? A sleeping mat of sorts that is six feet long and can help the homeless. Even a simple thing like a bed made out of recycled materials can make a huge difference in someone’s life, and these kids are really doing their best to make a change in the world. The mats are specifically designed to be comfortable and warm for people that need them the most. The best part about it?

They are resistant to water and can help deter bugs from disturbing the homeless. You can learn more about the sleeping mat program in the video below. 

What do you think about the student’s efforts? Have you tried to cut back on your plastic consumption? Do you have any cool upcycling project that utilizes materials that would otherwise have gone to wast in a creative way too? We want to know, so make sure to tell us - and pass this along to your friends to inspire them to upcycle too.