Courtesy Photo Students from the Plastics FLOAT (For the Love of Alpena Today), will partner with the Alpena Downtown Development Authority to make the Chowder and Chili Cook-off a zero-waste event.

ALPENA — The Alpena Downtown Development Authority is teaming up with Plastics FLOAT to reduce waste during Saturday’s Chowder and Chili Cook-off event.

Plastics FLOAT is a 4-H student group that helps reduce plastic waste in the community. FLOAT means For the Love of Alpena Today, and it was started by Hannah MacDonald in 2013 when she was in high school. It has grown in the last few years with the help of adult coordinators Stephanie Gandulla and Jessica Luther, as well as assistance from MacDonald when she is available.

MacDonald said the group is completely student-driven, and it has empowered kids to get out in the community to advocate for a great cause.

“These kids are using their voice to get the message around Alpena,” MacDonald said.

On Saturday, the junior high students in the group will volunteer at the cook-off in an effort to make it a zero-waste event.

The partnership with the DDA started at last year’s cook-off event, and DDA Executive Director Anne Gentry said the organization was excited to work with the students to reduce waste. Muffin tins replaced plastic cups used to hand out samples, and metal spoons were used, as well as a variety of other small changes to produce little to zero waste. Gentry said she wasn’t sure how people would react to the changes, but it went well.

“Everyone was really supportive,” Gentry said. “We avoided using close to 5,000 plastic cups and 400 plastic spoons.”

Students will be back at the cook-off on Saturday, volunteering their time to the cause and directing people to proper disposal areas.

Sylvie Luther is a seventh-grader at Thunder Bay Junior High, and she has been a member of the group for two years. She feels strongly about the work they do, and believes no-waste events have a big impact.

“It’s important because the more people know about how harmful plastic is for the environment, the better,” Luther said. “And, by having a zero-waste event, we are showing people how to fix the problem.”

Partnering in community events highlights the efforts by Plastics FLOAT and helps them work toward larger initiatives.

“The goal for Plastics year-round is to educate and provide outreach about reducing our impact in our environment,” Gandulla said.

Jessica Luther feels the work Plastics does is especially relevant to Alpena as a lakeshore town.

“We live on the shores of a Great Lake, which is directly and regularly impacted by microplastics pollution,” Luther said. “Walk along any part of the shore and you’ll find plastic bags, bottles, and other garbage thrown on the ground. The limited access to recycling facilities and lack of curbside recycling in our community does not make it easy for anyone to recycle their single-use plastics. So the more people who take a minute to think about where that single-use item — be it a grocery bag, take-out container, or straw — is going to end up and makes an active choice to use a reusable or biodegradable item, takes us one step further towards being a community that values and desires to protect its waterways and natural resources for future generations.”

Kaitlin Ryan can be reached at kryan@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 989-358-5693.

If you go

∫ WHAT: Fifth annual Chowder & Chili

Cook-off

∫ WHEN: Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday

∫ WHERE: Second

Avenue, from Chisholm Street to Park Place, downtown

∫ HOW MUCH:

$10 for a tasting ticket

∫ INFO: alpenadda.com or 989-356-6422