Imagine a world without glitter... at least, the kind that's secretly harming our environment. A group of Anchorage Girl Scouts decided enough was enough, and their determination led to a groundbreaking decision by the Anchorage School Board! These young women successfully championed a resolution to ban plastic glitter from all schools within the district. It's a victory, but it's also a wake-up call about the hidden dangers lurking in our everyday lives. But here's where it gets controversial... is banning glitter a step too far, or is it a necessary sacrifice for the sake of our planet?
The Anchorage School Board officially gave the green light to this initiative on Tuesday night, thanks to the relentless efforts of Girl Scout Troop 436. For months, these girls meticulously planned and advocated for their 'bio-glitter initiative' (you can find out more about it here: https://sites.google.com/view/the-bioglitter-initiative/home). Their plan is ingenious: instead of simply throwing away the existing plastic glitter, they'll repurpose it into a stunning art project this spring, giving it a final, meaningful purpose before it's gone for good.
The brainchild behind this movement is Sylvie Wailand, a ninth-grader from Polaris K-12 School. Her motivation is twofold: to drastically reduce microplastic pollution in our environment and to empower others to believe that even a single person can ignite significant change within their community. "We all hope that not only will it benefit the people of the district, but the community in general by reducing microplastics," Wailand explained. Think about that for a moment - a teenager leading the charge to protect our environment!
The resolution (available here: https://go.boarddocs.com/ak/asdk12/Board.nsf/files/DNS2LQ02BBA3/$file/M102A%20-%202025-02%20Eliminate%20Plastic%20Glitter%20as%20an%20Intentional%20Microplastic.pdf) received unanimous support from the school board. While the resolution itself is nonbinding, one board member, Andy Holleman, is already planning to propose a regulation change that would permanently prohibit future purchases of plastic glitter for Anchorage schools. This would firmly steer the district towards using eco-friendly, biodegradable glitter alternatives. And this is the part most people miss... it's not just about banning something; it's about actively promoting a better, more sustainable solution.
Furthermore, the resolution includes a crucial component: educating students about the detrimental effects of microplastic pollution. Imagine classrooms filled with informed and environmentally conscious young citizens! The district plans to use the remaining plastic glitter to create a resin art sculpture by students at Polaris, visually representing the problem and the solution in a powerful way.
What's truly inspiring is that this entire initiative was spearheaded by the students themselves. It all started when the districtwide student government, the Student Advisory Board, gave the resolution its initial stamp of approval. This demonstrates the power of youth leadership and civic engagement.
But what exactly are microplastics, and why are they so harmful? Microplastics are any plastic fragments smaller than 5 millimeters in length. These tiny particles have been proven to have devastating consequences for our water systems, wildlife, and even human health. They can contaminate our food chain and potentially leach harmful chemicals into our bodies.
Wailand collaborated with a dedicated team of students from various high schools, including Emily Brubaker, Althea Parrish, and Annabelle Slinker from West Anchorage High School; Mackenzie Elliott and Charlotte Nelson from South High; and Adalyn Waldren from Dimond High School. Their shared history as elementary students at Aquarian Charter School and their involvement in Troop 436 forged a strong bond and a common purpose.
The idea for the bio-glitter initiative arose as the girls were working towards earning their Girl Scout Silver Award (learn more here: https://www.girlscouts.org/en/members/for-girl-scouts/badges-journeys-awards/highest-awards/silver-award.html), which recognizes impactful community projects. It's a testament to their commitment to making a real difference.
Dyani Chapman, the state director for the Alaska Environment Research and Policy Center, played a vital role in guiding the Girl Scouts through the resolution process. She highlighted a disturbing statistic from a 2023 survey (https://environmentamerica.org/alaska/center/resources/southcentral-alaskas-water-and-microplastics/) conducted around Southcentral Alaska: a staggering 100% of the 39 water sources tested contained microplastics! This underscores the urgency of addressing this pollution crisis.
"Having more microplastics in our water will make all of the risks — both to wildlife and to our environment and to human health — increase, and we’ll just see more of the problems that plastics cause," Chapman warned. "Any effort that we can make to reduce the amount of plastic pollution that is getting out into our environment is worthy." It's a simple equation: less plastic in our environment equals a healthier future for everyone.
The key difference between plastic glitter and biodegradable glitter lies in their longevity. Plastic glitter, made from tiny pieces of shiny plastic, stubbornly resists breaking down in the environment. On the other hand, biodegradable glitter, crafted from natural materials like cellulose or eucalyptus, decomposes over time, eliminating the risk of plastic and chemical contamination.
Slinker emphasized that there's virtually no noticeable difference in appearance or performance between the two types of glitter. "It gets everywhere, it stays on your clothes for like three weeks. But because it’s biodegradable, we don’t worry as much about the harm that it causes to the environment because it’ll decompose," Slinker explained. "It looks the same. You cannot tell the difference between the two, you can just feel it in your heart that you’re making the better choice." It's about making a conscious decision to prioritize sustainability without sacrificing the fun and sparkle.
One potential hurdle is the cost. Biodegradable glitter can be more expensive than its plastic counterpart. However, the girls in Troop 436 secured over $10,000 in funding from the Aspen Institute (https://www.aspeninstitute.org/news/crg-seed-grants-2025/) and as Carnegie Young Leaders for Civic Preparedness (https://citizensandscholars.org/500-gen-zers-named-2025-carnegie-young-leaders/) to support their initiative. Demonstrating incredible dedication, they even redirected some of their individual stipends back into the project, helping teachers offset the cost of switching to biodegradable glitter. The Unicorn Sparkle Association, a supplier of biodegradable glitter, also offered them a generous discount on 100 packets.
The Girl Scouts' initial outreach involved presenting their bio-glitter initiative to elementary school art teachers in the district. They distributed a survey created by Elliott, and the results were overwhelmingly positive: every single art teacher who responded supported the transition to biodegradable glitter alternatives.
"From the survey results we know that glitter is being used in ASD, but it’s not as much as you might expect, which is why we think it should be easier to make the switch to biodegradable glitter," Brubaker noted. This suggests that the transition may be smoother and more cost-effective than initially anticipated.
During that October meeting, the Girl Scouts distributed dozens of classroom kits to teachers. These kits, thoughtfully assembled by Nelson, contained packets of biodegradable glitter, engaging lesson plans, thought-provoking discussion questions, and informative educational resources about microplastic pollution. It was a complete package designed to empower teachers to embrace the change.
"The main consumers of glitter are younger children, so I started making teacher kits to help elementary art teachers implement biodegradable glitter in their classrooms and teach students about microplastics," Nelson explained. By targeting younger children, they're fostering a new generation of environmentally conscious citizens.
Brubaker is no stranger to civic engagement. She won (https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/education/2024/11/22/anchorage-middle-schooler-triumphs-in-national-civic-engagement-competition/) the inaugural National Civics Bee last year. She also demonstrated her commitment to education by writing and self-publishing a children’s book (https://www.amazon.com/All-that-Glitters-GOLD-microplastics/dp/B0FWC6QZ9G) called “All that Glitters is not GOLD” to teach elementary school students about the harmful effects of microplastic pollution. She even offered to donate 100 copies of her book to Anchorage elementary schools, further amplifying her impact.
Wailand hopes that the final resin sculpture, incorporating the remaining plastic glitter, will find a permanent home at the Anchorage Museum, serving as a lasting reminder of the Girl Scouts' achievement and the importance of environmental stewardship.
Adding another layer to their efforts, the girls hosted a Glitter Gala (https://sites.google.com/view/the-bioglitter-initiative/glitter-gala-and-governance-workshop) and Governance Workshop last month, attended by numerous elected officials and over 100 Girl Scouts. Brubaker moderated a panel discussion featuring state Sen. Elvi Gray-Jackson, state Rep. Carolyn Hall, Anchorage Mayor Suzanne LaFrance, and Anchorage School Board member Kelly Lessens.
"Their civic engagement is something that every Alaskan should be proud of," Hall commented after the event. Their dedication and leadership are shining examples for young people across the state.
So, what do you think? Is banning plastic glitter a worthwhile endeavor, or are we overreacting to a minor environmental concern? Should schools be focusing on other, more pressing issues? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
