With summer winding down in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s back-to-school time for many students. While back-to-school time is usually associated with plastic binders, water bottles, pens, and other single-use plastics, it is possible to avoid a school year filled with toxic plastic.

During our August webinar, we learned why reusable, refillable, non-plastic school supplies like stainless steel lunch boxes and food storage containers are better for student health, the planet, and school and family budgets—and how to incorporate them into the school year. Our August Member Spotlight focused on Plastic Pollution Coalition (PPC) Members who are working to support and empower the youngest generations to build a world free of plastic pollution and its toxic impacts: Ahimsa, Beyond Plastics, Earth Guardians, and Wisdom Supply Co.

Reuse got a boost this month as NYC implemented its “Skip the Stuff” law, which requires restaurants to only distribute single-use plastic utensils and foodware upon request. We celebrate this policy achievement with PPC Member Beyond Plastics and other allies who helped support this legislation.

We also discussed policies and other real solutions to end plastic pollution, while calling out greenwashing, with popular media outlets. Grist published a story featuring PPC Advocacy & Engagement Manager Jackie Nuñez who shared her perspective on the movement to end plastic pollution and experience founding The Last Plastic Straw; and invited PPC Communications Manager Erica Cirino to weigh in on other stories about greenwashing relating to the term “circular economy” and recent research showing the true costs of “recycled” plastic in construction materials. Cirino also weighed in on a story for Voice of America emphasizing the costs of mass-produced fast fashion, which PPC intern Daniel Elbaz underscores in a recent blog.

Learn more about our recent activities and opportunities to get involved in solutions to plastic pollution below.

Onward,

Julia Cohen, MPH
Co-Founder & Managing Director
Plastic Pollution Coalition

P.S. Please consider making a donation to support our work to educate, connect, and advocate for a world free of plastic pollution.

★ Why We Need to Phase Plastic Out of Fashion
PPC Intern Daniel Elbaz makes a case to phase plastic out of fashion, in a recent blog post that describes the health, social, and environmental impacts of mass-produced synthetic apparel. Read the blog. 

★ Microplastics Found in Human Hearts
Microplastics, the tiny toxic particles that all plastics shed, appear to be accumulating in one of our bodies’ most important organs: our hearts. Last month, scientists published research from a small pilot study that shows evidence that microplastics are present in multiple types of human heart tissues, and backs up research confirming its presence in our blood. Read the blog.

★ August Webinar: Plastic-Free Back to School
During our August 17 webinar, we learned why reusable, refillable, non-plastic school supplies like stainless steel lunch boxes and food storage containers are better for student health, the planet, and wallets—and how to incorporate them into the school year. We also discussed how schools can incorporate reusable, plastic-free items and practices into their operations. The conversation included Jessica Campbell, Educator at Mount Madonna School; Debby Lee Cohen, Executive Director & Founder of Cafeteria Culture; and Heather Itzla, Founder of Wisdom Supply Co. The panel was moderated by Dr. Manasa Mantravadi, Pediatrician and Founder & CEO at Ahimsa. Watch the recording. 

★ Nanoplastics Are Entering Our Bodies
Plastic is in the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink. How does it get there—and what does it mean for human health? PPC Communications Manager Erica Cirino dives into these important questions in an adapted excerpt from her book, Thicker Than Water: The Quest for Solutions to the Plastic Crisis. Read the excerpt.

★ Bioplastics Are Not the Solution to Plastic Pollution
“Bioplastics” may sound too good to be true—materials that look, feel, and perform like conventional plastics, without some or all of the toxic fossil fuel-based ingredients, and with less impact on the climate and Earth. And that’s because they are too good to be true: most “bioplastics” do not benignly break down, often contain or are coated with hazardous chemicals, drive pollution and injustice, and perpetuate wasteful throwaway systems and single-use habits. We dispel the myths and discuss the facts in our recent blog. Read the blog. 

★ “Skip the Stuff” is Now the Law in NYC
We’re celebrating with our friends at Beyond Plastics the passage of the “Skip the Stuff” law in NYC, which means that restaurants should not provide single-use utensils, napkins, or condiment packages unless customers specifically ask for them. There are 3 ways you can help support this important new law:

• Call 311 to report any businesses who are not complying.
• Learn more here (there's a flier you can download and print out to give to restaurants)
• Spread the word about this new law so that others are aware of it.

Learn more. 

★ Did Plastic Straw Bans Work? Yes, But Not in the Way You’d Think
Journalist Harvin Bhathal writes for Grist about the legacy of efforts to eliminate single-use plastic straws, and how they shaped the larger movement to end plastic pollution through policies and other solutions. The story features PPC Advocacy & Engagement Manager Jackie Nuñez, who shared her perspective on the movement to end plastic pollution and experience founding The Last Plastic Straw with Bhathal. Read the article.

★ How the ‘Circular Economy’ Went from Environmentalist Dream to Marketing Buzzword
Also for Grist, journalist Joseph Winters explores the phenomenon of plastic producers and other industrial polluters using the term “circular economy”—and why experts are calling this out as greenwashing. PPC Communications Manager Erica Cirino weighs in on what the term now means, and what other terms may better describe efforts to end plastic pollution. Read the article.

★ Using ‘Recycled Plastic’ in Construction Materials May Not Be a Great Idea After All
PPC and other experts discussed our recent research in the journal Frontiers in Built Environment that reviews the true costs of downcycling used plastic into construction materials. In the story, PPC Communications Manager Erica Cirino, the study’s lead author, discusses that, while many studies describe the practice as a net positive for people and the environment, existing research is often full of glaring omissions of cost analyses that put human and planetary health and wellbeing at risk. Read the article.

★ Mass-Produced Clothing Causes Serious Air, Water Pollution Worldwide
PPC sheds further light on the consequences of fast fashion for Voice of America News. In an article out this month, journalist Debby Block interviewed PPC Communications Manager Erica Cirino about how the fashion industry’s prolific production of predominantly plastic clothing harms human health and the Earth, and drives environmental injustice. Read the article.

★ 5 Reasons I’m Convinced We Can Stop Climate Change
Outside Magazine journalist Kristin Hostetter asked PPC CEO and Co-Founder Dianna Cohen to weigh in on NYC’s new “Skip the Stuff” law for a hopeful article about the climate crisis. Every action that normalizes and encourages plastic-free reuse and refill systems, like this policy, is a step forward to eliminating wasteful single-use plastic and averting climate collapse. Plastic production, use, transportation, and disposal emit significant quantities of climate-warming greenhouse gases. Read the article.

★ September Webinar: Policy Matters: Solutions for a Plastic Pollution Free U.S.
Plastic pollution is an urgent threat to the climate, human health, communities, the environment, and wildlife. With industries set to triple their plastic production by 2060, public support for policies to reduce plastic pollution is growing across the world. From implementing bag bans and fees on single-use plastics, to rules that strengthen regulations on industrial polluters, communities and policymakers are using many strategies to address the growing plastic pollution crisis. Plastic pollution ultimately needs to be stopped at the source, and encouragingly, leaders in the United States are working to develop policy solutions that do just that. Bills like the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act and Reducing Waste in National Parks Act are legislative solutions intended to reduce and prevent single-use plastic and plastic’s many forms of pollution from impacting our climate, communities, waterways, and natural wonders. During our September 19 webinar, we will discuss policy solutions for addressing plastic pollution in the United States. Learn about key policy developments from decision makers and advocates who are leading these initiatives. Sign up.

★ The Green 2.0 Environmental Experts of Color Database Launch
The Green 2.0 Environmental Experts of Color Database addresses a pressing issue—the lack of diversity in experts providing testimony in the policymaking process nationally and locally. The database provides policymakers, organizations, and individuals with an expansive set of environmental and environmental justice leaders, and offers a more representative perspective on these issues. Join the database launch on September 14, at 1pm EST, to hear from key experts and policymakers about how we may implement practices and policies that build a more inclusive set of experts in the environmental sector. Sign up.

★ March to End Fossil Fuels in NYC
Join PPC Member Beyond Plastics and other allies in the movement to end plastic pollution at the March to End Fossil Fuels in NYC on September 17, at 1pm EST. Set to take place during this year’s NYC Climate Week, the March to End Fossil Fuels will be held as the United Nations calls on world leaders to take real steps to lead society away from fossil fuels to protect people and the planet. Sign up.

★ Beyond Plastics Grassroots Advocacy Trainings
We can achieve a world without plastic pollution but we need to build a bigger, more powerful grassroots movement to do it. Register for the upcoming Beyond Plastics Trainings for Local Groups and Affiliates to learn practical and powerful ways to end plastic pollution and engage your larger community. This online training is divided into two sessions that are each two hours long. You must complete both sessions, but you can attend them in any order you wish, and they are both offered twice during the month of September to ensure you can find a time that works with your schedule. Atencion hispanohablantes: Si necesita una traducción al español, envíe un correo electrónico a Megan a meganwolff2@bennington.edu. Learn more and register for free.

★ Promoting Reuse in Food Codes: Change Through BYO Practices
Join the Center for Biological Diversity for a special webinar session on how Bring Your Own Containers (BYO) practices can support reuse systems. Meet Anne-Marie Bonneau, aka the Zero-Waste Chef, and Michelle Brake, an Environmental Policy Analyst from Mind Your Plastic, who will bring unique perspectives on how BYO is practiced in Canada. Learn how this discussion about the Canadian experience can help us think through US federal and state food codes, and empowering communities. Meet on Zoom on September 25 at 1pm EST. Join here.

➤ Find more Events on our website.

★ Member Spotlight: Ahimsa, Beyond Plastics, Earth Guardians, Wisdom Supply Co.
PPC is proud to represent businesses and organizations that are addressing the plastic pollution crisis head on. From a wide range of industries and focuses, PPC Members are aligned in their mission to create a world free of plastic pollution and its toxic impacts on communities and ecosystems. To uplift and showcase their work, our monthly Member Spotlight blog gives readers an inside look at some of these influential change-makers. For August, we are featuring PPC Business and Organization Members with programs and products designed to prepare students, parents, guardians, and teachers to go back to school plastic-free for a healthier year ahead. Learn more.

★ PPC x Save The Waves Partnership
PPC has partnered with Save The Waves Coalition, an international non-profit working to protect surf ecosystems around the world, around the Save The Waves App, a coastal monitoring tool that empowers surfers and beach-goers to track threats to coastal ecosystems, such as plastic pollution, ghost fishing gear, erosion, and poor water quality, to name a few. The Save The Waves App connects the information from reports in real-time with local organizations leading clean ups, brand audits, and global trash mapping initiatives, among other local and global partners. Learn more. Also join the webinar on September 15 at 3pm EST about ongoing shoreline cleanup efforts in the Northeast Pacific region, including examination of microplastics distribution and discussion about how collaboration and community involvement can help with monitoring and remediation. Sign up.

★ Join the Coalition
Not yet a member of Plastic Pollution Coalition? You may join as an individual, organization, or business. Apply here.

★ Ban Plastic From School Lunchrooms & Protect Children's Health
Studies show that plastic in the food system can lead to harmful chemicals leaching into the foods our children eat. Today, there are more than 10,000 additives approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to serve, preserve, package, or modify the taste, look, texture, or nutrients in foods. However, a recent review of nearly 4,000 food additives showed that 64% of them had had no research showing they were safe for people to eat or drink. PPC Business Member AHIMSA is leading an effort to tell the U.S. Department of Agriculture to avoid using these materials in its school lunch program. Sign the petition.

★ Tell the U.S. Government: Take a Stronger Stance on the Global Plastics Treaty
Plastic production, transportation, use, and disposal threaten Earth’s communities, air, water, biodiversity, and soils. With UN Global Treaty negotiations underway through the end of 2024, the U.S. government (USG) has the unique opportunity to play a key role in the change we need on a worldwide level: instead of leading the world in generating the plastic pollution crisis, it's time for the USG to lead by forging ambitious solutions. Sign on to tell the USG to take a stronger stance on the Global Plastics Treaty. Outside the U.S.? Sign the petition calling on world leaders to create a bold, binding treaty to end plastic pollution.

★ Tell EPA: Don’t Replace Lead Pipes with Plastic Pollution
The U.S. Federal government has approved $15 billion to replace toxic lead services lines bringing water into the homes of 22 million people in the U.S. Lead pipes should be replaced with non-toxic materials, not plastics like PVC. Plastic pipe materials can similarly leach toxic chemicals and microplastics that accumulate in the environment and in our bodies. PPC and our allies are working to ensure this funding goes to safe, non-plastic solutions that put community health and safety first. Sign the petition.

★ Tell Coca-Cola: It's Time to Prioritize Health Over Profits
New research that traces Coca-Cola’s plastic bottle supply chain brings to light further evidence of air and water pollution, climate pollution, and environmental racism that may be wrought by the beverage industry’s addiction to cheap plastic bottles made from oil and gas. Worldwide, it is estimated that the beverage industry buys more than 500 billion plastic bottles every year to package its products, and that Coke alone buys a fifth of those. In the newly released report titled Hidden Hazards: The Chemical Footprint of a Plastic Bottle, Defend Our Health detailed evidence that the chemical footprint of plastic bottles is unsustainable and they are challenging The Coca-Cola Company to put consumers first and move to secure commitments from its suppliers to end any use of cancer-causing toxic plastic additives like antimony that may be harmful to our health. Sign the petition.

➤ Find more Petitions on our website.

★ Marine Debris Foundation Grants
The Marine Debris Foundation (MDF) is pleased to launch the first round of its Marine Debris Grants. The MDF seeks to address the problem of marine debris through diverse partnerships, initiatives, and creative solutions. It prioritizes grantmaking to eliminate marine debris and plastic pollution, and to augment the efforts and impact of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program. As such, any proposed project should fit into one or more of the following marine debris/plastic pollution focal areas: reduction, prevention, removal, and assessment. The deadline is August 31, at 11:59pm Pacific Time—but the application is relatively simple if you are just learning of this opportunity. Apply here.

★ Emerging Leaders Fund
The Claneil Foundation created the Emerging Leaders Fund to support the critical role that executive directors play in launching and growing early-stage organizations. The Foundation awards a four-year unrestricted general operating grant totaling $300,000 to each recipient’s organization along with access to a support network of peers. Recipients are selected based on their creative vision, leadership capacity, potential for impact, and commitment to innovation and learning in one or more of the following issue areas: education, hunger and nutrition/food systems, health and human services, and environment. Please note that the Claneil Foundation does not accept self-nominations. Nominations are due by September 15, 2023.

★ 21st Anniversary International Ocean Film Festival
The International Ocean Film Foundation (IOFF) is best known for producing the International Ocean Film Festival in San Francisco, California, now in its 21st year and is considered the largest ocean themed film festival in the world. The 2024 festival is scheduled for April 13–14. The call for film submissions is now open until December 31, with an early deadline of October 12. Award categories include Animation, Conservation, Coastal and Island Cultures, Director, DEI, Environment, Female Filmmaker, Golden Gate (recognition of a local Bay Area filmmaker) Innovation, Marine Science/Wildlife, Ocean Sports and Exploration, and Short. Submit your film here.

★ Explore Plastic Pollution Coalition’s Resource Library
A wealth of resources are available in our online library to help educate and mobilize individuals to take action on plastic pollution. From research and reports to educational materials, the library has something for everyone. Whether you're an individual looking to reduce your own plastic footprint or an organization looking to make a bigger impact, PPC's resource library is a great place to start. Explore the Resource Library.