States are breaking up with plastic this Valentine’s Day

Roses are red, violets are blue, states are working to break up with plastic and you should too. 

This Valentine’s Day, CALPIRG joined the Solutions For Plastic Pollution Coalition for “States are Breaking up with Plastic,” a virtual event to celebrate the work being done around the country to move states beyond plastic.  

Let’s face it — our relationship with plastics is toxic. Plastic lasts forever, which sounds romantic until you consider that virtually every plastic bag, straw, utensil, or wrapper that has ever escaped into the environment is still out there, littering our communities and polluting our waterways and ocean. 

That’s why state leaders from environmental and consumer groups came together this Valentine’s Day to talk about work being done around the country to end our toxic relationship with plastic. 

Whether it’s banning foam take out containers and plastic bags or setting state goals to reduce plastic packaging, state action can help reduce plastic pollution. 

We were joined by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who has been leading efforts in our state to hold plastic companies accountable for polluting our communities.

Just in the last year, Attorney General Bonta has launched an investigation into the fossil fuel and petrochemical industries for their role in causing and exacerbating the global plastics pollution crisis and perpetuating the myth that recycling can solve the plastics crisis.  He has also launched an investigation into plastic bag companies in California, demanding they substantiate their claims that the thick bags that have become so common in California are actually recyclable. 

These state actions are critical to reducing unnecessary plastic waste. To find out how you can help, sign up to get action alerts from CALPIRG.