Beyond Plastic
Join us in calling on our leaders to eliminate the single-use plastic we can live without, and to get plastic makers to take financial responsibility for their waste.
From the time you woke up this morning until the time you go to bed tonight, our country will throw away enough plastic to fill the Dallas Cowboys stadium — the country’s largest football stadium — to the brim. To make matters worse, most of that plastic probably won’t get recycled. Globally, only 9% of plastics are currently being recycled. In fact, 50% of all plastic produced is intended to be used once and then thrown away. And since most plastic takes hundreds of years to fully degrade, almost every bit of that plastic will still be out there piling up in landfills, littering our streets, and polluting our environment for generations to come.
Together we can tackle our plastic waste crisis. The first step is to get more states to ban the single-use plastics we can all live without and we can call on lawmakers to implement policies that will hold plastic producers financially responsible for their waste. And we can get major companies to get rid of the single-use plastics throughout their operations.
Updates
Bill to eliminate plastic film bags at checkout passes Oregon legislature with bipartisan support, heads to governor’s desk
Oregon House passes bill to eliminate all plastic film bags at checkout
Governor Ferguson signs Recycling Reform Act into law
What You Can Do
I hope to see the fashion industry shift toward sustainability by reducing waste, prioritizing ethical practices, and focusing on quality over quantity.Anthony Bui, Georgia PIRG Student at Georgia State University
Anthony Bui
I hope that more consumers realize the implications of fast fashion, how much precious water is being wasted, and how much money they can save by just wearing mended and thrifted clothing.Arabelle Arnold - Hoffmann, Georgia PIRG Student at Georgia State University, Waste is Out of Fashion Campaign volunteer
Arabelle Arnold – Hoffmann
As an activist and advocate for a cleaner climate, it is disheartening to see so many people purchase attire that contributes heavily to the degradation of our planet. It doesn't have to be this way.Nathaniel Lee Atkins, CLEAN Grassroots Coordinator with Georgia PIRG Students, Georgia State University
Nathaniel Lee Atkins
As a student leader, finding ways for students to mobilize and use their voice effectively is always paramount. In my role as President, I encourage sustainable fashion by developing other student leaders to lead campaigns and host events that educate other students about fast fashion.Caleb Gustavson, President of Georgia PIRG Students at Georgia State University
Caleb Gustavson
Metamorphic Gear is an upcycler of used and unwanted materials such as sails, truck tarpaulin and climbing rope. I intercept the different materials that are destined for the landfill to create stylish bags and accessories.Lindsay Lawrence, Founder & Owner of Metamorphic Gear, Washington
Lindsay Lawrence
Team
Domenitz
Janet
Domenitz
Executive Director, MASSPIRG
Katz
Danny
Katz
Executive Director, CoPIRG
Engstrom
Jenn
Engstrom
State Director, CALPIRG
Rakov
Susan
Rakov
Managing Director, Frontier Group; Senior Vice President, The Public Interest Network
Find Out More
Is plastic food wrapping bad for you?
The hidden lifecycle of plastic
Hundreds of volunteers participated in first-ever International Plastic Pellet Count
