Ditch plastic packaging: Shop at your local refillery
A wave of new retail businesses are eliminating single-use plastic packaging entirely, showing us what a future with dramatically less plastic could look like.
Beyond plastic
America's plastic problem has gotten way out of hand.
Most of us diligently recycle, take reusable bags with us when we shop, and look for new ways to stop using so much single use plastic “stuff”. Our individual actions are necessary, but won’t be enough. The good news is that the momentum to move beyond plastic is growing. More states, communities and businesses are getting rid of plastic bags, foam containers and other plastic “stuff” we can live without.
The Latest on Beyond plastic
Too much of a good thing? The environmental downside of the “Stanley cup” craze.
A look back at what our unique network accomplished in 2023
Featured Resources
Reducing plastic waste in the states
Trash in America
10 steps Whole Foods can immediately take to reduce single-use plastic
Refill, Return, Reimagine: Innovative Solutions to Reduce Wasteful Packaging
Did you know?
In 2015, Americans landfilled or incinerated over 50 million tons of compostable waste. That is enough to fill a line of fully-loaded 18-wheelers, stretching from New York City to Los Angeles ten times.
What We're Doing
Increasing compost can quickly and efficiently decrease methane emissions in landfills and restore soil health.
The Latest
10 steps Whole Foods can immediately take to reduce single-use plastic
The national chain prides itself on being a green grocer, but in reality, their promises fall short. Here are 10 steps that Whole Foods should take – many of which have already been taken by other retailers – to be more sustainable and ultimately be an industry leader once again.
Our environment pays the price for plastic, and so do consumers
It’s the plastics industry’s worst-kept secret: a huge percentage of their products are designed to be used once then thrown away -- and yet it’s us, the consumers, who are left to pay for the cleanup.
Plastic waste solutions hiding in plain sight: Recycled content requirements
This blog is the second in a series examining policy solutions to the plastic pollution crisis that are proven and replicable. This section covers recycled content requirements.
Plastic waste solutions hiding in plain sight: Single-use plastic product bans
This blog is the first in a series examining policy solutions to the plastic pollution crisis that are proven and replicable. This section covers single-use plastic product bans.
U.S. PIRG Education Fund urges the public to hold Coca-Cola accountable on its pledge to reduce plastic use
The Coca-Cola Company, a top plastic polluter according to a 2020 Brand Audit from the nonprofit Break Free From Plastic, announced a new commitment today to start using plastic bottles made with 100 percent recycled plastic for select brands in some U.S. states. According to the company, it would account for a nearly 20 percent reduction of new plastic used in North America compared to 2018. The commitment follows similar ones made by other major consumer goods companies, recently documented by U.S. PIRG Education Fund.
Team
Park
Faye
Park
Executive Vice President; President, PIRG