The Story of Stuff Project

Here's what you need to know from the world of #plastics this week: ♻️ Most of the products in the typical kitchen use plastics that are virtually impossible to recycle. Now Consumer Brands Association is pressuring regulators to make plastic appear more environmentally friendly. Thanks to ProPublica and Lisa Song for the much-needed coverage: https://shorturl.at/bphJu 🦠 Despite the fact that we've known for 40 years that vinyl chloride causes cancer in humans, it's still widely used. Last December, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) started the process required to limit or ban vinyl chloride. Join Beyond Plastics to urge EPA to ban vinyl chloride before 10/23 deadline for public comments: https://shorturl.at/dzJf5 📝 Rep. Larry Bucshon, M.D. (R-Ind.) and Don Davis (D-N.C.) are sponsoring sweeping recycling legislation backed by the plastics industry. The plan would promote chemical recycling technologies rebuked by environmentalists. Read more in POLITICO, reported by Ellie Borst: https://shorturl.at/LYECq

Does recycling actually get recycled? That's the question one woman in Houston asked – and took it upon herself to find out. Check out this KHOU 11 story to see what she learned. CBS News Correspondent: Ben Tracy. https://lnkd.in/gJ55iEdH

You might have seen Amazon’s latest partnerships with TikTok and Pinterest, which will allow and encourage you to buy Amazon products without leaving the apps. It’s the latest tactic to further accelerate overconsumption. If you’re anything like us, you know this is terrible news – as these tech giants profit, people and the planet pay the price. Let’s break down the real impact of this shopping spree: Every click fuels a chain reaction—one that starts with extraction and production and ends in a landfill. Fast fashion items, shiny gadgets, and microtrends (remember the Stanley cup craze?) have short lifespans, pushing us toward a cycle of constant consumption. This isn’t just bad for your wallet; it’s disastrous for our planet. The carbon footprint of shipping, the waste from returns (many of which, by the way, end up in the landfill), and the environmental cost of constant production all add up. Behind every “add to cart” is a person who made, packed, or shipped that product. Many of these workers face harsh conditions, significant health risks, low wages, and job insecurity. Big tech’s pursuit of profit comes at the expense of human rights. The more we buy into the idea that stuff equals happiness, the more we get trapped in a loop of mindless consumption. This isn’t just about cluttering our homes; it clutters our minds, too. As tech giants continue turning your social feed into a nonstop commercial, what can you do to fight back? Consider repair. Before buying something new, try fixing what you have – mend that sweater, polish the rusted jewelry, sand and repaint the chipped furniture. Just like cooking a meal is satisfying because of all the labor you put in, repair can be more gratifying than simply replacing an item. To get started, learn basic repair skills online or attend a local workshop with friends. And don’t forget to learn about your Right to Repair – remember, many manufacturers purposely make it difficult and expensive to repair your own stuff, like appliances and electronics. You can support legislation in your state that makes it easier, more affordable, and more accessible to fix what you own. Focus on buying only what you truly need, and when you do need to make a purchase, buy used. Whether it’s clothes, electronics, or furniture, there are marketplaces for pre-loved items that don’t only have a reduced carbon footprint, but are also much more gentle on your wallet. Or, you can choose not to pay at all – join your local The Buy Nothing Project group, where you can give and receive items within your community for free. Say no to the scroll, and yes to what truly matters. Don’t let any company convince you that happiness is just one purchase away (and one more, again and again). Read more on our blog: https://lnkd.in/ejzT6Vwg

Dr. Bronner's is teaming up with Jimbo's to build a pathway to reusable packaging. "Plastic is an existential threat to our business," said Darcy Shiber-Knowles (she/her), Dr. Bronner's director of operational stability and innovation. "There is a global plastic pollution crisis. Our plastic is the No. 1 complaint we receive from consumers—about 40% of complaints have to do with plastic." It's great to see an increasing consumer demand for robust reuse and refill systems, and we LOVE that some businesses are responding to this demand with real solutions. More of this, please! News story by New Hope Network, reported by Douglas Brown.

Want to know the proposed priorities for the new President to reduce #PlasticPollution? Our friends over at Beyond Plastics released a comprehensive set of 27 policy recommendations, all aimed at reducing the production of plastics by 50% over the next 10 years. Why reduction? Pew Charitable Trusts’ “Breaking the Plastic Wave” report estimated that almost half of the world’s projected 2040 demand for plastics could be met with plastic reduction and substitution with other materials. We cannot recycle our way out of this crisis – we have to rethink our plastic use and reduce it at the source. https://lnkd.in/eh96uj38

“That’s like trying to bail out a bathtub with a teaspoon while the tap is on full blast.” Quite a visual, right? The Story of Plastic video short (by The Story of Stuff Project) is one of the resources I recommend to friends when they ask about recycling, circularity, and plastics. (The bathtub analogy is at 3:17).  The video explains the unsustainable pattern of extraction, consumption, and disposal in which we’re all stuck. We can’t downcycle, incinerate, or landfill our way out of this overflowing bathtub. Sustainability, the waste crisis, the climate crisis - all of this can feel overwhelming. But understanding the current state of affairs is the first step toward making more informed, evidence-based decisions about the materials we use and how we dispose of them. Give the video a watch, put down that teaspoon, and turn off the tap. 🛁 #circularity #evidencebasedsustainability #thestoryofplastic

If you've followed our work, you know how we feel about Coca-Cola's sustainability claims (if you don't, watch our video EXPOSED: The Truth Behind Coca-Cola’s Advertising.) And it's not just us – The Coca-Cola Company is now facing a lawsuit challenging its sustainability claims. The suit alleges that Coca-Cola’s advertising misled consumers by portraying the company as environmentally friendly while continuing to be one of the largest plastic polluters globally. This legal battle highlights the muuch-needed growing scrutiny of corporate #greenwashing and the need for genuine accountability. Let’s keep pushing for companies to commit to real change. Read more in this Bloomberg Law article. Reporter: Clara Hudson.

A recent report by Inside Climate News highlights the growing issue of #ChemicalRecycling facilities in Houston that are failing to deliver on their promises. Despite significant investments, these advanced recycling plants are struggling to operate at scale, leading to mounting piles of plastic waste. The plastics industry often touts chemical recycling as a breakthrough solution, but the reality is far from it. Contaminated and mixed plastics continue to overwhelm these facilities, with low recovery rates and ongoing operational challenges. As a result, communities are left to bear the environmental and economic costs of plastic pollution. It’s time to focus on real solutions like reducing plastic production, enhancing reuse systems, and supporting legislation that prioritizes sustainable alternatives. Thank you to organizations like Beyond Plastics, Break Free From Plastic, and Greenpeace for pushing for systemic changes in how we handle plastic waste. Let's advocate for policies that move us towards a truly #CircularEconomy. #PlasticPollution #Sustainability #WasteReduction #Advocacy

Is burning plastic a climate solution? The U.S. Department of Energy just announced $182 million of #InflationReductionAct funding meant for climate solutions will go to burning plastic waste. The money has been conditionally promised for a yet-to-be constructed facility in Erie, Pennsylvania, that would accept 160,000 tons of plastic waste per year. The facility would bring 400 diesel trucks per day through a low-income community and create a fire risk. Our friends over at Beyond Plastics are fighting against these anti-climate efforts. If you want to help us oppose this before it's too late, sign this Action Network petition addressed to US Dept Of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm.

Water is life. In 2023 alone, Nestlé-successor BlueTriton removed 104 million gallons of water from our public lands in the San Bernardino National Forest. Over the past year we have repeatedly reminded the Forest Service of its legal responsibilities, submitted enforcement petitions, met with officials, and more. Then, in June, we provided funding to help a local partner, Save Our Forest Association, sue the Forest Service to ratchet up the pressure even more. That lawsuit has prompted a BIG decision – the Forest Service has ordered BlueTriton to turn off the tap once and for all, ending a decades-long theft of public water! And just last week, the Forest Service invited local advocates to develop a plan for the restoration of Strawberry Creek, which has been dewatered by BlueTriton and its predecessors for decades. This is a huge win. But BlueTriton isn’t going down without a fight, so we’ve got to keep the pressure on. Watch a special message of thanks from Retired Forest Service biologist Steve Loe. Steve really brings home the incredible partnership we’ve forged over the last six years between national, state and local organizations and individuals to protect Strawberry Creek: https://lnkd.in/e4uwAiVH