An international group of 90 NGO’s has recently come together to lay out a vision for a future free from plastic pollution. Including some of the global leading organisations such as Greenpeace, Oceana, Plastic Pollution Coalition, Friends of the Earth and the Taiwan Watch Institute, the Break Free from Plastic Coalition is looking to raise the awareness of plastic pollution and the increasing impact it is having on the earth’s ecosystems.
The Vision Statement sets 10 goals that include: striving for a world in which our lifestyles fit within the limitations of the environment; where waste is reduced, first and foremost; the lifecycle of materials are considered by producers; toxic substances are eliminated from production; and zero waste systems are implemented worldwide to reduce burden on landfills and incinerators.
Check out their video below.
“This is the first time that groups from all around the world ave come together to find a common solution to plastic pollution,” said Monica Wilson from GAIA. “It shows the evolution of a movement that is pushing governments, cities and major companies to solve this ever growing problem. This isn’t just about managing the problem. It’s about preventing it in the first place.”
“For years, the plastics industry has been telling us that all plastics are recyclable, but what we find in the field demonstrates that we can not recycle our way out of the plastic pollution problem,” said Martin Bourque, Executive Director of the Ecology Center who runs the United States’ longest operating curbside recycling program.
The Break Free From Plastic is such an important group that has been formed out of necessity to address a global issue. You can join officially by going to their homepage, and sharing it on social media. And always remember to try and reduce your consumption by thinking about reducing waste.