Beyond Plastics

Time is running out to make your tax-deductible year-end gift to help end plastic pollution and have it MATCHED by a group of generous Beyond Plastics donors! Give by midnight tonight, 12/31 to qualify for both a 2024 tax deduction and the matching gift offer. Thank you for helping to put people and planet over plastic. Give (x2) at: https://lnkd.in/ePsQQ3uD

We wish you a happy and healthy holiday season without any microplastics in your cookies. 🍪 Thank you for your support and dedication to moving the world beyond plastic. 🙏 Special thanks to the amazing artist, Roz Chast for generously giving us permission to use her artwork and for making us laugh on a regular basis.

President-elect Trump has tapped NY GOP Congressman Lee Zeldin to lead the EPA. According to the Washington Post, Zeldin “lacks extensive experience in environmental policy” and “is pledging to deliver on the president-elect’s promise to eliminate several environmental regulations that the fossil fuel industry views as burdensome.” Worse yet, Zeldin has earned a 14% lifetime environmental voting record in Congress. And when Zeldin served in the NYS Legislature, his record was so bad that he actually “won” an Oil Slick Award from Environmental Advocates NY. With the forthcoming changes in federal leadership, Beyond Plastics’ work has never been more critical or more urgent. From now through 12/31, every dollar you donate will be MATCHED by a small group of donors, $1:$1, up to $50K to power our work in 2025 as we enter a very different political landscape. Give (x2) at: https://lnkd.in/ePsQQ3uD

Big congrats to Youngstown, Ohio, Jamael Brown on receiving the Energy Justice Champion award! It's a well-deserved honor for his efforts to protect Ohioans from the proposed SOBE chemical recycling plant.

Pennsylvanians may have a gross new neighbor if the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) doesn't withdrawal its proposal for a plastic-polluting project in Erie. In today's TribLIVE, Beyond Plastics Appalachia director Jess Conard urges DOE Secretary Jennifer Granholm to revoke this loan: https://lnkd.in/eNZmbfxA

There's been a lot of talk of black plastic in the news lately. How safe are your black-plastic spatulas and spoons? Beyond Plastics president Judith Enck spoke to The Washington Post to set the record straight. 

Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm must reject the provisional loan guarantee to IRG in Erie, PA that would add more toxic plastic pollution to an EJ community TODAY.  Secretary Granholm, please don't leave office without standing up to protect the health of Erie's residents and environment. Plastic must not become the new coal as it is a major driver of the climate crisis + also contains hundreds of chemicals, many of which are toxic. https://bit.ly/doe-burning

One benzene reading was three times the Texas hourly guideline, the weakest in the nation. In two instances, benzene fumes were so strong that scientists experienced headaches and had to leave the area. This is a must-read from Public Health Watch.

Despite ranking as the world's largest single-use plastic polluter in Break Free From Plastic's annual Brand Audit for the past six years, last week, Coca-Cola quietly reneged on its 2022 pledge to deliver 25% of its drinks in reusable bottles by 2030, saying it can't be done. However, Coca-Cola has actually proven that it can be done via a refillables pilot project they've been running with great success in El Paso, TX for several years. We call BS and we think you should, too. Contact the company's chief sustainability officer now at: https://lnkd.in/eyiU-hG4 #toxicplastic #planetoverplastic #embracereuse #refusesingleuse #plasticbottles #noexcuseforsingleuse #beyondplastics #breakfreefromplastic

Coca-Cola has just quietly scrapped its 25% reusable packaging target, backpedaling on key sustainability commitments. But in El Paso, TX, over 100 restaurants are proving refillable glass bottles work. Coke’s Secret Refill Pilot, produced by The Story of Stuff Project and hosted by actor Yareli Arizmendi, uncovers this successful reuse model and raises the question: If reuse works in El Paso, why isn’t Coca-Cola scaling it globally? It’s time for the beverage industry to mainstream reuse and step away from plastic. Watch the full video on YouTube: https://lnkd.in/ebz82mVH #cocacola #plasticpollution #reuse #refill