Californians Rally Behind Landmark Plastics Reduction Bill
This week, the west steps of the Sacramento State Capitol turned into a carnival of color and passion as activists united to call on legislators to take bold steps addressing the plastic crisis. This was a demonstration of recent polling showing that 90% of Californians are concerned about plastic pollution. Story of Stuff joined environmental groups, recyclers, waste haulers, students, businesses,...
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Debunking the Plastic Industry’s Myths on California’s Plastic Pollution Reduction Bill
Last month, legislators voted to advance the California Circular Economy and Plastic Pollution Reduction Act, representing what would be the most comprehensive state-wide legislation in the US to reduce plastic pollution. It would phase out nonrecyclable single-use plastics, and redefine what’s truly recyclable. This is the basis we need for a circular system — with more recycled material going into...
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Host a Plastic Free July Kickoff Party!
Want to share Plastic Free July with your friends and community? Host a kickoff house party! It’s an opportunity to come together in solidarity and action around one of the most urgent social and environmental issues of our time. Sign up to host an event here, and read below for activity ideas for your event. Screen The Story of Plastic...
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A Crossroads on Plastic Pollution
Until 2018, 4000 shipping containers of trash were exported from the US to China daily. As the environmental costs of importing plastic have crystallized, and one country after another bans plastic imports, we’ve seen a desperate scramble from Western countries to find new places to send their trash. As this new long-term reality sets in, plastic production is on course...
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Why We’re Supporting the WATER Act
Water systems around the United States are increasingly falling upon hard times. Some water lines were built over a century ago, and many systems have old lead and cast iron pipes that need to be replaced to ensure that Americans have access to safe public drinking water. In the coming weeks, we will be releasing our latest animation that explores...
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100 Things to Do During Screen-Free Week
Screen-Free Week is an annual invitation to play, explore, and rediscover the joys of life beyond ad-supported screens – sign up here to participate! From April 29 to May 5, 2019, thousands of families, schools, and communities around the world will put down their entertainment screens for seven days of fun, connection, and discovery. It’s an opportunity to reflect on...
Read moreOrganize a Brand Audit
Let’s reveal who’s really responsible for plastic pollution Help bring accountability to Big Plastic polluters by organizing a brand audit in your community! This massive, rolling citizen science project with the #breakfreefromplastic movement spans from San Francisco to Surabaya. It’s a great way to clean up your community while participating in the global movement working to end plastic pollution. Ready to...
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Supporting the Right to Repair
Things break. Wear and tear is normal, but throwing away otherwise functional devices shouldn’t be. Rather than sending broken items to the landfill or paying companies an arm and a leg to fix them, we think you have the right to repair broken devices yourself. For years, our friends at iFixit have been helping people do that. They provide repair...
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Did Nestlé Use the Shutdown for Good PR?
Overflowing bathrooms, decimated habitat, and widespread litter: the impacts of the government shutdown on our nation’s national parks grow each day that they remain open without staff oversight and management.1 In response, individuals, organizations, and corporations have volunteered to help out with the clean-up. One of these volunteers is Nestlé Waters North America, which released this statement last week: “At...
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Give me Convenience or Give Me Death
At this point in modern life, we likely touch plastic more than we touch our loved ones. Plastic has become a ubiquitous symbol of globalization. Most of us have a limited relationship to this material, experiencing it only from purchase to disposal. But there is a whole story that exists before and after when we come into contact with it,...
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Debunking the Michigan Container Deposit Repeal Bill
This week, members of Michigan’s lame duck legislature introduced a bill that could repeal Michigan’s 40-year-old bottle deposit law. If passed, the bill would undermine a successful bottling collection program that has recovered an average of 96% of bottles sold. What’s a container deposit? Container deposits are a system designed to reduce pollution by incentivizing the return of bottles. It adds...
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How to stop half a trillion bottles polluting our planet each year
If you go to the hospital with a sharp pain in your left shoulder — a well-known indicator of a heart attack — any doctor worth her salt will start by investigating the health of your heart, not just your shoulder. Similarly, when it comes to addressing the plastics crisis, it’s time we think like doctors and seek solutions to...
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What we learned from 100 cleanups around the world – and what comes next
Earlier this month, hundreds of Changemakers from The Story of Stuff Project community gathered at beaches, parks, and other public spaces from Melbourne to Mumbai. Their mission was simple: collect plastic trash in the environment, tally the brands that appeared, and grow the global movement to hold Big Plastic accountable. What we achieved together Over the course of the Global...
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The Campaign for Fresh Water in Michigan
Story of Stuff partner FLOW has announced model legislation to protect Michigan’s public waters from unauthorized privatization. Earlier this year, we released A Tale of Two Cities, a short documentary telling the story of Michigan’s battle for the public control of water. We explored the threat of privatization through the eyes of local activists in Flint, facing an ongoing water...
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Global Week of Action: Host a Brand Audit!
Thanks for your interest in hosting a brand audit as part of the #breakfreefromplastic global week of action, September 10-16 2018. This page is intended to share more about what a brand audit is, how it fits into the global strategy to end plastic pollution, and what’s involved in organizing a brand audit in your community. If you’d prefer, you can...
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