Plastic Reduction Challenge #8 – The big one(s) 

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We’ve heard back from many of you that the Plastic Free July Challenges have been helpful in making some shifts in your perspectives on the plastics that have accumulated in your home as well as alternatives you can now consider adding to your home.  Hearing about those plastic-free changes in so many of your homes is incredibly hopeful for the transition to less plastic production and waste as well as decreases in health and climate impacts.

 

But, there is still an important challenge left!! While so many of you have been working to reduce the plastics in your own home, the plastics industry has been making plans to triple the production of plastics by 2050.  Those plastics will further fill our marketplace, our landfills, our air, soil, waterways and bodies.

Challenge #8 is asking you to make a hugely impactful decisions that will help counter the Plastic Industries growth plans.  It won’t cost you anything or be inconvenient.  First; vote with your money.  

 

VOTE TWO WAYS

#1

Vote with your $$

 

If you bank with, or have credit cards held by Wells Fargo, Citi Bank, Chase, or any other major Wall Street bank, your money is being used to fund the fossil fuel industry (and plastics growth).  Even if you have always banked with these banks and hate to do the paperwork to make a change there are other options for you and your money that are not hard to make. To ease this important transition, you can find some assistance with the steps you may have to take to move money to a good local bank or credit union or to a credit card that aligns with your true values here:  https://stopthemoneypipeline.com/move-your-money/

(more information about credit cards):https://greenamerica.org/better-banking/take-charge-your-card/find-responsible-credit-cards

And then?  You can sleep better at night knowing that, while you sleep,  your savings are working for good and for our futures.

 

And here’s your opportunity to Vote Twice

Because your vote in every election matters

 

From all of your comments about trying to live Plastic Free during the month of July, we’ve heard time and again that the systems and infrastructure are stacked against us in our use of non-plastic alternatives.  We need to vote to elect the political leaders who will establish guidelines and systems that can return our world to the less wasteful world of pre-plastics ( right before the 1970s).

 

How can you tell if a senator, a city council candidate or a presidential candidate will work to slow climate change by control plastic growth and demand producer responsibility for the mountains of plastic waste (think a state return policy on bottles and cans) to build a more resilient future for us all? 

• Follow your candidate’s voting record and speeches (Check out “VoteSmart” website) 

Or

• Write or call the candidate and ask something simple like, “What are your views on plastics reduction and what would you do in that area if elected?” State Senate (District 26), State House of Representatives (District 26 A & B)

Candidates love to talk with potential supporters and voters so don’t hesitate to ask the simple and the hard questions.  Your interest may even increase their interest! 

 

So…….      Vote! Vote! Vote!

Don’t be left out of the decision making that impacts all of our futures.

 

P.S. If you’ve missed out on any of our 8 Plastic Free Challenges, you can find them all safely stored on our website ( CACWRV.org ) for your inspiration or needed tips.

 

And, if you have a tip you’d like to share, please send it to us and we’ll include it on the webpage or in our Instagram/Facebook ( IG – climateactionwrv or (FB- ClimateActionCoalitionoftheWood RiverValley) posts.