There is a threat on the Philippines’ nationwide ban against incinerators or burning of wastes as some Filipino legislators moves to repeal key provisions of the country’s Clean Air Act. #breakreefrommovement member orgs in the Philippines led by Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) Asia Pacific, Ecowaste Coalition Philippines, Mother Earth Foundation Philippines and Healthcare Without Harm Asia launched an alliance together with other groups to show a united front against incinerators and waste-to-energy (WTE) facilities. 

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Greeners Action of Hong Kong led the campaign on “Umbrella Bags Reduction Certification Program”. It is an initiative that encourages shopping malls to reduce the use of one off umbrella plastic bags during rainy season. So far, shopping malls have implemented measures like installing umbrella dryers, setting up umbrella racks and umbrella plastic bag recycle and reusable bin!

Surfrider’s Ocean Friendly Restaurants program works with the restaurant community to recognize and promote ocean-friendly practices for the protection of our ocean, coasts and planet. One restaurant, one customer at a time, increases awareness, drives change in behavior and ultimately creates scalable impact to reduce our plastic and water footprint.

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Surfrider’s Rise Above Plastics program is designed to eliminate the impacts of plastics in the marine environment by raising awareness about the dangers of plastic pollution and by advocating for a reduction of single-use plastics and the recycling of all plastics.

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Dow Chemical and Keep America Beautiful’s latest greenwashing stunt, the Hefty Energy Bag, encourages residents in Omaha and other cities to collect their non-recyclable plastic in an orange bag where they will be “recycled” or “turned into valuable energy resources.” In reality, these plastics are sent to a cement kiln to be burned, emitting toxic chemicals, or turned into fuel, which will then be burned. We need reduction, not combustion of non-recyclable plastics.

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In 2011, Clean Water Action and Clean Water Fund launched ReThink Disposable— an award winning and results driven program that works in partnership with municipal stormwater and zero waste agencies to engage food businesses, institutions (academic and corporate campuses), and consumers to minimize disposable take-out food and beverage packaging at the source. The program creates win-win opportunities for businesses and the environment by identifying money saving practices to reduce single-use food and beverage packaging. Auditors work with participating businesses and institutions to implement ReThink Disposable’s Best Management Practices (BMPs) for source reduction. All disposable packaging targeted for reduction is tracked and measured through an audit process and program impacts, such as the number and percent of disposable packaging eliminated, waste prevention, greenhouse gas reductions, payback period and cost savings are calculated.

To date, the program has engaged 125 small, locally owned and operated food businesses around the San Francisco Bay Area and five institutions in reducing disposable products usage by over 15 million items and preventing over 125 tons of waste each year.  ReThink Disposable won the 2015 Governor’s Economic and Environmental Leadership Award (CA) and the 2016 California Resource Recovery Association’s Outstanding Waste Prevention Award.  Several businesses participants have received awards and recognition from local government agencies, mayors, and city councils.

ReThink Disposable will see a burst of program growth in the San Francisco Bay Area in the coming 2018-2020 years with funding in place for 200 new certified food businesses and institutions. We are expanding into Southern California and Clean Water Action offices in New Jersey and Rhode Island. To learn more about the program, please visit www.rethinkdisposable.org.

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Polysytrene products are everywhere, from coffee cup lids to straws, cutlery and cups (even SOLO cups). Expanded polystyrene foam—commonly known as “Styrofoam”—is basically polystyrene that’s expanded with air. You can identify polystyrene and expanded polystyrene foam by the number “6” on the bottom of a product. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Americans use 25 billion expanded polystyrene coffee cups each year—and many of their lids are polystyrene, too. When you Nix the 6, you pledge to refuse these single-use plastics.

Pledge to refuse single use plastics and get rid of #sneakystyrene!

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