The Plastics Problem

Opportunities to Make a Difference

Option #1

Tell your representative we need a price on carbon

At the right price, it would slash carbon emissions and discourage the production of fossil fuel based plastics

Potential talking points

I'm concerned about both climate change and increasing plastic pollution
Both are global crises that need urgent attention
An increasing price on carbon is a key part of the solution
Please work to pass one now.

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Option #2

Call on President Biden to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies

Take two minutes to email him using the link below

Potential talking points

Solving climate change starts with accounting for the true price of burning fossil fuels
That starts by eliminating all industry subsidies
I urge you to renew you push on Congress to end these subsidies

Contact - White House

Show Notes

This Week’s Reason for Hope

Spain’s energy minister and the head of the International Energy Agency have both thrown their support behind a Dutch call to phase out fossil fuel subsidies

The Dutch climate minister is working to setup international coalition focused on the cause

This is happening as nations prepare for the 28th UN global climate summit that will be held in Abu-Dhabi in November

2020 global fossil fuel subsidies according to the IMF

Total $5.9 trillion
Direct $500 billion

Sources

Spain, IEA back Dutch call to phase out fossil fuel subsidies | Reuters

Still Not Getting Energy Prices Right: A Global and Country Update of Fossil Fuel Subsidies (imf.org)

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Plastics

Single use plastic bans

UK ban - expanded in October to include cutlery, polystyrene cups and balloon sticks
EU ban - enacted in 2021 and covers cutlery, polystyrene and others

‍Distortions about plastic recycling

The oil and petrochemical industry knowingly mislead public about economic viability of plastic recycling

Companies funding the misinformation campaign included Exxon, Chevron, Dow and DuPont

‍The importance of composting

Composting facilities are necessary part of moving to compostable plastics

It can take a head of lettuce 25 years to break down in a landfill

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‍Sources

Ban on single-use plastic cutlery comes into force in England - BBC News

5 things to know about the EU plastics ban – DW – 07/03/2021

Is Plastic Recycling A Lie? Oil Companies Touted Recycling To Sell More Plastic : NPR

What Food Waste, Climate Change & Methane Gas Have in Common | FoodHero | App to Fight Food Waste