Plastic polluters

Write the plastic polluters

In 2019, the top 10 global polluters were Coca-Cola, Nestlé, PepsiCo, Mondelez International, Unilever, Mars, P&G, Colgate-Palmolive, Philip Morris, and Perfetti Van Melle according to a worldwide plastic audit performed by the non-profit Break Free From Plastic. It is clear these big companies/conglomerates need to do better. It is also clear, unfortunately, that these companies will only change their ways if there is enough consumer demand.

We can all put a little pressure on them by avoiding buying single use plastic items, such as bottled water or packaged food and personal care products. And beyond that, we can encourage companies to develop alternative materials to use beyond plastics and change their practices of relying solely on plastic single-use containers.

Take five minutes to reach out to one of the companies above and write to them about their use of plastic. The more they hear that their customers (or potential customers) want change then the more they will do. Here is a rough script you can use as a jumping off point.

Dear (company),

I have been a customer for many years and I am a big fan of X product (write this if it applies, as it helps to say something nice at first).

I have recently committed to living low waste, which means refusing all single-use products and diverting all trash from the landfill. Our dependence on single-use items is driving many of our environmental problems. I find it disturbing that we use plastic packaging for a few minutes and then it ends up floating in our oceans, polluting our lands, and sitting in landfills for hundreds of years (or more).

Unfortunately, this means (product) can no longer be part of my routine as the product stands now. I would love to continue buying the product in the future so might I suggest (options for alternative packaging)? I really appreciate your consideration on this issue and hope to hear back from you.

Sincerely,

XXXX

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