photo: Paul Kennedy/ Getty Images
On MAY 7, 2019 Westport's RTM unanimously approved one of the most comprehensive single-use plastics bans in the country! Drafted by P3's own Andrew Colabella with the great help of fellow P3-founder (and RTM member) Wendy Batteau, this ground-breaking piece of local legislation rode a wave of support from all across town -- including many school-children who spoke eloquently (and emotionally) at the meeting about the need for this type of legislation. 11 years after Westport became the first town east of the Mississippi to ban plastic bags, we're thrilled that Westport is again taking meaningful leadership on such an important environmental problem. P3 looks forward to playing an important role in support of the town's efforts by educating our community about alternatives to single-use plastics and helping push us further toward a "zero waste" Westport and a sustainable & healthy future for the generations to come!! Check it on the news 12 here: http://www.news12.com/clip/14818701/westport-votes-to-ban-plastic-straws-styrofoam-cups-at-restaurants
“Single-Use-Plastics” include Plastic bags, straws, coffee stirrers & lids, water & soda bottles, “to-go” boxes, most food packaging— and all plastic products designed primarily for single-usage. In the case of straws alone, it is estimated that Americans use 500 MILLION PLASTIC STRAWS EVERY DAY! And because plastic straws are generally un-recyclable and virtually never biodegrade, they instead wreak permanent havoc on our environment. Even with more readily recyclable plastics, only about 9% are ever successfully recycled. We may actually “litter” more plastic than we recycle— and all that remaining plastic debris (roughly 79%) ends up contaminating our municipal waste-stream. Most of it clogs up landfills, eventually sloughing off into the world’s great pollution sink, the oceans, where it eventually breaks-down into “micro-plastics” that sicken and kill marine life and contaminate our food chain. Even in communities like Westport where our general waste is incinerated, the resulting “ash” waste remains some 10 to 17% of the original bulk-waste— but is now a highly toxic concentrate that must be carefully contained in special landfills. Any mishandling or accidents with this waste (or its exhaust) puts people and wildlife in grave danger. As the saying goes, a pinch of prevention is worth a pound of cure. So while improving our “recycling” and “reuse” efforts remains vitally important, it is the “REDUCTION” of our plastic waste that demands urgent action. Waiting for our industry and federal legislators to solve this problem has proved foolhardy. We must take meaningful action LOCALLY right now. And the good news is— we CAN! Supporting & promoting that action here in Westport and our surrounding communities is P3’s purpose and guiding mission. Please help us stop Plastic Pollution right here at home!
1 REFUSE PLASTIC STRAWS!
2 REFUSE PLASTIC BAGS (including PRODUCE bags): Keep re-useable bags in your car.
3 REFUSE PLASTIC UTENSILS Travel with your own utensils and containers for take-out & left-overs.
4 CARRY A RE-USEABLE BOTTLE or MUG Avoid to-go coffee cups & bottled water!
5 PACK LUNCH IN RE-USEABLE CONTAINERS and avoid juice-boxes with disposable straws!
6 BUY BOXED PRODUCTS ex.—use bar-soap instead of soft-soaps that are packaged in plastic dispensers.
7 AVOID MOST FROZEN FOODS Their packaging is mostly plastic. Plus you'll be eating fewer processed foods!
8 BUY CLOTHES WITH NATURAL FIBERS Acrylics & polyester are plastic. When washed, they shed MILLIONS of micro-plastic fibers into our waste-water
9 BUY FOOD FROM BULK BINS Cereal, pasta, rice, nuts, etc.
10 QUIT SMOKING Cigarette filters are plastic and a major plastic-pollution problem
11 DON’T CHEW GUM It’s made of a synthetic rubber, aka plastic. (Some plastic-free choices now on market).
12 USE MATCHES or REFILLABLE LIGHTER instead of disposable plastic lighters.
13 ASK GROCER TO TAKE BACK PLASTIC CONTAINERS for berries, tomatoes, etc.
14 USE CLOTH DIAPERS 7.6 billion pounds of disposable diapers are discarded in the US each year!
15 MAKE YOUR OWN JUICE or EAT FRUIT instead of buying in plastic bottles.
16 USE RAZOR WITH REPLACEABLE BLADES
TAKE AN INVENTORY OF ALL THE PLASTIC PRODUCTS IN YOUR HOUSE — AND THE PACKAGING THEY CAME IN —AND THINK OF ALTERNATIVES!
P3 is pleased to have EARTHPLACE, the Nature Discovery & Environmental Learning Center in Westport, CT as its fiscal sponsor. Earthplace is a 501(c)(3) public charity which affords P3 the ability to receive fully tax-deductible donations. If you'd like to donate to help us combat plastic pollution in our community you can make a donation by credit card right now (link button below)-- or you can mail checks payable to:
"EARTHPLACE, INC." and be sure to write "for P3 Grant" in memo line.
Mail to: "P3", 606 Post Rd East, #481, Westport, CT 06880.
*Include your return address or email to receive tax-deduction confirmation letter. Any amount helps!
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