{"id":16865,"date":"2018-06-05T17:15:01","date_gmt":"2018-06-05T17:15:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/?p=16865"},"modified":"2021-12-01T13:51:46","modified_gmt":"2021-12-01T12:51:46","slug":"where-corporations-are-failing-people-like-you-are-solving-the-plastic-pollution-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/story\/16865\/where-corporations-are-failing-people-like-you-are-solving-the-plastic-pollution-crisis\/","title":{"rendered":"Where corporations are failing, people like you are solving the plastic pollution crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Freedom

Greenpeace UK Oceans campaigner Tisha Brown holds up plastic straws collected during a beach cleanup activity on Freedom Island, Philippines. A brand audit of the waste collected revealed major multinational brands Unilever, Nestl\u00e9, Procter & Gamble, and Colgate-Palmolive to be among the top polluters.<\/p><\/div>\n

Single-use plastics are filling up our oceans and choking marine life. <\/span>Birds, fish, and whales have been found dead<\/span><\/a>, their insides filled with straws, plastic bags, and wrappers. <\/span>Plastic has been found in drinking water all around the world<\/span><\/a>, and it\u2019s finding its way into our food.<\/span><\/p>\n

Corporations are not doing enough to stop this growing crisis.<\/h2>\n

Over the past year, many big brands \u2014 including <\/span>Coca-Cola<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>McDonald\u2019s<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Starbucks<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Procter & Gamble<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Nestle<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>PepsiCo<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>Unilever<\/span><\/a> \u2014 have released statements or plans to address the massive plastic pollution crisis they helped create. But their plans are not nearly ambitious enough. They generally focus on recycling more, or on increasing the recycling content of their plastic packaging. <\/span><\/p>\n

But <\/span>more than 90% of plastic is not recycled<\/span><\/a>, and plastic production is still increasing. To truly make a difference on plastic pollution, corporations must significantly and immediately <\/span>reduce<\/span><\/i> their plastic production.<\/span><\/p>\n

But while corporations stall, everyday people are tackling the plastic pollution problem head on.<\/h2>\n

Despite the lack of significant action by the world\u2019s largest economies and corporations, it\u2019s people like <\/span>you<\/span><\/i> who are leading the charge toward getting rid of throwaway plastics. <\/span><\/p>\n

All over the world, people are stepping forward to lobby businesses and governments for reductions and bans on throwaway plastics. A group of citizens from Veracruz, Mexico <\/span>effectively lobbied for a ban<\/span><\/a> on plastic bags and straws in their state. Ullapool, a Scottish village, <\/span>went plastic-free<\/span><\/a> after school children banded together to speak with business owners and staff about the issue. Nearly 100 cafes in Greece have <\/span>agreed to give discounts to customers who bring their own reusable cups<\/span><\/a>, thanks to the efforts of a volunteer-led campaign there.<\/span><\/p>\n

And there\u2019s much more to come. With your help, we can do even more to hold corporations accountable for the plastic pollution they\u2019re creating. <\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what you can do to help create a plastic-free future.<\/h2>\n