“At a time when companies should be working furiously to decrease the use of single-use plastic, Coca-Cola is actually increasing its global plastics production,” said Greenpeace Oceans Campaigner Kate Melges. “We are in Atlanta to let the company know that its customers will no longer tolerate a corporate culture that shirks responsibility for the plastic mess it has helped to create in our waterways and oceans. We cannot recycle our way out of this crisis — Coke must commit to reducing its reliance on throwaway plastic immediately.”
In the UK, Greenpeace activists also delivered the petition to the company’s London headquarters, along with a portrait of distressed Coca-Cola bottle caps that artist Mandy Barker found during a series of beach cleanups around the world. Greenpeace activists also delivered the petition to Coke offices in Israel, Turkey, and Canada.
Greenpeace launched a global campaign spanning five continents on Coke in 2017. Greenpeace is urging the company to phase out throwaway plastic, introduce reusable containers and innovative delivery systems, and ensure that all remaining packaging is 100 percent recycled. More than 585,000 individuals signed the global petition that was delivered to the company, rejecting its use of single-use plastics.
Bonnie Wright, known for playing Ginny Weasley in the Harry Potter film series, joined Greenpeace in Atlanta to personally deliver a message about the need to phase out single-use plastics. Wright also joined Greenpeace on the historic Arctic Sunrise ship in 2017 to highlight the urgent threat of single-use plastic to our oceans and help conduct a beach cleanup and brand audit of waste found in Miami.
As part of the #breakfreefromplastic movement, Greenpeace has worked with allies to conduct brand audits of beaches and waterways to identify the worst contributors of plastic waste regionally. In the U.S., after auditing 7,000 pieces of trash from cleanups in 31 cities, Coke was identified as one of the three worst producers of plastic pollution found.
“I’m happy to stand with the more than 585,000 people who are calling on Coke to phase out its use of throwaway plastic bottles,” said Actress and Director Bonnie Wright. “The company has the power to take the lead and set new standards of sustainability across the industry.”
Coca-Cola produces over 110 billion throwaway plastic bottles every year, according to Greenpeace analysis. Coke’s use of plastic bottles is actually increasing, up 12 percent between 2008 and 2015. Coke’s use of refillable containers declined from 31 percent to 25 percent during the same time period.
Greenpeace’s global actions come in advance of Coke releasing a global plastics strategy later this month. The organization is advocating for the company’s plan to be as strong as possible to phase out throwaway plastic bottles.
For photos and video from today’s actions in the U.S, please click here (updated when available): http://media.greenpeace.org/
For photos and video from the actions around the globe, please click here (updated when available): http://media.greenpeace.org/
Interviews with Bonnie Wright and Greenpeace spokespeople are available upon request.
Contact: Perry Wheeler, Greenpeace Senior Communications Specialist, P: 301-675-8766
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