Hi John,

Welcome back to your latest Greenpeace round-up, Stay Connected. This month’s round-up features the Big Plastic Count results, a new and exclusive ship expedition t-shirt, some positive news from around the world and much more.

Before we dive into your news update, we wanted to thank you for your continued support. Your support truly makes a big difference and we hope this email showcases all the impact you are having. Thanks for being with us.

In this edition:

• The Big Plastic Count results are in
• New ship expedition t-shirt & Freepost weekend is here
• The Arctic Sunrise’s new expedition
• Ditch Dove
• Project Climate Vote
• Confronting the deep sea mining industry 
• Positive news: Single-use plastic banned in Lagos

The Big Plastic Count results are in

We’ve been crunching the numbers and can reveal the truly shocking results from this year’s Big Plastic Count:

• Over 220,000 supporters took part (thank you to each and every one of you)
• UK households are using almost 1.7 billion pieces of plastic every week - that’s around 90 billion a year
• Only 17% of our plastic waste gets recycled here in the UK
• More than half - 58% - of the pieces thrown away are burnt, polluting our air and damaging our health
• The rest is sent to other countries or dumped in landfill

Watch the video to find out why more recycling isn’t the answer – and discover the solutions that would truly make a difference.

The evidence is clear. The only way to tackle household plastic waste is to reduce the amount produced in the first place. 

The good news is that governments have now started negotiations for a Global Plastics Treaty.  

We’ve influenced a major United Nations Treaty before. Thanks to supporters like you, and a range of organisations, The Global Oceans Treaty was agreed in 2023. It is the biggest conservation win in history, with the potential to protect 30% of our oceans by 2030. Together, we can make history again.

It’s time for governments and big brands to take action. We can’t recycle our way out of this crisis. The world just needs to make less plastic in the first place. Governments are working out a treaty that could make that happen – but only if they do it right. 

Has your MP pledged to support a strong treaty that cuts plastic production? Email them and make sure they do.

New ship expedition t-shirt & Freepost weekend is here

A t-shirt can spark a conversation and lead to action. We’re introducing our exclusive Ship Expedition T-shirt. This year our ships Rainbow Warrior and the Arctic Sunrise will create iconic moments when visiting ecological hotspots across the globe, building compelling evidence through our science work of why they need to be protected under the new treaty.

Wear this t-shirt and join us in calling on the UK government and countries around the world to champion the Sargasso Sea as the first global ocean sanctuary – protecting our oceans for generations to come.  

This weekend we’re offering complimentary UK shipping, so it’s a great time to check out the amazing Greenpeace merchandise we have available.

All our apparel is printed on demand (so nothing is wasted), made from certified organic cotton, printed with eco-friendly ink and delivered in plastic free packaging.

The Arctic Sunrise’s new expedition

The Sargasso Sea is home to adorable baby green sea turtles, sharks, iconic seabirds, baby eels and much more incredible wildlife. But the Sargasso Sea, like many unique ocean ecosystems, is at a crossroads. Threatened by overfishing and the industrialisation of the oceans from threats like oil drilling and deep sea mining, places like the Sargasso need our help more than ever.

The Arctic Sunrise is setting sail to the Sargasso Sea to conduct important scientific work such as eDNA sampling, and surveys of seabirds and cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises). Thanks so much for your support - this work is only possible because of people like you.

We hope to gather crucial evidence to make the case that the Sargasso should become the world’s first ocean sanctuary on the high seas.

Achieving this would be an incredible start to put the Global Ocean Treaty’s promise of protecting 30% of the oceans by 2030 into effect.

While there, we will work alongside with local partners, politicians, activists and scientists to make the Sargasso Sea the world’s first high seas ocean sanctuary. We’ll be in touch with more updates as the expedition progresses.

Ditch Dove

We all know Dove, the soap brand that’s been confronting toxic beauty trends for years. But do you know the story of toxic plastic pollution that lies behind its caring image?

Dove has spent decades spreading disinformation and false claims that recycling can control plastic waste when the truth is that only cutting production will.

In response, 140,000 people like you signed a letter to Dove demanding they stop causing real harm. But the skincare brand still isn’t listening.

The planet can’t tolerate their lies any longer. So we’ve just launched #DitchDove to damage their clean brand and make their boardroom panic.

If enough people sign this pledge, it shows their board just how serious the public are about Dove’s plastic pollution.

Project Climate Vote

2024 is a big year for democracy, with more than half the world’s population heading to the polls. The leaders we elect could remain in power through to the end of the decade, a crucial time to turn the tide on climate breakdown and nature destruction.

It’s time to make sure your climate concerns are known.

Sign up to find out how you can push politicians to act on climate.

Confronting the deep sea mining industry

We’re continuing to keep the pressure on the deep sea mining industry to ensure this destructive industry does not start. Deep sea mining representatives were confronted by an inflatable octopus (higher than a double-decker bus) at one of the deep sea mining industry’s annual summits in London. 

Greenpeace activists peacefully protested outside the summit to demand a stop to this destructive industry.

Louisa Casson, Senior Oceans Campaigner, said: “We are appalled to witness how a handful of private companies gathered inside this building are committed to mining the oceans next year, regardless of scientific warnings, political negotiations, and indigenous rights. This is a dangerous industry with no social license that is putting pressure on governments to allow destruction to take place in one of the world’s most pristine ecosystems.”

Positive news - Single-use plastic banned in Lagos

Nigeria has just banned styrofoam and single-use plastics in Lagos. Plastics are a blight on the city’s landscape, clogging up gutters and waterways, and contributing to its pollution problems. Business distributors and producers are now legally required to source for reusable alternatives. 

At least 34 African countries have an existing ban or laws restricting the use of plastics. In most instances, enforcement of bans remains a challenge. And while a ban on single-use plastics is always welcomed, the industry has to cut plastic production at source in order to truly stem the tide of plastic pollution. Greenpeace is calling for a Global Plastics Treaty that mandates a 75% reduction in plastic production.

To read more about this and other good news stories from around the world click the button below.

Remember, we want to stay connected with you; whether you have a question about Greenpeace's work or your support, we're here to help. My team is available to call on 020 4525 3241 Monday – Friday, 9am – 5.30pm, or feel free to email any questions you may have to [email protected]

Together we are Greenpeace and we can and will achieve many more amazing things.

Thanks for everything you do.

Carolyn Hoskin

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