Dear John,

UN Global Plastics Treaty negotiations wrapped up in Busan, Republic of Korea, earlier this month, and I was there with the Plastic Pollution Coalition (PPC) team and allies to help keep the pressure on negotiators to agree on a strong, legally binding treaty. Despite Member States being unable to reach a deal, there was promising ambition and growing collaboration among the majority of countries, and we’re hopeful for the additional round of talks at INC-5.2 next year. Ultimately, a delay is better than settling for a weak agreement that fails to meaningfully address the problem now, and the silver lining is that in the meantime, we can gain even more support for a strong treaty that cuts plastic pollution.

PPC is excited to announce 1% for the Planet as our nominee for The Earthshot Prize 2025. We are honored to be among the 432 official Earthshot Prize Nominators from 75 countries to select projects with ambitious but achievable goals that have the potential to restore our planet for generations to come. 1% for the Planet is changing business as usual, creating radical transparency, and ensuring planetary health by delivering business resources to environmental solutions. Learn more.

As 2024 comes to a close, it’s time to reflect on both the wins and challenges ahead. As this year’s holiday season got underway, Coca-Cola, the world’s biggest consumer-facing plastic producer, disappointingly—but not surprisingly—dropped its plastic-free reuse targets and even diminished its goals of plastic “recycling.”

Speaking of corporate greed, a new documentary on Netflix—Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy —exposes how big brands like Adidas, Amazon, Apple, H&M, Shein, and Unilever are trashing the planet. The film explores how targeted advertising, one-click purchase options, and mass production from some of the world’s largest companies are driving a new era of overconsumption, rapidly leading to a world choked in plastic pollution. Read more and sign our related petition.

Everyone has a role to play in building a world free of plastic pollution and its toxic impacts, and we must hold the corporations and governments responsible for perpetuating plastic pollution accountable. As we work together to shift the system, you can make changes in your own life, such as incorporating plastic-free practices that help end plastic pollution into your holiday celebrations.

Onward together,

Madison Dennis
Project Manager, Filtered Not Bottled
Plastic Pollution Coalition

P.S. Please support our work as we head into 2025. Donations will be TRIPLE-matched through midnight (ET) December 31.

★ UN Plastics Treaty Talks in Busan (INC-5) End with No Agreement, But Plan for INC-5.2
Negotiators from over 170 countries failed to agree on a global treaty to end plastic pollution at the fifth session of the United Nations (UN) Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5), which concluded in Busan, Republic of Korea, on December 1. Read more in this Earth Island Journal article. The process will now continue, and the Treaty, once agreed, will have widespread implications for plastic laws around the world. On December 12, PPC hosted a discussion about the importance of continuing to advance and track plastic policy at all levels, including with the Global Plastic Laws database and resource center. The panel included Dr. Jamala Djinn, Science/Policy Advisor, Break Free From Plastic; Jennifer Gleason, Law Program Director, Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide; Shane Trimmer, District Director at the U.S. House of Representatives – Office of Rep. Jared Huffman (CA-02); and Joseph Winters, Staff Writer, Grist. The webinar was moderated by Madison Dennis, Project Manager, Plastic Pollution Coalition. Watch the recording. 

★ Coca-Cola Quietly Drops Reuse Targets, Decreases Recycling Goals
In early December, top global polluter Coca-Cola announced “voluntary environmental goals,” in which the company dropped its reuse targets and decreased its plastic recycling goals from previous initiatives. In 2022, Coca-Cola committed to making 25% of its packaging reusable by 2030. Alarmingly, in the new announcement, the reuse goal has completely disappeared. Read more.

★ Plastic Kills… Again! – Past Film Contest Winners Share Their Advice
Since winning 2023’s horror short film contest Plastic Kills, filmmakers Adam Wademan and Helen Sun have taken their short films to dozens of festivals and won a myriad of awards. In our new blog, both creators discuss their journeys since winning and offer advice for filmmakers looking to make a killing in our follow-up contest Plastic Kills… Again! Read More.

★ U.S. EPA’s National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution: A Step Forward, But Not Far Enough
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its final National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution, outlining six voluntary objectives aspiring to end plastic pollution by 2040. We commend the EPA’s acknowledgment of the environmental justice impacts of plastics as a “central consideration” in the strategy, starting with fossil fuel extraction and petrochemical production. However, this recognition lacks actionable methods to address these injustices, such as setting production reduction targets or suggesting a moratorium on new plastic facilities. Read more.

★ Buy Now! How Big Brands Are Trashing the Planet
A new documentary on Netflix—Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy—exposes how big brands are trashing the planet. The film explores how targeted advertising, one-click purchase options, and mass production from some of the world’s largest companies are driving a new era of overconsumption, rapidly leading to a world choked in plastic pollution. In 2018, plastic trash generation was 35.7 million tons in the United States alone. Read more.

★ Provide Water Filters to All Syracuse Residents Affected by Lead Pipes (Your Letters)
A letter to the editor by PPC Project Coordinator Rachel Bustamante discusses the urgent need for water filters in Syracuse, New York, where one in four residents are affected by lead pipes. Although the city plans to provide 6,000 filters to its most vulnerable families, thousands of households remain unprotected, facing exposure to contaminated water or relying on toxic plastic water bottles for drinking and cooking. Read more.

➤ Find more Latest News on our website.

★ PPC January Webinar: Microplastics Within Us: Are We Becoming Plastic People?
Microplastics have been found in our food and drinks; in Earth’s air, soils, and oceans; and inside of our bodies. Join Plastic Pollution Coalition for a special webinar featuring scientific, advocacy, and media experts on January 15, 2025, to learn about how microplastics and plastic chemicals may impact the future of humanity, and what we as a society can do about the growing danger of microplastics—including protecting yourself and your loved ones. Sign up.

★ Gamechanger: California Sues ExxonMobil Over Plastic Recycling Lies Webinar
Join Beyond Plastics and California Attorney General Rob Bonta on January 22, 2025, at 6 pm CT/7 pm ET for a free webinar to learn more about California’s recent lawsuit against ExxonMobil for intentionally deceiving the public about plastics' recyclability and chemical recycling for decades. Sign up.

★ Especies Mensajeras (“Messenger Species”): An Art Exhibition by Álvaro Soler-Arpa
In the exhibition Especies Mensajeras (“Messenger Species”), PPC Artist Ally Álvaro Soler-Arpa explores the complex relationship between nature and contemporary toxic agents, notably, plastic, which threaten the survival of many species in a changing and infected environment. Inspired by the principles of evolution, the sculptures of Álvaro Soler Arpa represent mutant animals, whose strange morphology is the result of uncontrollable genetic mutations caused by pollution. Runs at the Círculo De Bellas Artes in Madrid, Spain, until January 26, 2025. Learn more.

➤ Find more Events on our website.

★ Plastic Pollution Coalition Nominates 1% for the Planet for The Earthshot Prize
Plastic Pollution Coalition is excited to announce 1% for the Planet as our nominee for The Earthshot Prize 2025. 1% for the Planet is a scalable partnership model between businesses and NGOs that unlocks financial support to accelerate collective action for environmental solutions globally. By securing commitments from businesses of all sizes to donate 1% of their annual revenues to vetted environmental organizations, 1% for the Planet has already unlocked and certified more than $675 million for environmental causes. Read more.

★ Dr. Imari Walker-Franklin Recognized by National Academies for Science Communication Outreach
PPC Scientific Advisor, Imari Walker-Franklin, Ph.D., has been recognized by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine for her work in plastics research and science communication. Dr. Walker-Franklin received the “Research Scientist: Early Career” award, one of the 24 awards that comprise the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications. Her research focuses on determining human and environmental exposure to potentially harmful substances, with an emphasis on microplastics and their associated chemicals. In addition to her research, she co-authored the book Plastics (2023, MIT Press) and has a YouTube channel where she discusses plastic pollution. You can also see Dr. Walker-Franklin on the June 2023 PPC Webinar, Plastic-Free Seas: Diving Into How Plastic Impacts Health, Climate, and Our Oceans.

★ Peace House Studio: Mending as a Solution to Textile Waste from Fast Fashion
This month we collaborated with PPC Business Member Peace House Studio to uplift mending as a solution to textile waste in fast fashion. The average American disposes of 81.5 pounds of clothing every year. Repairing and repurposing fabric extends the lifespan of clothing, discourages fast fashion, and promotes a culture of care and appreciation for textiles. Check out our PPC social media channels to learn more.

★ USEFULL Helps Union College Cut Plastic Pollution
A year after Union College first launched reusable takeout, it is an established part of students’ routines, and the college community has kept more than 15,000 containers out of the waste stream. Hear from others at Union College about their experience with USEFULL in this short video.

★ Join Plastic Pollution Coalition
Not yet a member of Plastic Pollution Coalition? You may join as an individual, organization, or business. Apply here.

★ Tell Starbucks: Build a Better (Reusable) Cup Campaign
Tell Starbucks Chairman & CEO Brian Niccol to promote and increase incentives and discounts for reusable cups. Starbucks uses more than 8,000 plastic cups and plastic-lined paper cups per minute, and up to 6 billion disposable cups worldwide each year. Most of this ends up in landfills, the environment, or gets incinerated. Reusable incentives could help reduce Starbucks’ plastic pollution. Sign the petition.

★ Tell Adidas, Amazon, Apple, H&M, Shein, & Unilever: Stop Trashing the Planet!
We are calling on some of the world's largest companies in their sectors—Adidas, Amazon, Apple, H&M, Shein, & Unilever—to immediately reduce their use and production of plastic packaging and cheap disposable products that are trashing our planet. Urge these companies to implement stronger targets for reducing plastic waste and increasing reuse efforts, and scale back their manipulative ads that drive the relentless cycle of overconsumption. Sign the petition.

★ Tell U.S. Leaders to Take a Strong Stance on the Global Plastics Treaty
The UN Global Plastics Treaty negotiations have been extended to next year with INC-5.2. Urge U.S. leaders to lead by forging ambitious solutions—like reduction of plastic production and freedom from corporate influence—instead of leading the world in generating plastic pollution. Sign the petition.

★ Urge Coca-Cola to Bring Back Refill
Coca-Cola is the largest consumer-facing global seller of plastics, producing almost one quarter of PET plastic bottles globally—despite it once leading on refillables. Call on Coca-Cola and its bottlers to bring back plastic-free refillable bottles. Sign the petition.

➤ Find more Ways to Take Action

★ Blue Mind Book 10th Anniversary Edition Available Now
Over the past decade, the book Blue Mind by PPC Scientific Advisor and Marine Biologist Dr. Wallace J. Nichols has become the ultimate resource on the remarkable benefits of being near, in, on, or under water. Combining cutting-edge neuroscience, psychology, and cross-disciplinary data with compelling personal stories from top athletes, leading scientists, military veterans, and gifted artists, Nichols shows how proximity to water can improve performance, increase calm, diminish anxiety, and increase professional success. The new 10th anniversary edition includes updated science-backed research, examples of innovative practitioners, and a new afterword on the far-reaching impact of this groundbreaking book. Order the book.

★ 5 Gyres’ 2024 Plastic-Free Parks Report
5 Gyres’ 2024 Plastic-Free Parks Report reveals results from an analysis of 12,500 lost and discarded items collected from 58 sites nationwide. According to the data volunteers submitted through 5 Gyres’ TrashBlitz mobile app, plastic is the most prevalent material polluting national parks for the third year in a row, making up nearly 80% of items recorded in 2024. This report highlights the power of community science in identifying plastic pollution trends in our national parks and the solutions driving us closer to a plastic-free future. Learn more.

★ Safer States’ Plastic and Health Resources Toolkit
Safer States has published its Plastic and Health Resources Toolkit, which is designed to provide policymakers with key information about how PFAS, petrochemicals, plastics, and microplastics affect human health, and what solutions are needed to reduce harm. Learn more.

★ The Bow Seat 2025 Ocean Awareness Contest
The theme of the Bow Seat 2025 Ocean Awareness Contest—Connections to Nature: Looking Inside, Going Outside—encourages you to explore the natural world and your place in it. Open to students worldwide between the ages of 11–18. Cash awards up to $1,000. Submit by June 9, 2025.

★ Plastic Kills… Again! Short Film Contest 
Announcing Plastic Kills… Again! Plastic Pollution Coalition has teamed up with Earth Angel for a second round of our popular Plastic Kills short film contest. We’re challenging filmmakers to create original horror short films that highlight the terrors of plastic pollution and its toxic impacts on our bodies, children, pets, and planet, while also helping to show real solutions to this real-life menace. This time, we’re offering cash prizes for first, second, and third place, with a grand prize of $3,000. Submissions are due September 15, 2025, giving you plenty of time to scare up your spookiest stories. Sign up for email updates.

➤ Find more Resources in our Resource Library.