John,

At Trader Joe's, bags of carrots, bunches of broccoli and tubs of mushrooms are shrink wrapped in plastic. These thin plastic films are nearly impossible to recycle.

When it enters our environment, plastic waste kills millions of animals every year.1

A trip to Trader Joe's shouldn't come with a pile of single-use plastic. Tell Trader Joe's: Reduce plastic packaging.

An estimated 8 million tons of plastic waste end up in our oceans each year.2

A piece of plastic could entangle or strangle a seal.

A piece of plastic could be eaten by a turtle and leave it starving.

A piece of plastic could choke a seabird.

We have to do better for our wildlife. And that means making and using less plastic.

Trader Joe's can put wildlife over waste by selling us food without unnecessary plastic packaging.

Urge Trader Joe's to commit to reduce its single-use plastic packaging.

Trader Joe's does things a little differently than other wholesale grocery stores.

You can get inspiration for that night's dinner with suggested recipes at the end of the aisle. There's a whole section of new items to try, and usually someone handing out free samples to taste. The staff are often friendly, quick to recommend their favorite product or help grab a new carton of eggs for you if they spot a cracked eggshell.

One thing that's not unique? The piles of single-use plastic packaging that can come with your trip to Trader Joe's.

Not every item at Trader Joe's is wrapped in plastic. Some items are available loose and plastic-free -- but there's still just too much wasteful plastic on the shelves.

We're calling on Trader Joe's to use less plastic packaging. Add your name.

Thank you,

Ellen Montgomery

1. Laura Parker, "The world's plastic pollution crisis, explained," National Geographic, June 7, 2019.
2. Laura Parker, "The world's plastic pollution crisis, explained," National Geographic, June 7, 2019.