Friends,

If you are receiving this email, you have not yet registered for the 2020 Plastic Free Challenge, which runs October 1 to 30.

It’s not too late to join us! Register HERE.

To be honest, I haven’t been looking forward to the Challenge this year, so I certainly understand why you might be hesitant to register. Between the pandemic and the election, work and parenting, my life is feeling a little overwhelming. And adding the stress of figuring out how to reduce my plastic consumption—when so many of my tried-and-true tools have been taken away—can feel like too much.

But then, a few weeks ago, I talked to 350 Fairfax co-chair Helene Shore. And we decided to add a weekly activism component to this year’s Challenge. And I got excited.

We are living in a system rigged in plastic’s favor. For years, plastic producers have driven the narrative that cleaning up plastic pollution is the consumer’s responsibility. And now, during this pandemic, they are capitalizing on our fear to promote single-use plastic as the hygienic alternative to reusables. But neither of these narratives is true.

So as part of this year’s Plastic Free Challenge, we are challenging the systems that make plastic pollution possible. Because the ultimate goal of the Plastic Free Challenge has always been to make reducing our plastic footprint accessible to more people. Register HERE.

Every week—in addition to the usual Plastic Free advice, hacks, and events—we will share at least one easy action you can take to reduce plastic pollution worldwide. Last Monday, we asked you all to email or tweet your senators about co-sponsoring the Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act. Last Thursday, we asked Challenge participants to tell Health & Human Services Secretary Azar not to let Big Plastic exploit the coronavirus crisis.

For me, these simple actions—being part of the movement—are reason enough to take the Plastic Free Challenge this year. I hope they are for you too.

Join us. Register HERE.

Julie