Friend,

Rather than processing its own waste, the United States continues to send massive amounts of its plastic garbage overseas. We have a better idea: Instead of making more plastic than we can handle, and sending it to countries that don't want it, we should use less to begin with.1

PIRG is campaigning for action to slash our plastic waste. Can we count on your support?

Your support is what fuels our campaign to slash plastic waste. Will you donate to our Earth Day Drive before it ends at midnight tonight? When you do, your gift will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $10,000 nationwide.

Last year, more than 180 countries signed an agreement to restrict plastic waste exports sent by wealthier countries to poorer ones. But the U.S. didn't sign -- and we're continuing to ship our plastic waste to countries that have put their foot down on accepting the world's garbage.2

Much of the plastic we send overseas for recycling ends up as waste.3 In 2018 alone, the U.S. sent 68,000 shipping containers worth of plastic to countries that mismanage more than 70 percent of their own waste -- let alone let the flood of plastic emanating from the U.S.4

Instead of exporting our plastic waste problem, we should reduce our plastic consumption at the source. And we can start by getting rid of the single-use plastics we just don't need, such as foam takeout containers and plastic bags.

But none of our work to zero out plastic waste would be possible without the support of people like you. Will you help us continue to make progress on plastic waste with your Earth Day gift?

Your Earth Day contribution helps fuel our campaigns to zero out plastic waste. Donate now to double your impact with a matched gift.

We know that to address a problem as large as the plastic crisis, we need to tackle our waste from all angles. That's why, thanks to the support of members like you, U.S. PIRG and our partners are:

• Campaigning for state bans on the worst single-use plastics. We know that state action can spark momentum for national solutions. That's why U.S. PIRG is calling for state bans on the worst single-use plastic in our country, and our partners around the country are doing the same in their states. Donate today >>>

• Building support for a sweeping plastic waste bill. PIRG advocates have worked closely with federal lawmakers to re-introduce the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act. If passed, this legislation would ban certain single-use plastics, and would shift more financial responsibility for collecting and processing single-use plastics onto the companies that make them. Donate today >>>

• Calling on companies to do their part. U.S. PIRG and our national network are calling on Whole Foods to regain its position as an environmental leader by committing to a plan for phasing out single-use plastic packaging from its stores. In addition, thousands of PIRG supporters have joined us in calling on Coca-Cola to reduce the amount of plastic it uses in its products. Donate today >>>

All of this work is made possible thanks to the support of people like you.

Deadline approaching: Make your Earth Day gift before midnight tonight to help us slash our nation's plastic waste. When you do, your gift will be matched!

Thank you,

Faye Park
President

1. Hiroko Tabuchi and Michael Corkery, "Countries Tried to Curb Trade in Plastic Waste. The U.S. Is Shipping More." The New York Times, March 12, 2021.
2. Hiroko Tabuchi and Michael Corkery, "Countries Tried to Curb Trade in Plastic Waste. The U.S. Is Shipping More." The New York Times, March 12, 2021.
3. Hiroko Tabuchi and Michael Corkery, "Countries Tried to Curb Trade in Plastic Waste. The U.S. Is Shipping More." The New York Times, March 12, 2021.
4. Erin McCormick, Bennett Murray, Carmela Fonbuena, Leonie Kijewski, Gokce Saracoglu, Jamie Fullerton, Alastair Gee and Charlotte Simmonds, "Where does your plastic go? Global investigation reveals America's dirty secret," The Guardian, June 17, 2019.

Your donation will power our dedicated staff of organizers, policy experts and attorneys who drive all of our campaigns in the public interest, from banning Roundup and moving us beyond plastic, to saving our antibiotics and being your consumer watchdog, to protecting our environment and our democracy. None of our work would be possible without the support of people just like you.

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