John,

Plastic pollution is a global problem that needs a global solution. Plastic harms our air, water and wildlife at every phase of its existence, from the extraction of the fossil fuels it’s made of to the discarded single-use bags that choke and kill sea turtles. It’s not just an oceans or litter issue — it’s a far-reaching threat to public health, environmental justice, biodiversity and the climate. We can’t keep building more, bigger plastic plants that poison communities. And we can’t recycle or burn our way out of this dilemma.

We need real, comprehensive solutions at home and abroad — now.

The U.S. Department of State is sending negotiators to the United Nations Environment Assembly meeting this month to start forging a first-of-its-kind, legally binding global treaty on plastics. The world needs more than watered-down measures focused only on “marine litter.” The new treaty must address the problems plastic poses at each stage, from production and design to waste prevention and management. 

Urge the U.S. delegation to fight for a powerful, ambitious treaty that will outlast plastic pollution itself.