Last month, legislators voted to advance the California Circular Economy and Plastic Pollution Reduction Act, representing what would be the most comprehensive state-wide legislation in the US to reduce plastic pollution. It would phase out nonrecyclable single-use plastics, and redefine what’s truly recyclable. This is the basis we need for a circular system — with…
Until 2018, 4000 shipping containers of trash were exported from the US to China daily. As the environmental costs of importing plastic have crystallized, and one country after another bans plastic imports, we’ve seen a desperate scramble from Western countries to find new places to send their trash. As this new long-term reality sets in,…
Water systems around the United States are increasingly falling upon hard times. Some water lines were built over a century ago, and many systems have old lead and cast iron pipes that need to be replaced to ensure that Americans have access to safe public drinking water. In the coming weeks, we will be releasing…
Screen-Free Week is an annual invitation to play, explore, and rediscover the joys of life beyond ad-supported screens – sign up here to participate! From April 29 to May 5, 2019, thousands of families, schools, and communities around the world will put down their entertainment screens for seven days of fun, connection, and discovery. It’s…
At this point in modern life, we likely touch plastic more than we touch our loved ones. Plastic has become a ubiquitous symbol of globalization. Most of us have a limited relationship to this material, experiencing it only from purchase to disposal. But there is a whole story that exists before and after when we…
This week, members of Michigan’s lame duck legislature introduced a bill that could repeal Michigan’s 40-year-old bottle deposit law. If passed, the bill would undermine a successful bottling collection program that has recovered an average of 96% of bottles sold. What’s a container deposit? Container deposits are a system designed to reduce pollution by incentivizing the…
Story of Stuff partner FLOW has announced model legislation to protect Michigan’s public waters from unauthorized privatization. Earlier this year, we released A Tale of Two Cities, a short documentary telling the story of Michigan’s battle for the public control of water. We explored the threat of privatization through the eyes of local activists in…
The effort to eliminate plastic straws has recently become a darling among ocean plastic advocates, even permeating pop culture and the broader public consciousness. Everywhere in social media, images of plastic straws in the environment or corrupting wildlife are dominating Facebook and Instagram feeds, reaching far beyond the silos of the traditional stakeholder groups concerned…
Strawberry Creek, Wildlife Remain at Risk from Commercial Exploitation SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. — Federal officials and conservation groups reached an agreement today that will finally end Nestlé Corp.’s ability to rely on a permit that expired 30 years ago to siphon water from the San Bernardino National Forest for its massive bottled-water operation. The company’s…
