Fight Plastic Pollution Campaign
Serve Up Reuse
The plastic and single-use waste crisis is spiraling out of control, but we have a plan to change that. At The Story of Stuff Project, we believe that to win real solutions, we need more than awareness—we need campaigns that focus our movements and show us how to win.
Welcome to the Movement for a Reusable Future
The truth is that we can’t recycle our way out of the waste crisis. It’s time to prioritize reuse.
What is reuse? It’s as simple as the plate in your kitchen cabinet. A reuse system is a coordinated process where that plate (or a cup, container, or utensils) is washed and used again and again. Reuse stops waste before it begins, instead of trying to manage it after the damage is done.
Our campaigns Serve Up Reuse and Bring Back Refill are building this future right now. We need you with us!
ready to start your journey?
Reuse is the solution the solves multiple crises at once:
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Reduces emissions and helps fight climate change
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Saves water and money
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Creates good local jobs and strengthens communities
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Stops pollution before it starts
How you can take action
join our changemaker bootcamp
We’re inviting you to join our Changemaker Bootcamp—a three-part training series designed to help you build a better future rooted in reuse.
mcdonald’s: stop haMburglaring Reuse!
McDonald’s: the world’s biggest fast-food chain, an icon of consumption and disposable packaging, spent two years derailing an EU-wide legislation requiring restaurants to serve on-site diners with reusables and introducing reusable packaging in takeout. Read our report and help us tell McDonalds to stop hamburglaring reuse!
watch films powering the movement
our solution
What Reuse Means: The goal of reuse is to eliminate single-use versions of the same product. That means a reusable product needs to be reused for the same purpose. A beverage container used again as a beverage container is using the product for the same purpose. It can hold a different beverage, but it is still a beverage container. A beverage container, like an aluminum can or plastic bottle, repurposed into a piece of art is repurposing.
Producers Should be Responsible for Offering Products and Packaging in Reusable Formats: While consumers should certainly do their part, oftentimes they have no choice but single-use. Individual action can only go so far. Therefore, producers and businesses have to change the way they provide food and beverages to consumers. Legal requirements are the best way to hold producers and business operators accountable.
Reuse Infrastructure Must be in Place for Reuse to Succeed: We can’t force businesses to take action if the services and infrastructure for reuse aren’t available (wash hubs, takeout reuse systems, transport networks, etc.). Therefore, we will support reuse funding and reuse business development in our communities and engage others in supporting businesses that offer reuse options.
We Will Avoid Regrettable Substitutes: Banning plastics or requiring products to be compostable or recyclable, results in other single-use materials in food service and the beverage industry that aren’t easy to compost or recycle and/or may have significant environmental and health impacts. Therefore, with any action to ban plastic, we will strive to replace all single-use products by prioritizing reusable formats where it makes sense.