Target: Jim Fitterling, CEO of Dow Inc.
Goal: Alter and limit production of environmentally detrimental single-use plastics.
Earth Day began about five decades ago as a show of support for environmental protection. In the same time frame, production of petrochemicals has increased by 15 times. Why does this matter? Petroleum by-products like methane and methanol have an inordinate impact on air, water, and land pollution. These harmful substances are also linked to a rise in serious public health threats ranging from cancer to hormone disruption.
Single-use plastics have been identified as one of the most consequential contributors to petrochemical pollution. In fact, single-use plastic production has driven much of the soaring rates of petrochemical production. Such plastics are found in a wide range of popular products, including water bottles and disposable razors. Since the plastic products are used once and then quickly discarded (in addition to being unsuitable for recycling), these harmful substances end up in ecosystems (sometimes for centuries), where they take a major toll.
A handful of companies are responsible for more than half of the planet’s single-use plastics. Sign the petition below to hold a key American contributor to account.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Mr. Fitterling,
America leads the way in the consumption of single-use plastics, with the average individual disposing of roughly 110 pounds of these substances each year. Less than 10 percent of single-use plastics get recycled by Americans. Meanwhile, landfills are brimming with hazards that may not degrade for 500 years, at the least. Oceans and beaches demonstrate the devastating after-effects of plastic waste. And American health bears the hidden dangers of unchecked plastic production.
The European Union recently took action by mandating more recycled content in plastic bottles. Major plastic producers like China have joined in the pledges for bans of single-use plastics. Do not wait for a government dictate. As one of America’s—and the world’s—largest producers of single-use plastics, be a true leader and help pave the way for a future free of these existential threats to environmental and public health.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Mouenthias
373 Signatures