Ending Plastic Pollution Archives

Jun 07, 2024

Let’s Clean Up Our Plastics Problem

Individuals alone can’t stem the tide of plastic overtaking the country. We need collective action and societal resolve.

A pile of colorful plastic tupperware containers on a shelf.

Apr 11, 2024

How to Plan a Community Cleanup to Make It Count

Organizing a trash cleanup will only make a tiny dent in all the plastic we toss, but it’s still a great opportunity to care for the environment, get some steps in, and connect with friends and neighbors. They also highlight the detrimental effects that plastic has on our planet! Here’s a guide to plan yours.

Sunny beach day. A person wearing white gloves picks up empty plastic bottles from the sand and puts them inside a black plastic bag as part of a community cleanup. Cleanups like this help document the impact of plastic litter on our environment.

Mar 01, 2024

Wine Bottles: The Case to Include Them in Bottle Return Programs

In most states, bottle return programs don’t cover wine bottles. So, our options for recycling them are limited. That means they end up mixed with trash or littering our communities. But there’s a simple solution: expand bottle bills.

Closeup photo of empty wine bottles in bright green and dark yellow tones. Bottles looked broken and in pieces.

Feb 12, 2024

Vermont Bottle Bill: An Urgent Makeover Is Overdue

When Vermont first passed its bottle bill back in 1973, the program was a revolutionary tool to slash litter and boost recycling rates. Today, the program covers less than half of the drinks on store shelves. It’s time for an update

Point of view photo from inside of reverse vending machine used to return empty containers that participate in bottle bill programs.

Jan 25, 2024

Rhode Island’s Bottle Bill: 3 Reasons to Pass It into Law

Rhode Island has a litter problem. Learn how passing a bottle bill can make a difference for our communities and the environment.

Close-up of an empty plastic bottle being picked off from the ground by person wearing blue nail polish. In the background, there's sand, the ocean, and a bright sunny sky.

Jan 23, 2024

Bottle Return Programs in New England: A Report Card

How does your state stack up in this report card? Could your elected officials be doing more to cut litter and keep bottles out of landfills?

Photo of hand putting empty plastic bottle inside bottle return program machine.

Jan 05, 2024

Is Plastic Biodegradable? Here’s the truth

Regardless of how we dispose of it, plastic will not biodegrade. Here’s what that means for our communities and environment.

Empty single-use plastic bottle sits on shore over water. Photo illustrates that plastic products do not break down or biodegrade when in contact with natural elements. From top to bottom, the background shows a gradient going from light orange to white to dark blue. These sunset-like colors are reflected in the water.

Jan 01, 2024

5 Questions for Britteny Jenkins

Britteny Jenkins, CLF’s Vice President for the Environmental Justice Program shares her journey and goals for our region. She will lead our transportation, climate justice, and zero waste efforts.

Portrait photography of Britteny Jenkins, Environmental Justice Vice President at Conservation Law Foundation. The background shows lush greenery and a green-tarnished metal fountain at Post Office Square in central Boston.

Sep 13, 2023

What Is Greenwashing?

Some of the world’s biggest polluters want us to believe they’re going green – but they’re really just hiding “business as usual” behind slick words. Here’s how to spot greenwashing in action.

Jun 26, 2023

Massachusetts Bottle Bill: 3 Reasons Why We Need to Modernize It

Litter is taking a toll on Massachusetts’ health and economy. These three reasons show how an updated bottle bill could help us change that.