Solving the Plastic Pollution Crisis with EMA Activist Board Member Meg Haywood Sullivan
According to Reuters, "Around the world, almost 1 million plastic bottles are purchased every minute." While producers are responsible for plastic pollution, personal actions also matter! We spoke with our newest EMA Activist Board Member, Meg Haywood Sullivan, about plastic pollution and how people can combat the crisis!
Meg is an accomplished sustainability strategist and creative, deeply committed to impactful storytelling and creating campaigns that drive positive change. With over ten years of experience, Meg has dedicated her career to bridging the gap between art and science. Her work is focused on inspiring individuals to take small but meaningful steps toward building a more sustainable future.
In addition to her non-profit and photography work, Meg is pursuing her Masters in Sustainability at Harvard University. She is highly sought-after for her expertise in designing impactful campaigns for leading brands such as Patagonia, KEEN, prAna, and Clif Bar. Meg is also the co-founder of Plastic Free Fridays, a movement aimed at reducing plastic waste, and is an ambassador for Conservation International, Surfrider Foundation, and Protect Our Winters.
Hi Meg! What is Plastic Free Fridays, and how can people participate?
Plastic Free Fridays is a movement to reduce the use of single-use plastic by raising awareness and shaping positive habits to benefit everyone. We want to educate and inspire communities to break free from using unnecessary and harmful plastics and work towards a systemic change on a corporate and policy level. It's as easy as saying no to single-use plastics each Friday while encouraging your community to join!
What do you find to be the most challenging source of plastic to eliminate from your routine?
My love of takeout is one of my most significant sources of plastic waste. An easy way I've been using is to slow down and enjoy a meal at a restaurant instead of taking it to go. And if I have leftovers, I'll bring them home with one of my reusable aluminum containers.
Why is recycling not the answer to our plastic pollution crisis?
Recycling is one of the greatest greenwashing PR stunts of all time. In the 1990s, oil companies invested millions of dollars into plastic recycling ads to preserve their stake in the plastic industry by creating false value for reused plastics and shifting blame to consumers. Plastic degrades over time, and recycling is often cost prohibitive, adding to the fact that less than 10% of plastic has ever been recycled. The best thing we can do is use plastic items we already have as long as possible, avoid new single-use plastic items, and invest in long-lasting solutions.
On a societal level, what needs to change to get us beyond our disposable culture?
Recycling is one of the most incredible greenwashing PR stunts of all time. In the 1990s, oil companies invested millions of dollars into plastic recycling ads to preserve their stake in the plastic industry by creating false value for reused plastics and shifting blame to consumers. Plastic degrades over time, and recycling is often cost prohibitive, adding to the fact that less than 10% of plastic has ever been recycled.
The best thing we can do is use plastic items we already have as long as possible, avoid new single-use plastic items, and invest in long-lasting solutions.
At EMA, we encourage onscreen role-modeling of sustainable habits. What plastic-free habits do you want movie and TV characters to adopt?
You make an excellent point! Seeing sustainable lifestyles represented onscreen is incredibly important to influence societal & cultural norms. I'd love to see characters bringing their reusables with them, attending protests, and discussing plastic waste solutions.
Plastic pollution organizations to follow: @surfrider @soalliance @futureearth @byebyeplasticbags