PLASTIC-FREE CAMPUS & WORKPLACE ORGANIZING RESOURCES
From programs with course modules to straightforward campus policies, there are many resources that exist to help students and employees looking to move their campus or workplace beyond plastics. Below you’ll find our favorites.
REPLACE THE PLASTIC BOTTLES IN YOUR CAMPUS’S VENDING MACHINES WITH ALUMINUM CANS
One million plastic bottles are bought around the world every minute and less than one third of them will be recycled.
One easy way to help reduce the amount of plastic entering our waste streams and our environment is by replacing the plastic bottles in vending machines with aluminum cans.
THE BEYOND PLASTICS MODEL BILL
The model Beyond Plastics bill was drafted by our own in-house policy experts as the most effective way to reduce six of the biggest sources of single-use plastic pollution – plastic bags, plastic straws, stirrers, splash guards, polystyrene, and balloon releases – at once, rather than wasting years trying to ban each problematic item on its own.
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY’S PLASTICS POLICY
Ask your school’s administration to adopt this same policy on your campus. If you encounter resistance (which is quite likely), your next step is to create an online and/or paper petition to demonstrate strong student support.
PLAN’S PLASTIC-FREE CAMPUS MANUAL
As the student-led zero-waste movement gains momentum across the nation, the Post-Landfill Action Network (PLAN) is working hard to ensure that students have access to the tools and information they need to make lasting change on their campuses.
In partnership with the Plastic Pollution Coalition, PLAN created the Plastic-Free Campus Manual which contains best-practices, guidance, organizing advice, case studies, and project resources.
GALLIFREY FOUNDATION’S PLASTIC-FREE CAMPUS INITIATIVE
The Gallifrey Foundation‘s Plastic-Free Campus Initiative is a free online program dedicated to helping schools address the UN SDG goals 12, 13, 14 and 15 by tackling and reducing single use plastics and other items on campus.
This program helps schools make a meaningful environmental impact while also empowering and inspiring students to adopt sustainable values within their own lives, and helps teach the arts of negotiation and self-guided research. Once your school is registered you will work through their six course modules to achieve the plastic-free, waste-reduction, and climate smart goals.
SURFRIDER FOUNDATION’S RISE ABOVE PLASTICS ACTIVIST TOOLKIT
The Rise Above Plastics Activist Toolkit from Surfrider Foundation provides the essentials to anti-plastics organizing. It pairs well with the California Chancellor’s Policy above, or our Plastics Trifecta Legislation below.
SURFRIDER FOUNDATION’S PLASTIC BAG LAW ACTIVIST TOOLKIT
The Plastic Bag Law Activist Toolkit from the Surfrider Foundation is a more in-depth guide to navigating the passing of a plastic bag ban. But before you try to pass a plastic bag ban, consider working towards banning plastic straws, stirrers, polystyrene foam and bags all at the same time. Check out our Plastics Trifecta Ordinance below for more.
STUDENT PIRGS’ BREAK FREE FROM PLASTIC CAMPUS PLEDGE
A pledge to guide campuses towards the long-term elimination of single-use disposable plastics.