Embedded Files
Reducing plastics is pivotal for climate sustainability as their production and disposal generate significant greenhouse gas emissions. By promoting alternatives, recycling, and circular economy practices, we can mitigate climate impacts, conserve resources, and create a more sustainable environment for future generations.
Plastic Production, Waste Management & Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Plastic Production, Waste Management & Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Fast Facts: What is plastic pollution?
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: UN Sustainable Development Goals blog
Format: Text and infographics, PDF
Plastic leakage and greenhouse gas emissions are increasing
Audience: Adult
Source: OECD
Format: Text and infographics
Double trouble: plastics found to emit potent greenhouse gases
Audience: Adult
Source: UN Environment Programme
Format: Text
How much of global greenhouse gas emissions come from plastics?
Audience: Adult
Source: Our World in Data
Format: Text and infographics
Single-Use Plastic & Environmental Impact
Single-Use Plastic & Environmental Impact
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: National Resources Defense Council
Format: Guide with photographs (available in Spanish)
Fact Sheet: Single-Use Plastics
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: Earthday.org
Format: Text
10 Facts About Single-Use Plastic Bags
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: The Center for Biological Diversity
Format: Text
How Single Use Plastics Are Hurting Our Oceans and Warming Our Planet
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: PBS: Peril & Promise
Format: News story, including information on pervasiveness of plastics and health. The story includes links to videos.
Ocean Pollution & Climate Change
Ocean Pollution & Climate Change
The Ocean Ecosystems webpage has more resources.
Navigating Through Plastic: Ocean Health Adrift
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: Acciona Sustainability for All
Format: Text and infographics
World Ocean Day: How much plastic is in our oceans?
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: Al Jazeera News
Format: Text and infographics
Breaking the Plastic Wave: Top Findings for Preventing Plastic Pollution
Audience: Adult
Source: Pew Charitable Trusts
Format: Text and infographics
Ocean Plastics Pollution: A Global Tragedy for our Oceans and Sea Life
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: The Center for Biological Diversity
Format: Text and map
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: CNN
Format: Photo essay and informative text
Tackling the Plastics Crisis at the Source
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: Oceana
Format: Webpage with infographic and link to resources on plastic pollution mitigation
Policies, Laws, & Treaties to Mitigate Plastic Dependence
Policies, Laws, & Treaties to Mitigate Plastic Dependence
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: UN Environment Programme
Format: Website of resources on plastic proliferation and persuasive information to support the international treaty to end plastic pollution.
A UN treaty to end plastic pollution
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: Ellen MacArthur Foundation
Format: Persuasive and informational text that includes an interactive timeline and links to additional resources
What is the global plastics treaty? from Single-use plastics 101
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: National Resources Defense Council
Format: Description of treaty purpose.
What’s ahead as global plastic treaty talks come down to the wire
Audience: Adult
Source: S&P Global
Format: Article and podcast about the Global Plastic Treaty
Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty
Audience: Adult
Format: Website for businesses organized for a circular economy and to reduce plastic production.
The Comprehensive Plastic Policies We Need for a Clean Future
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: Pew Charitable Trusts
Format: Persuasive, policy-focused text
How to create a ‘world without waste’? Here are the plastic industry’s ideas.
Audience: Adult
Source: Grist
Format: News article
Should we ban single-use plastics?
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: National Resources Defense Council
Format: Informative text with suggestions for avoiding single-use plastics
State of the science on plastic
Source: PlasChem, an international scientific research group
Format: Report and database of plastics and polymers for informed policy-making
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: Zero Waste Europe
Format: Clear explanation of the law (PDF).
Waste Management
Waste Management
Top 10 Businesses Combatting Litter & Landfill
Audience: Adult
Source: Sustainable Review
Format: Informational text in print and audio format
LimeLoop: How it works: Trackable reusable packaging
Audience: Adult
Source: LimeLoop
Format: Website for alternative packaging
Recycling & Repurposing Plastics
Recycling & Repurposing Plastics
Audience: Teen, adult
Format: Website
Audience: Adult
Format: Website with infographic
Audience: Adult
Format: Website with infographic
Transforming polluting plastics into a circular material
Audience: Adult
Source: Innovation News Network
Format: News article with infographics
Alternatives & Innovation
Alternatives & Innovation
Changing Behavior
The Best Eco-Friendly Alternatives for the Plastic in Your Life
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: Eartheasy
Format: Text
10 innovative solutions to global plastic waste
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: Innovate Eco
Format: Text
Real Recycling
L..O.O.P. - Life Out Of Plastic-Peru
Audience: Youth, teen, adult
Format: Website (Spanish) for recycled plastic products and activism
Life Out Of Plastic - L.O.O.P. - Peru
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: UN Climate Change 2023 Climate Action Awards
Format: News release
Audience: Adult
Source: Ellen MacArthur Foundation
Format: Informative text with embedded video
GoUnpackaged Refill Coalition
Audience: Teen, adult
Format: Corporate website
Sustainable Alternatives Innovation
Sway Compostable products made from seaweed
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: Sway
Format: Corporate website
Zero Circle Compostable products made from seaweed
Audience: Teen, adult
Format: Corporate website
Audience: Teen, adult
Format: Corporate website
Great Wrap Sustainable Biopolymers
Audience: Teen, adult
Format: Corporate website
BioLogiQ Sustainable Biopolymers
Audience: Teen, adult
Format: Corporate website
Cruz Foam Sustainable Biopolymers
Audience: Teen, adult
Format: Corporate website
Biofase sustainable cutlery made from avocado pits
Audience: Youth, teen, adult
Format: Corporate website
Waste Picker Justice
Waste Picker Justice
Waste pickers risk their lives to stop plastic pollution – now they're shaping recycling policies
Audience: Adult
Source: World Economic Forum Climate Change Agenda
Format: Text and video
How waste pickers are helping to win the war on plastic pollution
Audience: Adult
Source: Reuters
Format: News article with photos
Strengthening Waste Picker Organising in Africa
Audience: Adult
Source: GAIA
Format: Website with link to report PDF
Waste Pickers - The Missing Piece in India’s EPR Puzzle
Audience: Adult
Source: Break Free from Plastic
Format: Website with link to report PDF
Corporate Responsibility, & Social Justice
Corporate Responsibility, & Social Justice
See more resources on the Sustainable Economies webpage.
Designing Out Plastic Pollution
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: Ellen MacArthur Foundation
Format: Homepage of an initiative to rethink plastic design globally, with links to videos and other resources
What are businesses doing to turn off the plastic tap?
Audience: Adult
Source: UN Environment Programme
Format: Text
Plastics: The challenges and possible solutions
Audience: Adult
Source: PRI Association
Format: Text
Plastic pollution is an environmental injustice to vulnerable communities – new report
Audience: Adult
Source: UN Environment Programme
Format: Text
Plastic & Climate: The Hidden Costs of a Plastic Planet
Audience: Adult
Source: Center for International Environmental Law
Format: Report (PDF), Links to executive summary in English, Chinese, Spanish, and German (PDF)
How Companies Greenwash their Plastic Pollution
Audience: Adult
Source: Popular Science
Format: Text
The five strategies of industries to keep on producing and using even more plastic
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: Surfrider Foundation
Format: Text
JouleBug - Sustainability goal monitoring
Audience: Adult
Format: Corporate website
Plastic Bank - Social enterprise to reduce plastic pollution
Audience: Teen, adult
Format: Website with blog and plastic footprint calculator
Education, Advocacy, & Consumer Behavior Change
Education, Advocacy, & Consumer Behavior Change
See more advocacy resources on the Policy & Activism webpage.
How to Decode Recycling Symbols
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: Good Housekeeping
Format: Guide to recycling with embedded video
Audience: Teen, Adult
Format: Website for an international organization that helps schools reduce plastic use
Audience: Youth, teen, adult
Format: Website of resources for plastic-free community campaigns
Audience: Youth, teen, adult
Format: Organization website with advocacy resources to confront plastic pollution, including the Break Free from Plastic Youth Ambassadors Program
Audience: Youth, teen, adult
Format: Organization website of advocacy ideas and resources
Audience: Adult
Format: Organization Website
The New Plastics Economy: Rethinking the future of plastics
Audience: Adult
Source: Ellen MacArthur Foundation
Format: Reports and resources for rethinking plastic production & consumption
Audience: Teen, adult
Format: Website with informative blog
Audience: Youth, teen, adult
Format: Website with embedded videos
Audience: Teen, adult
Format: Website
Break Free from Plastic Communications Resources
Audience: Teen, adult
Format: Campaign toolkits
Audience: Teen, adult
Format: Searchable library with links to reports, websites, and images about plastics, their environmental impact, and reducing use
5 Eco-Friendly Habits for a Sustainable Lifestyle
Audience: Youth, teen, adult
Source: Paper and Packaging Board
Format: Ideas for using and reusing paper products with embedded video and photographs
Videos & Collections
Videos & Collections
The vision for a circular economy for plastic
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: Ellen MacArthur Foundation YouTube channel
Break Free from Plastic Video Collection
Audience: Teen, adult
Break Free from Plastic YouTube channel
Audience: Teen, adult
Single Use Planet is a documentary. The film website includes instructional resources. The YouTube channel includes clips from the film
Audience: Teen, adult
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: The Story of Stuff YouTube channel
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: The Story of Stuff YouTube channel
End Plastic Waste video collection
Audience: Teen
Source: TED-Ed
Audience: Teen, adult
Protecting Marine Ecosystems in Peru
Audience: Youth, teen, adult
Source: Youth Action Net YouTube channel
Plastik-A short film to end plastic pollution in South-East Asia
Audience: Youth, teen, adult
Source: MeshMinds YouTube channel
A Plastic Wave - A documentary film on plastic pollution
Audience: Teen, adult
Who is polluting the ocean with plastic?
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: The Economist YouTube channel
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: VOA/Alexis Duran on Vimeo
A Mighty Ocean: Global Youth's Vision to a Plastic-free Future
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: Break Free From Plastic YouTube channel
You're Being Lied To About Ocean Plastic
Audience: Adult
Source: Business Insider YouTube channel
Plastic-Free Paradise - A healthier Jamaica
Audience: Youth, teen
Source: Jamaica Environment Trust YouTube channel
Audience: Adult
Source: Frontline Climate & Environment YouTube playlist
Mike Biddle-We can recycle plastic
Audience: Adult
Source: TED-Ideas about Plastic
5 BEST Alternatives to Finally Replace Plastic
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: Undecided with Matt Ferrell YouTube channel
Is Mycelium Fungus the Plastic of the Future?
Audience: Adult
Source: Undecided with Matt Ferrell YouTube channel
Capt. Charles Moore-Seas of Plastic
Audience: Adult
Source: TED-Ideas about Plastic
How to Clean Up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: Inside Edition YouTube channel
Most Ocean Plastic Flows From Rivers. Can Giant Trash Barriers Stop It? | World Wide Waste
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: Business Insider YouTube channel
Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff-Can One Straw Change the World?
Audience: Adult
Source: TEDx Talks YouTube channel
#WeChooseReuse demands reuse solutions to packaging waste
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: #breakfreefromplastic YouTube channel
Kenyan Entrepreneur Turns Plastic Bottles Into Eco-Bricks
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: VOA News
Bakelite-#Sick of Plastic
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: On Est Prêt YouTube channel
Our Plastic, Our Problem (A marine litter info-operetta!)
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: Seas at Risk YouTube channel
Oceans: The Mystery of the Missing Plastic
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: ENDEVR YouTube channel
Benefits of Waste Picker Organising playlist
Audience: Adult
Source: GAIA YouTube channel
Countdown: 170+ TED Talks on Climate Change
Audience: Adult
Source: TED
Podcasts
Podcasts
Break Free from Plastic curates a list of podcasts to address plastic pollution.
Audience: Adult
What’s ahead as global plastic treaty talks come down to the wire
Audience: Adult
Source: S&P Global ESG Insider
Format: Podcast with transcript
Infographics & Other Data Resources
Infographics & Other Data Resources
Audience; Adult
Source: OECD iLibrary
Format: Searchable database
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: Our World in Data
Format: Infographics on global plastic pollution
Plastic, Waste, and Me (Unpacked)
Audience: Youth, teen
Source: Heinrich Böll Stiftung
Format: Interactive infographics about use of plastic and its consequences
Study maps human uptake of microplastics across 109 countries
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: Phys.org
Format: Article with infographics.
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: Visual Capitalist
Format: Infographics on global plastic production, consumption, and waste management
Rethinking the future of plastics
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: Ellen MacArthur Foundation
Format: Infographics that, together, advocate for international changes in plastic production and consumption
Teaching Materials
Teaching Materials
Kids Against Plastic Lesson Guides
Audience: Youth
Source: Kids Against Plastic
Format: Activity plans and guides
One in a Million Plastic Pick-Up
Audience: Youth
Source: British Council LearnEnglish Kids
Audience: Teen
Source: British Council LearnEnglish Teens
Format: Lesson with embedded video
Audience: Teen, adult
Source: BBC 6 Minute English
Format: Audio and vocabulary with transcript
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