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Everyday activism isn’t just about reusable cups and recycling bins—it’s about pushing back on a broken waste system.
In this episode, we uncover how corporations shifted blame onto consumers while ramping up single-use everything. From toxic landfills to communities bearing the brunt of pollution, we’ll explore how small daily actions and collective power can add up to real change.
Because trash isn’t inevitable—it’s political. And together, we can rewrite the story.
Cited Sources:
Axios. “Coke, Pepsi Identified as Top Plastic Polluters in Global Waste Study.” Axios, 24 Apr. 2024.
Beyond Plastics. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). Beyond Plastics, 2024.
Break Free From Plastic. 2023 Global Brand Audit Results. Break Free From Plastic, 7 Feb. 2024.
Break Free From Plastic. Regional Brand Audit Report Identifies Top Plastic Sachet Polluters in Asia. Break Free From Plastic, 16 Apr. 2024.
Break Free From Plastic. Break Free From Plastic Movement Resources. Break Free From Plastic, 2024.
Brooks, Amy L., Shunli Wang, and Jenna R. Jambeck. “The Chinese Import Ban and Its Impact on Global Plastic Waste Trade.” Science Advances, vol. 4, no. 6, June 2018, eaat0131.
CalRecycle. Food Recovery and Organic Waste Reduction. California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, 2024.
CalRecycle. Packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, 2024.
Center for International Environmental Law. Plastic & Climate: The Hidden Costs of a Plastic Planet. CIEL, May 2019.
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Program. Colorado DPHE, 2024.
Composting Council. Composting Resources. U.S. Composting Council, 2024.
Detroit Office of Sustainability. Compost Program Helps Residents Reduce Food Waste. City of Detroit, 2024.
Earth911. Recycling and Sustainability Resources. Earth911, 2024.
Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI). “Q&A: Addressing the Environmental Justice Implications of Waste.” EESI, 2024.
Environment America. “A Day at the Landfill.” Environment America, 2024.
Geyer, Roland, Jenna R. Jambeck, and Kara Lavender Law. “Production, Use, and Fate of All Plastics Ever Made.” Science Advances, vol. 3, no. 7, July 2017, e1700782.
Global Plastic Laws. UN Global Plastics Treaty Resources. Global Plastic Laws, 2024.
International Finance Corporation. “The World Has a Waste Problem.” IFC, 2024.
Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Programs. Maine DEP, 2024.
Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. Michigan Food Waste Roadmap. State of Michigan, 2024.
National Public Radio (NPR). “Plastic Wars: Three Takeaways from the Fight over the Future of Plastics.” NPR, 31 Mar. 2020.
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. Modernizing Oregon’s Recycling System. Oregon DEQ, 2024.
Reuters. “UN Sets Date for Extra Session to Finalize Global Plastics Treaty.” Reuters, 3 Mar. 2025.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Basic Information About Landfill Gas. U.S. EPA, 2024.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). National Overview: Facts and Figures on Materials, Waste and Recycling. U.S. EPA, 2023.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Preventing Wasted Food at Home. U.S. EPA, 2024.
World Economic Forum. “Every Minute, One Garbage Truck of Plastic Is Dumped into Our Oceans.” World Economic Forum, Oct. 2016.
YouTube. “Plastic Wars | Full Documentary.” PBS Frontline, uploaded by PBS, 2020.
By Isabelle FrazierEveryday activism isn’t just about reusable cups and recycling bins—it’s about pushing back on a broken waste system.
In this episode, we uncover how corporations shifted blame onto consumers while ramping up single-use everything. From toxic landfills to communities bearing the brunt of pollution, we’ll explore how small daily actions and collective power can add up to real change.
Because trash isn’t inevitable—it’s political. And together, we can rewrite the story.
Cited Sources:
Axios. “Coke, Pepsi Identified as Top Plastic Polluters in Global Waste Study.” Axios, 24 Apr. 2024.
Beyond Plastics. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). Beyond Plastics, 2024.
Break Free From Plastic. 2023 Global Brand Audit Results. Break Free From Plastic, 7 Feb. 2024.
Break Free From Plastic. Regional Brand Audit Report Identifies Top Plastic Sachet Polluters in Asia. Break Free From Plastic, 16 Apr. 2024.
Break Free From Plastic. Break Free From Plastic Movement Resources. Break Free From Plastic, 2024.
Brooks, Amy L., Shunli Wang, and Jenna R. Jambeck. “The Chinese Import Ban and Its Impact on Global Plastic Waste Trade.” Science Advances, vol. 4, no. 6, June 2018, eaat0131.
CalRecycle. Food Recovery and Organic Waste Reduction. California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, 2024.
CalRecycle. Packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, 2024.
Center for International Environmental Law. Plastic & Climate: The Hidden Costs of a Plastic Planet. CIEL, May 2019.
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Program. Colorado DPHE, 2024.
Composting Council. Composting Resources. U.S. Composting Council, 2024.
Detroit Office of Sustainability. Compost Program Helps Residents Reduce Food Waste. City of Detroit, 2024.
Earth911. Recycling and Sustainability Resources. Earth911, 2024.
Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI). “Q&A: Addressing the Environmental Justice Implications of Waste.” EESI, 2024.
Environment America. “A Day at the Landfill.” Environment America, 2024.
Geyer, Roland, Jenna R. Jambeck, and Kara Lavender Law. “Production, Use, and Fate of All Plastics Ever Made.” Science Advances, vol. 3, no. 7, July 2017, e1700782.
Global Plastic Laws. UN Global Plastics Treaty Resources. Global Plastic Laws, 2024.
International Finance Corporation. “The World Has a Waste Problem.” IFC, 2024.
Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Programs. Maine DEP, 2024.
Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. Michigan Food Waste Roadmap. State of Michigan, 2024.
National Public Radio (NPR). “Plastic Wars: Three Takeaways from the Fight over the Future of Plastics.” NPR, 31 Mar. 2020.
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. Modernizing Oregon’s Recycling System. Oregon DEQ, 2024.
Reuters. “UN Sets Date for Extra Session to Finalize Global Plastics Treaty.” Reuters, 3 Mar. 2025.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Basic Information About Landfill Gas. U.S. EPA, 2024.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). National Overview: Facts and Figures on Materials, Waste and Recycling. U.S. EPA, 2023.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Preventing Wasted Food at Home. U.S. EPA, 2024.
World Economic Forum. “Every Minute, One Garbage Truck of Plastic Is Dumped into Our Oceans.” World Economic Forum, Oct. 2016.
YouTube. “Plastic Wars | Full Documentary.” PBS Frontline, uploaded by PBS, 2020.