Mission: To reduce the impacts of plastics in the marine environment by raising awareness about the dangers of plastic pollution and by advocating for a reduction of single-use plastics and the recycling of all plastics.
Austinites use 263 million plastic bags a year, and they cost the city and taxpayers about $850,000 a year to clean up.
Plastic—it’s all around us.
It’s in our homes, our offices, our vehicles, our yards, our playgrounds. We use it to package food, bottle products, bag proceduce, make dinnerware and utensils, make toys….
Plastics have undoubtedly helped us to manufacture, package and ship goods more easily, for less money, and in some cases more safely than ever before.
But plastics pose a significant threat to our planet as well.
Part of the problem is plastic itself. The very qualities that make it an adaptable and durable product to use, also make plastic an environmental nightmare. You see, plastics do not biodegrade. Instead they photodegrade – breaking down under exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays, into smaller and smaller pieces.
Bottom line: with the exception of the small amount that has been incinerated, virtually every piece of plastic that was ever made still exists in some shape or form.
Rise Above Plastic’s Mission
To reduce the impacts of plastics in the marine environment by raising awareness about the dangers of plastic pollution and by advocating for a reduction of single-use plastics and the recycling of all plastics.
Rise Above Plastic Grassroots Goals
We encourage YOU to help address these globlal issues locally with plastic reductions at home, school, work and for your entire community:
- Connect with Rise Above Plastics by attending a Surfrider Foundation Chapter meeting or following ‘RAP’ on Facebook / Twitter.
- Get involved with your local chapter and/or spread the word to friends and family about the problems with plastics.
- Be a leader and have the biggest impact by directing a plastic reduction program at school/work or a plastic reduction ordinance with you local city council.
Check out the Rise Above Plastics Activist Toolkit under the ‘Resources’ tab for detailed tips and ideas.