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deadline: 5-20-2009
goal: 20,000
 

Rise Above Plastics

Sponsored by: Surfrider Foundation

There is a section of the Pacific Ocean twice the size of the continental United States called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Within it, 100 million tons of plastic swirl in a vortex of currents. There is so much plastic in the water that it outnumbers zooplankton by six to one!

This plastic ends up in the stomachs of marine birds and animals. In fact, one million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals die globally each year due to ingestion of or entanglement in plastics.

Plastic is forever, with virtually every piece of petroleum based plastic ever made still in existence. That's why it's so critical to our oceans and beaches that we dramatically reduce our use of plastics, especially single-use plastics, starting today.

You can make a difference for our world's oceans, waves and beaches -- pledge to rise above plastics today.

  
THE PLEDGE

I commit to do my part to rise above plastics and protect the world's oceans, waves and beaches from plastic pollution. I will do this by:
  • Using reusable bottles for my water and other drinks. By using just one reusable bottle, I will keep 167 single-use plastic bottles from entering the environment.

  • Using cloth bags for groceries and other purchases. For each reusable bag I use, I will save approximately 400 plastics from being used.

  • Recycling the plastic bags and bottles I already have. For every thirteen plastic bags I don't use, I will save enough petroleum to drive a car one mile.

  

Sign the Pledge

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see more petitions

We signed the “Rise Above Plastics” Pledge!
# 18,381:
3:52 pm PDT, May 19, Tim Shoaf, California
# 18,380:
1:07 pm PDT, May 19, Olivia Frere, California
Spread the word and help educate others.
# 18,379:
2:58 pm PDT, May 16, Jeff Clayton, Texas
1. spread the word, volunteer for and donate money to the cleanup efforts started by the Environmental Cleanup Coalition www.gyrecleanup.org 2. become an environmental lawyer and sue the plastics manufacturers
# 18,378:
10:29 pm PDT, May 13, Brintey Jones, California
recycle
# 18,377:
10:50 am PDT, May 13, Raven Castina, Florida
Stop being a throw away world!!!
# 18,376:
2:22 pm PDT, May 11, Name not displayed, Oregon
There are so many. One is that I buy my garbage bags and my doggie poop bags from a supplier that makes corn based products. They break down within a year. We also buy to go containers for lunches etc. from them as well.
# 18,375:
1:52 pm PDT, May 10, Name not displayed, South Carolina
# 18,374:
5:47 am PDT, May 9, Cindy Choyce, Connecticut
volunteer to help clean it
# 18,373:
6:21 pm PDT, May 8, Lori Rosania, New Jersey
# 18,372:
4:49 pm PDT, May 8, Sarah Murch, Massachusetts
I will pick up trash that I see when I walk the beach and pavement.
# 18,371:
12:36 pm PDT, May 8, Name not displayed, California
Trash!
# 18,370:
12:14 pm PDT, May 8, Jamie Barrios, Illinois
# 18,369:
8:33 am PDT, May 8, Name not displayed, Missouri
# 18,368:
10:49 am PDT, May 5, Monti Moore, California
# 18,367:
6:46 pm PDT, May 3, Name not displayed, New York
Post more information about this on my blog.
# 18,366:
6:05 pm PDT, May 3, Joyce Ferendo, Connecticut
# 18,365:
1:22 pm PDT, May 3, Gary Fleeger, Pennsylvania
# 18,364:
7:49 am PDT, May 2, Name not displayed, Florida
# 18,363:
6:29 am PDT, May 2, Marsha Weinbaum, Ohio
# 18,362:
5:50 am PDT, May 2, Name not displayed, Ohio
Encourage others to use cloth bags for groceries; inform my students of this huge problem and discuss ways we can help.
# 18,361:
9:54 pm PDT, Apr 30, Drew McGowan, California
# 18,360:
11:19 am PDT, Apr 28, Melissa Kesler, Oklahoma
# 18,359:
10:31 am PDT, Apr 28, Anne Fonde Potter, Ohio
Post this information on Facebook and encourage friends to do the same
# 18,358:
10:01 am PDT, Apr 28, Janet Holthaus, Ohio
# 18,357:
12:37 pm PDT, Apr 27, Julie L MIller, Nevada
# 18,356:
10:37 am PDT, Apr 26, Name not displayed, Connecticut
# 18,355:
2:33 am PDT, Apr 25, Claudia O, New Mexico
Buy food with minimal packaging whenever possible.
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