Tell your state representatives to put people and planet before profit!

The #BreakFreeFromPlastic movement's successes have triggered an anti-democratic and anti-environmental corporate backlash.

Countless cities and states are trying to combat the scourge of plastic pollution by phasing out items like plastic bags and straws to more substantive efforts to address our throwaway culture. Now, these grassroots campaigns are under attack by plastic producers.

The Plastics Industry Association and its front group, the American Progressive Bag Alliance (APBA), have teamed up with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) to push preemptive legislation at the state-level that would forbid local communities from passing ordinances targeting single-use plastic. This year, bills that would "ban plastic bans" — based on ALEC's model policy — have been introduced or reintroduced in half a dozen states.

The attempt by plastic producers and state legislators to put profit over the planet portends greater damage to our oceans and shores; and, by stripping away the power of local communities to make changes, it's a fundamental attack against local-level democracy.

Tell your state representative to stand up for local democracy, a greener planet, and the freedom to #BreakFreeFromPlastic.