More than 22 million pounds of plastic pollution enter the Great Lakes every year, and meaningful solutions will require action from businesses, manufacturers, and governments alike. Join us for a conversation about how businesses can reduce their plastic use, the incentives driving change, and policies that hold producers accountable for the waste they create. We’ll discuss a variety of policy solutions, from phasing out the use of known cancer-causing materials like single-use plastic foam to Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws and the role business can play in advancing sustainable solutions. We’ll also explore where progress is being made in the Great Lakes region.
Panelists:
- Sarah Damron, Senior Regional Manager, Surfrider Foundation
- Tim Frick, President and Founder, Mightybytes
- Dr. Wren Montgomery, Quinn Professor of Sustainability, Smith School of Business, Queen’s University
- Andrea Densham, Director of Regional Government Affairs, Alliance for the Great Lakes
- Tom Fazzini, Communications Director, Alliance for the Great Lakes (moderator)
Related Links:
- Plastic Free Great Lakes Toolkit, an advocacy toolkit to make a difference in your community
- More about Dr. Montgomery’s new book, From Greenwash to Green Trust: How Honest Firms Win in a World of Spin
- Greenwash Action Lab
- Case study: How Mightybytes Turns Digital Work Into Climate Action
- Surfrider Foundation Great Lakes Friendly Restaurants program page, which includes links to case studies of restaurant waste reduction and cost-saving approaches
- Surfrider Foundation Great Lakes Friendly Restaurants volunteer signup – help identify or outreach to restaurants