We acknowledge that plastic pollution is one of the greatest environmental threats to the planet and one of the biggest challenges that this generation and succeeding ones face;

We acknowledge that plastic packaging accounts for nearly half of all plastic waste globally, and that every stage of the plastic life cycle, from extraction, manufacturing, transport, and all the way to waste management, is toxic, not just to the environment and wildlife, but to human health and quality of life as well;

Whereas, more than 70% of the world’s plastic winds up in landfills and incinerators, or is lost to the world’s waterways,

Whereas, it is estimated that there will be more plastic than fish, by weight, in the world’s oceans by 2050;

We recognize that the single-use throwaway economy disproportionately affects different communities and countries that have done the least to create this crisis, forcing some to be responsible for the majority of plastic pollution and making them more vulnerable to climate change;

Whereas, the global plastics recycling markets are challenged by the over-abundance of contaminated plastics (ie, plastic that is non-recyclable due to food residue and non-recyclable material mixed into the recycling stream);

Whereas, over 90% of plastics all over the world is not recycled, but instead is discarded in landfills, incinerated, or downcycled;

Whereas, there are readily available alternatives to single-use plastics;

Therefore, we arm that the ultimate solution to permanently stopping plastic pollution is to stop the production of single-use plastic while simultaneously refusing single-use plastic as we demand drastic change in corporate behavior and government policy;

The pledge calls on campuses to:

Develop a Plastic-Free or Zero-Waste Task Force including students, staff, faculty from appropriate departments, and the administration that will develop a roadmap to a plastic-free campus.

We recognize the role of educational institutions in developing environmentally literate students and responsible citizens who are cognizant of the bigger picture and will take the lead in bringing about the systems change necessary to end plastic pollution;

Immediately eliminate all non-essential, non-compostable, single-use disposable plastics with readily available alternatives.

We resolve to eliminate single-use, non-essential plastics that already have readily available alternatives and to gradually transition our school’s policies and systems in accordance with Break Free From Plastic values and principles;

Establish a procurement and/or purchasing policy that provides the framework for the long-term elimination of all non-essential, non-compostable, single-use disposable plastics — both provided by the institution and those provided by contracted food vendors.

We therefore arm our right to choose sustainable lifestyles and create healthy communities, as well as our right as consumers to demand sustainable alternatives that minimize waste as well as our carbon footprint;

Implement campus-wide systems that facilitate the proper collection and management of the non-disposable products from step 3.

We therefore resolve to invest in resources and infrastructure to support our commitment to ban single-use plastics;

As we embark on this collective journey, we commit to joining the Break Free From Plastic Global Plastic-Free Campuses Program and to work closely with the movement, to deepen our knowledge, to share our experiences, and to start our journey towards becoming plastic-free with other campuses worldwide.