Thank you so much for attending the Plastic People film screening and panel discussion on Tuesday, November 11th presented by the City of Santa Monica and Sustainable Works.

The panel discussion was lively and informative and included Dianna Cohen, CEO & Co-Founder Plastic Pollution Coalition, Michael Rincon, M.P.P., Research and Policy Manager Physicians for Social Responsibility Los Angeles, Benjamin Kay, Adjunct Associate Professor, SMC Life Science Department and Life and Environmental Sciences Instructor, Santa Monica High School. Sarah Spitz, UC Master Gardener, Los Angeles County was our moderator

We took audience questions. And while many questions were answered there are still many more to explore and answer to move closer to solving the plastic pollution crisis.

To that end, our goal is to educate and follow that education up with action. Here are the action items we encourage you to take. Please make a commitment to do something and share it with us; Post on Sustainable Works Facebook Wall, Tweet with our handle @sustainablework, connect at #sustainablesm or send us an email gina.garcia@sustainableworks.org

Take Action
1. REFUSE disposable plastic whenever and wherever possible. Say ‘no straw’, please.
2. REDUCE or ELIMINATE consumption of goods that contain excessive plastic packaging and parts.
3. REUSE by choosing glass, stainless steel, wood, ceramic and bamboo over plastic.
4. REUSE by shopping 2nd hand instead of buying new or fast fashion.
5. Mend or repair items rather than throwing them away.
6. RECYCLE what I can’t be refused, reduced, reused or repaired.
7. Use your voice. Support a bill in California that aims to get plastic microbeads out of cosmetics and cleaning products. SIGN HERE
8. Use your voice. Sign petitions to stop plastic pollution & its toxic impacts. https://www.plasticpollutioncoalition.org/takeaction/petitions
9. Learn more, check out Plastic Pollution Coalition’s Resources + Solutions to Live Plastic-Free.

Photos by Kathleen Murphy Photography