January 15, 2018 View all news Our plastics campaign is off to a flying start.On Wednesday, TDs and Senators will begin considering the Waste Reduction Bill. It proposes concrete steps to cut plastic waste, like a deposit and return scheme for plastic bottles and a ban or a levy on plastic-lined coffee cups.We're joining forces with Zero Waste Ireland, VOICE and Uplift to present a petition outside the Dáil to urge TDs to pass the law quickly, before any election derails progress. They have been working on plastics for a while. Now we're adding our weight, and your voice, to the campaign.Two things you can do: Click here to add your name to the petition.We want to get it over 5,000 before we present it. It's at 4,466 as I write this. Come to the Dáil with your plastic waste!If you are free at lunchtime on Wednesday and in striking distance of Dublin city-centre, come along to the gates of the Dáil with some plastic waste from your recycling bin. As we present the petition we're going to pile up all our rubbish to show how much plastic the public are left to deal with by companies and shops that keep shoving it our way. We'll be taking a photo at 1pm on Wednesday so come and join the fun and demonstrate just how #SickOfPlastic we are and how much we want immediate steps to break free from plastic waste.Want to know more?Watch this RTE TV News report from last Thursday, which features me talking about the wonderful Conscious Cup Campaign while drinking coffee from a Friends of The Earth KeepCup in coffeeangel, who give us 20c whenever anyone uses a reusable cups in one of their shops.Listen to my interview with Matt Cooper on The Last Word last week about the concrete policy steps we can take against micro-plastics, plastic bottle waste and coffee-cups.Read this Journal.ie article on how Ireland produces more plastic waste per person than any other country in the EU.2018 is the year we turn the tide.I've never felt a groundswell of public energy on an environmental issue like this. People are #SickOfPlastic, the media have captured that mood, and politicians are already responding. But we need to pile on the pressure to take lasting action before some political crisis or an election derails the chance of progress.So let's act now to break free from plastic.Onward,Oisin and the Friends of the Earth team.P.S. This campaign will appeal to people beyond the usual environmental suspects, so please forward this email to anyone who know who's likely also sick of plastic and would like to help break free from plastic waste. Please also share the action on Facebook and Twitter to multiply its impact. Thanks!Why not arm yourself with our limited-edition glass KeepCup. For a donation of just €3.50 a month, we'll send you the new Friends of the Earth KeepCup.Then you can press your local coffee shop to join the Conscious Cup Campaign by giving you a discount or double loyalty points every time you use it :-). In fact you could make your donation back in less than a month!Our campaigns depend on you.Your support makes them possible.Your participation makes them powerful. Categorised in: Waste