The Sick Of Plastic Campaign
The Sick of Plastic campaign formed in early 2018 when Friends of the Earth and VOICE Ireland noticed a surge in the public’s frustration with single use plastic. Despite introducing the plastic bag tax back in 2002, we’re taking more plastic packaging home (in our reusable shopping bags) than ever!
Sick of Plastic is working to empower communities to pressure industry and decision makers to take action on single use plastic.
Sick of Plastic Update
Issued in the blog on February 22, 2021 at 17:59:00.
Sick of Plastic is our campaign in partnership with VOICE Ireland. Together, we are working to empower communities to pressure industry and decision makers to take action on single use plastic.
Despite not being able to take direct action through our Supermarket Shop & Drop’s due to COVID-19 restrictions, Sick of Plastic has remained as creative as ever in presenting fun and interactive ways for people to take action on single use plastics. There are lots of ways to take action, you can start by taking photos of excessive plastic packaging in your supermarkets and sharing it with Sick of Plastic on social media or via email sickofplasticireland@gmail.com to help build the pressure on supermarkets to act.
Catch up on Plastic - October 2020
Issued in the blog on October 17, 2020 at 20:43:00.
The Sick of Plastic campaign has been working hard supporting communities across Ireland to take action against the excessive use of plastics in our supermarkets.
Sadly, our annual Shop and Drop was cancelled this year – but that didn’t stop local Sick of Plastic groups from taking action in their communities.
This summer thousands of people took part in our Postcards to Supermarkets campaign, calling on supermarkets to eliminate unnecessary plastic and support reuse.
Demands to Supermarkets:
- Reduce the amount of plastics in store
- Offer loose fruit and veg at affordable prices
- Offer more produce like loose washing detergent and dry goods
- Support reuse by accepting reusable containers
If you didn’t get to any of the 40 hubs to sign a physical postcard, there’s still time to sign your name digitally here at this link.
Sick of Plastic Supermarket Postcard Campaign
Issued in the blog on June 30, 2020 at 13:06:00.
Sick of Plastic had to cancel this year's Shop and Drop - but the action to demand change from supermarkets keeps going!
Shoppers, anti-plastic activists and local Sick of Plastic groups are planning to send their signed Sick of Plastic Postcards to Supermarkets with a personal note asking their local supermarket to make changes and eliminate unnecessary plastic packaging from its produce.
The action is kicking off this week for Plastic Free July!
You can get started by signing a digital postcard here on the action page.
Physical postcards are available at hubs across the country so you can sign and send in your own postcard, find your nearest hub here on this map.
Sick of Plastic Campaign Launch New Action for Plastic Free July
Issued in news on June 30, 2020 at 12:30:00.
Supermarket shoppers will be sending ‘wishing you weren’t so wrapped up in plastic!’ postcards to Supermarkets this Plastic Free July
To kick start Plastic Free July, a month of action against plastic, Sick of Plastic is launching a Postcard Campaign directed at the 5 big supermarkets in Ireland asking them to up their game in reducing the amount of single use plastics in shops.
Postcards to sign your name and demand action from Supermarkets will be distributed to hubs across the country and supporters can also sign up online at www.voiceireland.org.
Mindy O’Brien, Coordinator of VOICE Ireland, says;
Catching up on Sick of Plastic
Issued in the blog on June 17, 2020 at 23:19:00.
Through the Break Free From Plastic global network, of which we are members of, we screened the newly released film ‘The Story of Plastic’ in May with our Sick of Plastic partner VOICE Ireland. To build on the conversation and bring the issue closer to home, we hosted awebinar to discuss the plastic free movement in Ireland.
Watch it back - Story of Plastic Webinar
Issued in the blog on May 18, 2020 at 13:23:00.
If you missed it, don't worry. We're recording all of our webinars so you can watch them in your own time.
Sick of Plastic, our campaign partnered with VOICE Ireland, hosted a webinar on to discuss the new documentary 'The Story of Plastic' and the growing movement in Ireland and worldwide to break free from plastic and fossil fuels.
The Story of Plastic is the story BIG PLASTIC does not want you to see. The film takes a sweeping look at the man-made crisis of plastic pollution, from extraction of fossil fuels to plastic waste replacing fish in our Oceans, and to explore Ireland's role in tackling these issues.
The Story of Plastic, is the Big Story the plastic industry doesn’t want you to see. It’s a must watch!
Issued in news on May 11, 2020 at 10:47:00.
Sick of Plastic Campaign
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate release: Monday May 11th
Environmentalists come together to bridge the gap between plastic and fossil fuels, unveiling plastic industry secrets, through a free two-day online streaming and webinar.
Environmental campaigning groups have been hosting online screenings across the world to bring the full story of plastic to mainstream audiences since the film premiered on the Discovery Channel on Earth Day this year.
On May 12th and 13th the Sick of Plastic Campaign will be streaming the film for free online for the Irish public. And on May 14th the campaign will host a webinar to discuss the film and explore the links between plastic and fossil fuels within both the Global and Irish contexts.
Webinar May 14: What the frack has gas got to do with plastic!?
Issued in the blog on May 08, 2020 at 18:52:00.
What has that plastic bottle polluting your local river got to do with gas?!
Well, a lot as it turns out.
Natural gas is primarily composed of methane, a greenhouse gas which, when released, has over 100 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide. Gas is used as an energy source the world over.
What is less well known is that gas is also used as a material to make plastics. Ethane is a hydrocarbon also present in gas and a primary raw material for petrochemical (or plastics) manufacturing. Global fossil fuel extraction companies are heavily involved in the production of plastics. They use the ethane accessed via fracking to produce plastics that exist for hundreds of years in the environment.
Story of Plastic - Webinar on Plastic and Gas
Issued in the blog on May 01, 2020 at 11:53:00.
The Story of Plastic is the story BIG PLASTIC does not want you to see.
Join us for a webinar on May 14th to reflect on the newly released film 'The Story of Plastic' - which takes a sweeping look at the man-made crisis of plastic pollution, from extraction of fossil fuels to plastic waste replacing fish in our Oceans, and to explore Ireland's role in tackling these issues.
The film premiered on Earth Day April 22nd and we're very excited to team up with VOICE Ireland to bring it to our supporters and friends with a 48 hour online film streaming on May 12th and 13th.
Highly anticipated ‘Story of Plastic’ documentary film to be premiered on the Discovery Channel as part of Earth Day celebrations
Issued in news on April 20, 2020 at 10:52:00.
Finally, the full story of plastic is being brought to the big and small screen and will be premiered by the Discovery Channel on April 22nd to mark the release. Hundreds of environmental groups will be holding community screenings across the world in the coming weeks.
Environmentalists are thrilled to announce that the Discovery Channel will premiere this ground breaking new documentary. The Story of Plastic film takes a sweeping look at the man-made crisis of plastic pollution, from extraction of fossil fuels to plastic waste replacing fish in our Oceans. The film follows the journey of plastic while also examining the worldwide effect it has on both the health of our planet and the people who inhabit it.
Mindy O’Brien, Coordinator of VOICE Ireland, says;
