In 2018, PLAN created the #BreakFreeFromPlastic Campus pledge, which guides colleges and universities towards single-use plastic elimination, and eventually, waste elimination. Make a meeting with Young to learn more: calendly.com/youngsplans
The Pledge: who has signed?
See a full break down of our pledge
The College of the Atlantic
The College of the Atlantic is the first college campus in the country to sign onto the “Break Free From Plastic Campus Pledge” – a campus-wide commitment to eliminate all single-use disposable plastics. With COA’s President signing the pledge last week, COA has committed to “Break Free From Plastic” by 2025. This initiative was led by the student group [Earth] and supported by the non-profit the Post-Landfill Action Network (PLAN). The “Break Free From Plastic” campus pledge and toolkit specifically addresses accessibility and inclusivity concerns, and generates a framework for college campuses (and other institutions) to develop long-term systemic solutions to issues around waste and disposable consumption.
Eckerd College
The Break Free from Plastic–Eckerd College Pledge will be the first and most stringent campus wide purchasing guideline to be enacted in the nation. Beginning on January 1, 2020, faculty, staff and students will be prohibited from using any of the College budget to buy nonessential, single-use plastics such as single-serve beverage bottles, plates, utensils, cups, shopping bags, hot-beverage packets in plastic, plastic shipping and packing materials, plasticated name tags, balloons, glow sticks, glitter and more.
SUNY ESF
The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) is the first college in New York state and the third in the nation to sign the #breakfreefromplastic campus pledge, committing to develop a roadmap to a plastic-free campus by 2025. This pledge was developed by PLAN and is part of the Break Free From Plastic movement, which was started in 2016 to eliminate single-use plastic internationally.
Sterling College
Sterling College, a working college in Vermont, signed the pledge in March 2020, becoming the first working college to sign.
Durham Technical Community College
Durham Tech is the first community college to sign the pledge, in May 2020
The University of California System
Under a new policy announced Aug. 24, all 10 campuses will phase out single-use plastic bags in retail and dining locations and then eliminate single-use plastic food service items and plastic bottles.
Time for the Global Brand Audit
Break Free From Plastic is taking litter cleanups a step further by documenting the brands found on plastic waste collected at a cleanup. This helps us identify the companies responsible for plastic pollution. No matter how hard we try to avoid buying plastic and no matter how much we recycle, it will never be enough. The rate companies extract fossil fuels to manufacture more plastic packaging will always undermine our individual efforts. To truly solve the plastic problem, we are calling on these companies to stop producing so much unnecessary single-use plastic in the first place. Instead, we urge these companies to move towards real solutions that eliminate the need for single-use plastic packaging altogether. Do one with your student group, or an individual audit!
UC System announced elimination of single-use plastic
PLAN is proud to be a part of this fight with StudentPIRGS and CalPIRG Students to eliminate single use plastic from all University of California schools.
Read our Summer 2020 Campaign updates!
I just celebrated my one year work anniversary with six other co-workers, which means we are one year into this campaign with a dedicated staff member. We have accomplished quite a lot, and have a lot to be thankful for, despite how hard 2020 has been for so much of our movement. We have learned and won together, and I’m excited to continue this journey for another year.
Essential resources!
Who is working on eliminating plastic from their campus?
Stars: Campuses that have signed the pledge ~ Diamonds: Campuses with active campaigns ~ Circles: Campuses that had campaigns (now inactive)
Can’t find your campaign? Register your campaign here: