By the JONAH Environmental Task Force
“It may look overwhelming – however, taking one action at a time, building that habit, and then committing to another action can feel more manageable and be more sustainable. Remember, progress over perfection.”
– Plastic-Free Eau Claire Pledge
The JONAH Environmental Task Force has been working on a new project called the Plastic-Free Eau Claire Pledge, a transformative initiative aimed at combating plastic pollution in our community. It was released to the public at the Earth Week Open House event on April 25th. This project is a collaboration between the JONAH Environmental Task Force, The Juggery, and the Eau Claire County Recycling & Sustainability staff.
In a world where plastic waste is harming our oceans, wildlife, and health, it is imperative that we take action now. The Plastic-Free Eau Claire Pledge empowers individuals and businesses alike to make a tangible commitment to reducing their plastic footprint.
The pledge invites individuals to dedicate to:
- Reducing the use of single-use plastics in your daily life or operations.
- Seeking out and supporting sustainable alternatives to plastic products.
- Following proper recycling protocols.
- Advocating for change in our community.
The commitments include specific actions such as refusing plastic straws, bags, and water bottles, along with responsibly disposing of plastic film, batteries, and chemicals during designated Clean Sweep events hosted by the Eau Claire County Recycling Program.
Kathy Campbell, a volunteer for JONAH’s Reduce Plastic Bags committee, finds inspiration from the success of other notable plastic-free pledges across the state such as Plastic-Free MKE.
“We have to change ourselves and in the process, change the system,” Campbell said. “We all need to help make our leaders in our community and our state more aware of this commitment — there’s a public will to make change.”
Over 100 people in our community and 6 businesses in the food and beverage industry have taken the pledge to reduce single-use plastics!
To take the pledge, click the link for the individual pledge, or if you are a restaurant or cafe, visit the business pledge. Learn more on the JONAH Environmental Task Force webpage under the Task Forces tab on the JONAH website. If you have questions about the Plastic-Free Eau Claire pledge, reach out to [email protected].