Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
In this Bite-Size Learning session, “Reducing Plastic Pollution and Improving Human Health”, Erin Simon, Vice President of Plastic Waste and Business at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), discusses the harmful impacts of plastic on human health and the environment and steps that WWF and its partners are taking to address it, including through WWF’s Resource: Plastic initiative.
The session also covers actions being taken by the Administration, including recently announced White House commitments to reducing plastic pollution within the federal government and the global plastics treaty process. The session provides an understanding about what federal agencies, businesses, and individuals alike can do to act on the plastics crisis.
Be Part of the Solution
The Go Green Get Healthy HHS program is challenging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) workforce to focus on small changes each of us can make to reduce plastic waste now and all year!
Besides creating an environmental nightmare, plastic pollution has a health impact. Plastic does not biodegrade, it just gets smaller and smaller, forming nano- and microplastics. Plastic is made from a derivative of crude oil and often contains toxic chemicals. As plastic breaks down, toxic chemicals are released into the ground, water, and air which affects the food we eat, water we drink, and air we breathe. To learn more about the effect of microplastics on your health, watch Earth Day 2024 presentations on this Go Green Get Healthy HHS playlist on the HHS YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrl7E8KABz1Ht0EWIT9IcaKpXKy8ViQ3m. Plus, you can view the FY 2023 HHS Green Champion Awards ceremony in the playlist.
Join the millions of people worldwide reducing plastic waste by choosing to refuse single-use plastic. BE part of the solution! As Confucius says, “The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.”
Greater change occurs when a larger group makes smaller changes versus a smaller group that makes large changes. For example, if all HHS employees reduced plastic use by 90%, they would save nearly 11,000 tons of plastic waste annually! And, if the entire federal government staff reduced plastic use by just 10%, 45,000 tons of plastic waste would be reduced each year.
Use the Home Plastic Checklist https://www.plasticfreeseas.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Plastic-free-living-checklist.jpg to get started.
So come on, step up and lead the way!
There were 665 attendees who benefitted from this session! The event was hosted by the Go Green Get Healthy HHS sustainability team on August 27, 2024. Gain knowledge and power by attending our Bite-Size Learning sessions! If you have any questions, please email GoGreen@hhs.gov.
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