Take Action: Step One to Stop the Plastics Boom

What you need to know

Every day, we see alarming news about the threat of plastics and petrochemicals — to our health, our environment, and even our lives. It’s a threat that touches every single person. The plastic crisis may feel overwhelming, but we’re here to help take that first step to fight back.

How we got here

Plastics don’t just pollute our oceans — at every part of their lifecycle, plastics and the petrochemicals they’re made with contribute to pollution and put communities at risk. Plastics start in massive industrial plants built to churn out more plastic than we could ever need. These petrochemical facilities release toxic chemicals into the air and water, fueling health crises linked to higher rates of cancer, asthma, and other serious illnesses. 

The statistics are sobering:

One petrochemical additive found in many common household plastics has been linked to 356,000 heart-related deaths in a single year.

Even as petrochemical facilities face a crumbling market and poor economic outlook, more than a hundred new facilities have been proposed in the U.S. alone. Many of these projects are fueled by massive tax breaks, funneling billions away from schools, roads, parks, and essential services. And once built, they lock us into decades of toxic pollution and plastic waste. We don’t have to accept this future. 

Every big movement starts with a "Step One." We can each take that first step today to stand up against building more of these petrochemical facilities.

Campaign goals

Stop the widespread expansion of the petrochemical industry and the tax breaks that fuel them.

Why your voice matters

To make change, we can all take a Step One. For some, it’s switching to reusable products. For others, it’s showing up and speaking out at a town hall. Today, your step can be adding your name to this petition. 

When you sign, you stand with communities demanding clean air and water, with those living near these toxic facilities facing extreme health consequences, and with a growing global movement saying “enough!” to petrochemicals. Together, our voices can help shift power to put people over pollution.

What happens next

As our regional organizers meet with officials in places like Texas, Louisiana, and the Ohio River Valley, we will deliver your signatures to lawmakers and regulators as evidence that communities have had enough. With your voice, we’ll show them the demand for change is undeniable — and that the world is ready to move beyond petrochemicals.