Emily Kowalski
Outreach & Engagement Manager, Environment Illinois
The Illinois legislature has the opportunity this year to reduce single-use plastic waste, starting with the worst of the worst: plastic foam cups, containers and other food items.
Illinois has a plastic pollution problem. Every year, Americans throw away millions of pieces of single-use plastic “stuff” — and too often pollution ends up in our Great Lakes, where it can harm or even kill birds and marine animals such as turtles and fish. Nothing we use for a few minutes should pollute our planet for centuries.
The good news is that the Illinois legislature has the opportunity to reduce single-use plastic waste, starting with the worst of the worst: plastic foam cups, containers and other food items.
On February 22, 2023 members of the Coalition for Plastic Reduction, a coalition of more than 35 organizations including Environment Illinois, headed to Springfield to meet with legislators and garner support for legislation introduced by Representative Gong-Gershowitz and Senator Fine.
We really believe now is the time for us to take action. This bill would prevent harm from occurring in the first place and it is one very important step forward in protecting our Great Lakes and making sure they’re healthy and vibrant for generations to come.Andrea Densham
with Alliance for the Great Lakes
Members of the Coalition for Plastic Reduction meet with Representative Will Guzzardi on February 22, 2023.
Photo by Emily Kowalski | TPIN
Members of the Coalition for Plastic Reduction meet with Representative Laura Faver Dias on February 22, 2023.
Photo by Abe Scarr | TPIN
Members of the Coalition for Plastic Reduction meet with Representative Ann Williams on February 22, 2023.
Photo by Emily Kowalski | TPIN
Members of the Coalition for Plastic Reduction meet with Senator Adriane Johnson on February 22, 2023.
Photo by Jen Walling | Used by permission
Members of the Coalition for Plastic Reduction meet with Representative Anne Stava-Murray on February 22, 2023.
Photo by Jacqueline Casazza | Used by permission
Members of the Coalition for Plastic Reduction meet with Representative Daniel Didech on February 22, 2023.
Photo by Seema Keshav | Used by permission
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The more than 30 activists that participated in the lobby day met with their legislators and shared their reasons for supporting action to reduce single-use plastics.
Already eight states and roughly 200 cities and municipalities have enacted bans on polystyrene foam containers. The Midwest is behind in tackling this problem despite the critical need to protect our Great Lakes. Illinois has the opportunity this year to lead the region by passing a statewide ban on cups and containers made of polystyrene foam.
Contact your legislators to ask for their support of HB2376 and SB100.
Sustainability is one of our core values at Engrained. I think it just makes complete sense that we should eliminate single-use plastics.Brent Schwoerer
Owner, founder & brewmaster of Engrained Brewing
Emily manages the marketing and public engagement strategy for Environment Illinois's campaigns, including our campaign to protect the Great Lakes from plastic pollution. Emily lives in Chicago where she enjoys knitting and biking.