We’re facing a systemic waste crisis – and it can only be addressed through systemic solutions. The United States produces about 300 million tons of waste each year. Most of that waste is buried in landfills or burned in incinerators. And more than 76 million people live within 3 miles of one of those landfills or incinerators.

Individual choices and small-scale fixes will never make a big enough dent in this daunting crisis. We desperately need large-scale, systemic, and proven solutions like food waste bans, reuse and refill programs, bottle bills, packaging reduction laws, and pay-as-you-throw programs. And because so many of these systemic solutions work in concert with one another, we need to implement as many as possible, as soon as possible.

Because our federal government has left it to states to act on waste, that’s where we need to start. Our state governments have the ability – through waste planning, legislation, and regulatory rule-making – to implement these solutions so that we can eliminate, reduce, and divert much of our waste stream.

Take action with us today – urge your governor to support systemic solutions to address our waste crisis.