Program on the Environment

Global plastic production has grown exponentially since 1950 and is expected to double within the next 20 years, with single-use plastics accounting for 50% of the total. Plastics are ubiquitous in the ocean, threatening marine life and subsequently humans. Policy solutions are a suitable option to mitigate these risks. However, the public and relevant stakeholders must support the suggested policies in order for legislators to vote yes on plastics reduction initiatives that interest environmental organizations. The purpose of this project is to explore the best practices for garnering public support and engaging stakeholders in plastics legislation efforts in Washington State. As a policy intern for Oceana, I supported two plastics reduction bills in the Washington State legislative process, HB 1085 and the Washington Recycling and Packaging (WRAP) Act. I testified in support of both bills, wrote letters to publications, created a petition, and designed a toolkit. I also conducted expert interviews, analyzed committee testimonies, and researched literature. I discovered that to effectively engage stakeholders and the public in environmental decision making, it is important to tailor arguments to reach diverse audiences. Economic, social, and political aspects of plastics policy initiatives must be addressed in addition to environmental factors. Methods that organizations can utilize to assist in this effort include cross-organizational collaboration, toolkit differentiation, demographic research, and identification of stakeholder allies. Ultimately, it is essential for environmental organizations to display alternative arguments for reducing plastic production and consumption beyond environmental concerns to achieve broad-based support for plastics reduction policies.