✍️Harnessing the Power of the Postcard📮
Writing postcards to help reduce plastic pollution in Massachusetts!
After noting that a grand total of zero bills were passed to reduce solid waste or toxic chemicals in the Massachusetts 2021-2022 legislative session, Beyond Plastics Greater Boston is on a mission to make the 2022-2023 legislative session more productive.
To that end, Beyond Plastics Greater Boston hosted a postcard writing and networking event on Saturday, March 25th at First Parish Watertown in Watertown, MA. A total of 35 people attended from nine different communities in and around Boston, MA. Attendees included members of Beyond Plastics Greater Boston and their friends and family, along with members of 350Mass, and Mothers Out Front, as well as two city councilors, the Massachusetts Senate President Pro Tempore, Williams Brownsberger, and State Representative, Steve Owens.
The group wrote postcards to the Massachusetts Senate President and Speaker of the House, as well as their own state representatives and senators urging them to support the Expanded Bottle Bill, a moratorium on “chemical recycling”, a Skip the Stuff Bill, a bill to ban PFAS, an Extended Producer Responsibility for plastic packaging bill, and a ban on artificial turf.
The group provided plastic-free snacks and drinks and set up a table with print outs of all the Beyond Plastics campaigns. They decorated the walls with artwork by Leslie Evans and Eileen Ryan. Leslie Evans also designed their eye-catching “Plastic Kills” postcards. The event included remarks from Laura Sparks of Clean Water Action and Eileen Ryan of Beyond Plastics Greater Boston who spoke about the hazards of PFAS and of so-called “chemical recycling.” Photographer Joshua Touster volunteered his time to help document the event, resulting in the many great images in this post.
In total, the group wrote more than 150 postcards which went in the mail the Monday following the event.
Bravo, Beyond Plastics Greater Boston!
Pro Tips!
If your organization is considering hosting a similar event, check out the tips below:
Come up with short examples to help people get started, including things like: “Bottle bills work to reduce litter, increase recycling, and save State’s taxpayers money - please support the Expanded Bottle Bill,” or “Many so-called “chemical recycling” facilities amount to burning plastics. Unfortunately, burning plastic releases toxic air pollution and greenhouse gases. Please support the bill to stop “chemical recycling” in State.” or “Did you know that if plastic were a country, it would be the world’s fifth largest greenhouse gas emitter?! Please co-sponsor the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act to protect our climate and address the growing plastic pollution crisis.” etc.,
Create a list of the bills you want the recipients of the postcards to support, including their names, bill numbers, and primary legislative sponsors.
Print out enough copies of each of both the postcard “scripts” and the legislative details to have at least one copy for every two people who attend to ensure that they can easily consult these critical references as they’re writing their postcards.
Provide snacks and drinks!
Provide stamps as you don’t want the cost of postage to be a barrier to participation.
Take photos and share them on social media to help build some buzz and encourage more people to join your next event.
