With all the negative media coverage about plastic pollution, it feels like consumer goods and petrochemical companies are queuing up to fund environmental organisations. Sponsoring cleanups and recycling initiatives allows them to show they are doing something about the problem, while at the same time laying the blame for it on the “irresponsible consumer”.

A comic depiction of industry tactics from Changing Markets Foundation

So why isn’t Trash Hero World playing this game? As a relatively new and fast-growing non-profit, we could certainly use the funds. Many would also argue that it makes sense to work with all players – especially big multinational companies – so that change can happen more effectively.

While we remain open to everyone, this type of financial collaboration usually only benefits the parties involved. And it can actually block progress in the wider sense. Every dollar Trash Hero might take from a plastic producer only slows down real change and real solutions. If we work together on some “green” – or greenwashing – campaign and let them take credit for being “part of the solution”, then there is no pressure or incentive to redesign packaging and delivery systems that will actually make a difference. It stays business as usual and we’ll continue to pick up their trash for decades to come.

A cleanup with brand audit in Thailand

Instead of PR and marketing campaigns, we believe that these companies’ budgets should be spent on tackling the plastic crisis at the source: their own operations. Funding organisations to do cleanups, or find new ways to recycle, will never be efficient or sufficient enough to solve the problem. To stop plastic pollution, we need to stop making plastic. Anything else is a distraction.

Trash Hero World decided from the start that we would not take any corporate funding that could compromise our values or sidetrack our goal of zero waste. We spent many years as an all-volunteer organisation because of this, slowly gaining the support of foundations and other grant-giving bodies who still support us today. Along the way, we have turned down offers from Coca-Cola, Unilever and many more, asking them to invest the money they would have given us in deposit return schemes and other real solutions.

We wrote down our terms for working with companies in our ethical funding policy, which we still use to guide all decisions on accepting sponsorship. Because of this, we remain fully independent and free to share our data with research projects such as Break Free From Plastic’s brand audit that hold polluting companies to account. And we can also look every single volunteer and supporter in the eye with a clean conscience, knowing that our activities are never funded by the producers of the trash we want to stop.

WORKING TOGETHER FOR A BETTER WORLD

Schnarwiler’s circular model

Refusing money from the plastics industry and those connected with it does not mean that we are anti-corporate per se. In fact, Trash Hero’s position on working with corporate partners is the same one we have in every area: encouraging positive action! We want to work with companies who are actively doing the right thing, rather than saying they plan to do the right thing, maybe, within 5 years.

Impact Acoustic joins a cleanup in Luzern

Companies such as Schnarwiler AG, Halm, Impact Acoustic and MIZU are demonstrating new ways of doing business that are both environmentally and socially sustainable. From the raw materials to the ability to refill or reuse the products, each is making a real contribution to a circular economy. We have found different ways to collaborate with each one and we are grateful to all for their support.

Promoting local champions in Thailand

Of course, partnerships do not have to involve money. Throughout the Trash Hero global network, our chapters freely promote businesses in their area doing their part to reduce waste. From refill shops to coffee shops that accept “bring your own” cups, we support everyone “walking the talk” to defeat plastic pollution. These local champions are living proof that zero waste is possible and – as public opinion shifts – the big companies will eventually have to follow suit. We’ll be here to celebrate them when they do.

Read more about how we are funded.