We are Rachel's Network.

Only 21% of plastics produced are theoretically recyclable, creating a massive global waste crisis. The Ocean Foundation (TOF) is working to address this issue by focusing not on consumer behavior, but on plastic production and upstream solutions. In this webinar, TOF’s Plastics Initiative Program Officer Erica Nuñez shares their vital work to pursue policies that drastically reduce plastic production and change the way plastics are made. This conversation will be moderated by Rachel’s Network member and ocean advocate Angel Braestrup.

Background reading: Plastic’s Policy Playbook: Strategies for a Plastic-Free Ocean, a guidebook on plastic policy solutions. Erica was an integral member of the project team that developed this guide for the Ocean Conservancy. She was also a contributor to the University of Portsmouth’s Global Policy Review report and an expert reviewer to the US EPA’s Best Practices for Solid Waste Management: A Guide for Decision-Makers in Developing Countries.

In the US, ballot initiatives provide a rare opportunity for citizens to exercise direct democracy. In recent years, ballot measures have allowed states to fund climate projects, raise wages, and defend voting rights, among other issues.

But citizens’ ability to make their voices heard is under threat. Across the country, conservative lawmakers are trying to restrict ballot initiatives to prevent popular policies like abortion rights. Join Rachel’s Action Network and Rachel’s Network in conversation with The Ballot Initiative Strategy Center Executive Director Chris Melody Fields Figueredo to learn about these threats, key ballot measures on the horizon, and how environmental leaders can help. The event is moderated by UN Foundation’s Universal Access Project Executive Director Dilly Severin and will include a networking reception with fellow environmental advocates.

Winter 2023-2024 Book Club will be reading The Sea Around Us by Rachel Carson

Close your year and begin 2024 with beautiful words and inspiration from Rachel Carson, our organization’s namesake. The Sea Around Us provides a timely reminder of both the fragility and power of the oceans and the life that abounds within it. Reflect on Rachel’s insight and poetry with other women environmental and philanthropic leaders who love the sea.

Book Club will gather on November 2, 16, 28; December 14; January 11, 25; and February 8. Though regular attendance will strengthen your experience, it is not required that you join every conversation. Read along and join our online community discussions when you can.

Buy a copy of the book from your local bookstore or order online.