Introduction: 

Plastic is an extremely useful material due to its versatility and availability, however it comes with a high unacceptable environmental impact. Plastics are accumulating in the natural environment, entering the food chain, threatening wildlife, and damaging ecosystems.

It is important to acknowledge the fact that single-use plastic is a non-renewable material made mostly from fossil fuels and has a high carbon footprint. Peer reviewed research suggests that there is a strong link between climate change and the rapid expansion of plastics production. Furthermore, whilst not yet fully understood, research shows that plastics can have a harmful impact on human health.

The West Virginia Highlands Conservancy’s Ambition to Become Single-Use Plastic Free:

The West Virginia Highlands Conservancy’s (WVHC) ambition is to become single-use plastic free. WVHC is committed to leading by example and will take action to minimize and phase out the use of single-use plastic across all its activities. WVHC will also use our sphere of influence across the West Virginia highlands to address this issue on a wider level. Our sphere of influence includes:

• Single-use plastic is banned from all WVHC Board and general meetings. The ban includes single-use plastic cups and bottles (bottles of all sizes), plastic straws, zip-lock type bags, plastic forks-spoons-knives and plates as well as plastic wrap.  Re-filling bottles that were manufactured and sold with the intent of being single-use are prohibited as well as reusing plastic “grocery store” bags.
• Venues WVHC uses for official meetings will be informed and required not to use single-use plastic for food and drink the venue operator supplies.
• Non-Board members attending an official WVHC function will be informed and expected to also abide to this policy.
• Education of West Virginia legislators and the public on the issue, looking at studies of how to reduce microfibers, introducing bag bans, and limiting plastic straws. States are taking bold actions to beat plastic pollution