James&Co Media Release Re World Environment Day 2023

Call For Australian Government To Get Involved In World Environment Day 2023 #BeatPlasticPollution Campaign

(Sydney, NSW) Monday 5 June 2023 is World Environment Day. The campaign this year is for action to eradicate plastics in all its forms which pollute and destroy. The campaign is led by the United Nations Environment Protection agency (UNEP) with the title and hashtag of #BeatPlasticPollution.

The UNEP website and its social media messaging proclaim:

This World Environment Day join us in the global effort to #BeatPlasticPollution.

World Environment Day 2023 is a reminder that people’s actions on plastic pollution matters. The steps governments and businesses are taking to tackle plastic pollution are the consequence of this action.

It is time to accelerate this action and transition to a circular economy.

It is time to #BeatPlasticPollution.

CEO of women’s sustainable plant based no plastic fashion brand James&Co, Anne Hurley, says that her business is promoting the UNEP messaging and offering deals to incentivise consumers and retailers to opt for the plastic free fashion option. But as a small business she is realistic that these efforts will have little impact on beating plastic pollution and transitioning to a circular economy.

The Minister for the Environment and WaterThe Hon Tanya Plibersek MP returned from a meeting of international stakeholders in Paris last week. The attendees had gathered to progress talking about reaching agreement on a binding global Plastics Treaty to reduce plastic pollution by 80% by 2040 – with the end of 2024 the desired date for completion of the Treaty.

The Minister’s messages upon return to Australia from the talks included the need to do more to recycle plastics, reduce unnecessary plastic use, phase out harmful chemicals, and increase product transparency to help us build a circular economy. No connection or reference to the UNEP campaign to #BeatPlasticPollution, nor to World Environment Day, nor actual steps being taken by Australia to Get Involved in the campaign to #BeatPlasticPollution.  

Anne Hurley says this silence and lack of involvement is not acceptable in the face of the urgency to deal with plastics. Even less acceptable given that most of the work required by Government and all stakeholders has effectively been mapped out by the UNEP.

‘Eradicating plastic for the sake of the planet requires more than continued talking about getting signatures on a piece of paper and setting more target dates. The best way to tackle plastic pollution is to prevent it in the first place. Less emphasis on recycling but more action now on ‘rethinking and redesigning’ alternatives to replace plastics.’

The UNEP leadership has developed significant researched reports on eradicating plastic, 3 recent ones being:

The reports provide stakeholders with the insights and actions required to get rid of plastics across all sectors. The need for Government regulation, for changed business models, and changed consumer behaviours.

Anne Hurley says:

‘The blueprint for Australian actions – in fact global individual country actions - required to end plastic pollution has effectively been drawn up for us by the UNEP. The Government needs to spearhead the action plan now with appropriate regulation for mandates and bans as identified allowing for a realistic transition time-frame. And critically with a Communication Strategy to engage and drive consumer behavioural change.

James&Co is doing what we can to get consumers to make the choice of buying fashion not made with plastic textiles and to re-think how to keep plastic fashion items that aren’t recyclable out of landfill via re-use options. Our partnerships with innovative textile manufacturers for our products is focussed on ultimately putting the end to the manufacture of plastic textiles. But without Government regulation to mandate that end and progress the switch to the plastic-free alternatives the achievement of that outcome in planet-saving time looks bleak.’

For more information and for media access, please contact: Anne Hurley 0412232324 anne@jamesandco.com.au

-END-

About James&Co

James&Co is the Australian wholesale brand of women’s sustainable apparel & accessories which is committed to sustainable sourcing and manufacturing and to getting plastic out of fashion. The brand’s products are designed to last a long time and tailored only in textiles that are cruelty-free, plant based, plastic-free. It was established when the only synthetic leather textile available for ‘vegan leather’ fashion was polyurethane (PU) or PVC – that is, plastic. With the breakthrough of the development of 100% plant based alternative leather textiles without PU that enable the creation of products with the look of leather without the animal cruelty the toxicity to the planet, James&Co is the leading brand for ditching PU-containing textiles in all its leather-look clothing and accessories.