Greenfield, MA – Single-use plastic bans have been spreading, town by town, across New England and the U.S. In Europe, decision-makers are going even further by approving legislation that bans ten types of single-use plastic items across the entire European continent. To learn more, the Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC) is hosting two presentations on Thursday, April 25 with Ms. Guiliana Torta – Counsellor for Environment, Fisheries and Ocean policies at the EU Delegation to the U.S. in Washington DC. She’ll present at the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection headquarters in Hartford, CT at 1:30pm and at Smith College, Stoddard Hall in Northampton, MA at 7pm.
“We all have a responsibility to solve our trash problem—individuals, manufacturers, businesses, and government,” says Andrew Fisk, CRC Executive Director. “CRC volunteers have cleaned up more than 1,000 tons of trash over the course of 22 years at our annual Source to Sea Cleanup. It’s clear that repeated cleaning is not the solution to our trash problem. We need to redesign our economy so there isn’t waste in the first place.”
Ms. Torta will speak about the European Commission’s strategy for managing plastics in a circular economy. The Single Use Plastics Directive is an integral part of the European Commission’s Plastics Strategy and an important element of the Circular Economy Action Plan. She will also compare the EU and U.S. political environments, and share strategies we can implement.
Ms. Torta worked in the European Commission headquarters for 11 years before moving to Washington DC in 2017. In Washington, she covers a wide range of environmental policies including Circular Economy and Resource efficiency, the recent EU Plastics Strategy, Food waste, Fisheries and Ocean governance. She was previously posted as Environment Adviser in the EU Delegation for the Pacific, with regional responsibilities. A forester by training with a PhD in landscape and plant ecology, she has over 25 years of experience in implementation and development of environmental policies ranging from biodiversity and nature conservation, international forestry, climate adaptation and sustainable development.
These events are hosted by CRC in partnership with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) and Smith College Museum of Art in conjunction with the exhibition “Plastic Entanglements: Ecology, Aesthetics, Materials” on view through July 28, 2019.
Connecticut River Conservancy is the voice for the Connecticut River watershed, from source to sea. They collaborate with partners across four states to protect and advocate for your rivers and educate and engage communities. CRC brings people together to prevent pollution, improve habitat, and promote enjoyment of your river and its tributary streams. Healthy rivers support healthy economies. To learn more about CRC, or to join the effort and help protect our rivers, visit ctriver.org.
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