Only You

A frequent commercial aired on television when I was a child. It was a public service announcement featuring Smokey the Bear, who had a simple message. “Only you can prevent forest fires. Only YOU.”

I paid careful attention to every word. I could prevent forest fires! Who knew?! Talk about power. If everyone did his or her part too, we wouldn’t have them anymore. Problem solved. Never mind that Cincinnati is not prone to forest fires.

Fast forward several decades later. Forest fires occur more frequently, are more widespread, and last longer. Climate change is fueling them and a host of other disasters eroding our planet.

Reducing or eliminating single-use plastics is one way we can do our part to help protect our planet. Such plastics contribute significantly to pollution and pose a serious threat to marine wildlife. The production of single-use plastics relies on fossil fuels, which contribute to climate change and deplete natural resources.

The Sisters, along with Live The Good volunteers, came together to advocate for change. Using their voices through a letter-writing campaign, they encouraged corporations to find eco-friendly alternatives to single-use plastic. Together, they sent over 100 letters to companies such as Kroger, Target, and Walmart.

News of our letter-writing campaign spread like wildfire—the good kind. Out-of-town volunteers from California and Phoenix, and students from Chaminade Julienne High School in Dayton joined our efforts using our materials. In Baltimore, Notre Dame Americorp volunteers wrote letters during their annual conference.

Here's the good news (there is always good news)! We made it easy for you to add your voice to ours by sending your own letters. Check out the links below. They contain all the info you need.

If you haven’t made the switch to reusable bags, today is a great day to start! Only you can slow climate change. Only YOU.

Be well. Do good.

Corporate Addresses
Letter Writing Tips