Sick of seeing people and the planet hurt?

According to the 2025 UN SDG Report, 1 in 10 people live in extreme poverty - facing hunger, lack of education, and limited healthcare that lock families into cycles of hardship. In communities where poverty runs deepest, broken waste systems and cheap single-use plastics flood daily life, fueling pollution that chokes our oceans, poisons our soil, and pushes countless species toward extinction.

We’re flipping the script. By turning discarded plastic into something of value, we create income for those who need it most, reduce plastic pollution, and protect both people and the planet. Every piece of plastic collected is a step toward prosperity and restoration.

Poverty isn’t just a statistic - it’s about lives. We can’t keep waiting for someone else to fix it. Change starts with #Us. Together, we can build a future where people prosper, the planet heals, and plastic gets a new life.

Nobody else is coming. It’s just #Us.

September 20 marked World Cleanup Day - more than just picking up trash, it’s a global movement uniting over 190 countries to tackle mismanaged waste. Born in Estonia in 2008, it has grown to millions of volunteers worldwide, removing hundreds of thousands of tons of waste every year. Read our latest blog to learn why it matters.

Even if you can’t join a cleanup, you can still be part of the movement by supporting our collectors to remove plastic from the environment on your behalf.

Promoland is turning everyday pens into tools for change. By using recycled plastic from Plastic Bank, they’ve transformed a simple giveaway item into a symbol of environmental and social impact. These pens not only boost brand visibility and build loyal partnerships but also help clean the environment and support collector communities.

Every morning, Irini sorts through plastic in the garage of her building, collected through the night by her husband from the streets of Cairo. She has been working in garbage collection for nine years. The work is exhausting, yet Irini continues because she believes in protecting the environment and providing for her children.

“I’m proud to help the planet,” she shares, “but I don’t want my children to live like I do. I want them to have a beautiful home and a better future.”

Her story reminds us that behind every piece of plastic recovered is a dream of dignity, impact, and hope for the next generation. 💙

This September, we marked global observances from Plastic Overshoot Day (Sept 5), International Literacy Day (Sept 8), International Coastal Cleanup Day (Sept 20), World Gratitude Day (Sept 21), World Rivers Day (Sept 21), to World Tourism Day (Sept 27). Each date is a powerful reminder: while plastic pollution and environmental degradation threaten our planet, communities everywhere are rising up and taking action.

At Plastic Bank, this is the heart of our mission - fighting poverty and creating prosperity by turning plastic waste into a force for good. Join our movement to build a thriving world. 💙♻️

Together with CooperVision, we’re not only removing plastic from the environment but also giving back to the heroes who collect it. This year, 1,000 free eye exams and glasses are being provided to our active collectors in Indonesia - including our school communities - honouring their work to protect our planet and keep plastic in circularity.

At the London Marathon, runners swapped thousands of plastic bottles for edible seaweed water bubbles - showing how everyday habits can be reimagined for a healthier planet. 🌍💧

Because the future of hydration should not come at the cost of our planet. 🤍

Follow our social media channels for your daily good news, inspiring stories and the latest updates from Plastic Bank communities. Check out our top-performing content from September below.