● February 2026 · Newsletter
Reimagining February. Rethinking what we celebrate.

February didn’t just celebrate love and sport, it showcased how aggressively commercialized culture can shape our behaviour. In the United States alone, Valentine’s Day spending surged to an estimated $29 billion in 2026 driven by flowers, jewelry, candy, and limited-edition gifts, many designed to be used briefly and discarded*. Days earlier, brands paid nearly $8 million for just 30 seconds of Super Bowl airtime, with total advertising investments climbing into the billions**. The spectacle was dazzling. The spending was staggering. And while record-breaking sales made headlines, plastic pollution continued rising and frontline communities continued doing the quiet, essential work of recovering plastic and protecting our planet.
As we close the month, we invite you to reimagine what celebration can look like. What if even a fraction of those advertising budgets and impulse purchases were redirected toward lasting impact? With #Us, every bottle collected supports dignified income, education, healthcare access, and environmental protection. Our collectors may not appear in prime-time commercials, but they are the real MVPs strengthening communities and protecting our planet every single day.
Thank you for choosing impact over impulse this February. Together, we can redefine love - not as something expressed through our purchases, but as something we build for people and the planet.
Redefine love for people and the planet

Our collective impact

62,638 collectors*
exchange plastic for prosperity.
Each bottle provides our collectors with secure income and helps build a brighter future for their families.

185,147,095 kg*
of plastic recovered.
The world’s largest volume of hand-gathered plastic, equal to the weight of around 18 Eiffel Towers. **
*All-time data, as of Feb 19, 2025 **The Eiffel Tower weighs around 10,100,000 kg
Community highlight
Beyond a school program - a movement of communities rising together

Our school community continues to grow - now reaching more than 150 schools across Indonesia and collecting over 68,000 kgs of plastic. Each quarter, we celebrate and reward schools that actively engage students, families, and surrounding communities to bring in their recycling bottles. Their commitment doesn’t just reduce waste, it builds a culture of responsibility and hope.
To support their learning journey, we provide meaningful rewards such as laptops, speakers, and school kits that strengthen their educational programs; most recently at SDI Nurul Islam in East Java, Indonesia. Real change happens when children, families, and communities rise together.
Support more schools with a recycling program
Blog
Consumption culture and plastic waste:
The system that tells us to buy our worth

We live in a system that ties identity to what we buy, wear, and upgrade - reinforcing the idea that more is better. Fueled by fast trends, social media, planned obsolescence, and excessive packaging, this culture drives massive waste. The world produces over 430 million tonnes of plastic each year, much of it used briefly but lasting for centuries, with only a small fraction recycled. As waste continues to rise, the plastic crisis reveals a deeper issue: it’s not just individual behaviour, but a system built for consumption without accountability. What can we do differently as consumers, brands, and communities? Read more to explore solutions and be part of the change.
98% crowdfunded!
Share prosperity with our collectors in Bali and help us reach the goal.

Your contribution supports 200 collectors for an entire month. It transforms plastic collection into a reliable source of income, providing access to medical care, education, and financial security—all while preventing plastic from polluting the environment.
When you contribute, you sustain an entire network of collectors, ensuring families and communities can thrive. Be part of the movement and share prosperity today.

Partner Feature
Currensea: Where smart travel meets real impact

Currensea is proving that fintech can be more than cost-efficient; it can create real impact. Through its partnership with Plastic Bank, Currensea empowers cardholders to turn their travel savings into plastic collection, helping remove enough bottles to cover more than 10 football fields. By placing sustainability at the heart of its business model, Currensea attracts purpose-driven customers, strengthens partnerships in the travel industry, and builds a brand that stands out in a crowded fintech space. For Currensea, impact isn’t a side initiative; it’s the strategy.
#OurPartners

Good news from social media

What’s more satisfying than buying what you love?
Helping others afford the essentials they need to build a brighter future - like helping Bunari provide a laptop and pay school fees for his daughter. Join #Us to change more lives.
What’s better - buying more things… or changing a life?
Meet Nancy, whose smile is restored, whose confidence is rebuilt, and whose hope is reignited for tomorrow.
This is what impact looks like. Join #Us. Change more lives.


Overconsumption is the new smoking. We know it’s harmful. We know it’s excessive. We know it’s unsustainable. But we call it “normal.” Remember when smoking was normal too? Normal doesn’t mean right. Honest question: Will overconsumption age like smoking did?
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 December below.