HOW THE PRIVATE SECTOR CAN ELIMINATE PLASTIC POLLUTION THROUGH STORYTELLING & INNOVATION - My Latest for Rolling Stone

With over 400 million tons of plastic produced annually — most of it non-recyclable — solutions require systemic transformation driven by bold leadership, private-sector innovation and dynamic storytelling. For brands working to reduce plastic pollution, the challenge doesn’t lie solely in iterating products and marketing — it revolves around shifting consumer culture. And culture doesn’t change with a hashtag or a well-lit product shot. It changes when people believe your message.

This is easier said than done because for a century, plastic has been sold to us as a convenience and a necessity, and numerous corporations have convinced us that the problem is personal responsibility, not systemic design.?

Five Tips for Making Your Plastic Reduction Story Work?

But where there’s a will, there are several ways to tell a good story and drive change. Here are five steps brands can take when crafting their plastic reduction story.?

1. Make It About People, Not Just Products. No one wakes up in the morning thinking about their plastic footprint. They wake up thinking about their kids, their health, their future. If your brand is solving a problem, show the human impact first.

2. Dismantle the Myth of Individual Guilt. The truth is, a person with a reusable straw is not going to save the planet — but better policies, better supply chains, and better materials will. Don’t just sell sustainability; show people how to demand systemic change.

3. Tell the Story of What’s Possible. Fear alone doesn’t move people to act — imagination does. Show the alternatives, the breakthroughs, the innovators who are reshaping the world without plastic.

4. Call Out Greenwashing Without Becoming It. If your business is making real change, say how. Be specific. Be transparent. And if you are still figuring it out, say that too. Trust is built in the gaps between words and actions.

5. Make It Unignorable. The best storytelling is not passive. It doesn’t just sit on a page or a screen — it moves. It sparks conversations. It makes people ask, “Why isn’t everyone doing this?”

Actor and environmentalist Jason Momoa is doing all of this by approaching climate action with the same unabashed, rugged authenticity that he brings to his film roles. A Hawaiian native, he founded Mananalu in 2019 to combat plastic pollution by replacing single-use plastic water bottles with recyclable aluminum. This year, he took it further with the relaunch of Mananalu Powered by Boomerang Water, an on-site bottling system that provides fresh water while eliminating single-use waste and cutting the brand’s carbon emissions by 95 percent. I visited the site after a surfing trip in Oahu earlier this year.?

While I was there, I listened to Momoa tap into his Hawaiian roots, reminding people of a time when the islands were self-sufficient, free from outside dependence. He reflected on how Hawaii was once a kingdom and didn’t need anything from the outside. During a rally at Hawaii’s Kamehameha Schools Kapalama — the first school in the world to adopt Manananlu Powered by Boomerang Water technology — Momoa announced that his goal is to have single-use plastic bottles banned in Hawaii within two years — a highly ambitious but achievable goal. The climate movement can hope for and expect no less.?

Where We Go From Here?

Individual island state ambitions like Momoa’s may be the fastest way to get out of the plastic crisis. The adage “think global, act local” emerged for a reason.?

When the UN convened in November 2024 for its Plastics Treaty Conference, the participating 175 governments failed to reach an agreement. My friend, Mimi Wu, a plastic waste management and mitigation expert and CEO of Global Green Solutions, believes that smaller, more focused discussions with ministerial involvement are needed. I couldn’t agree more. In the meantime, she’s already seeing progress through individual country regulations and regional agreements.?

While governments work to find common ground, here are five more tips brands and influencers can follow to get their mission seen and heard.?

1. Show the Journey, Not Just the Destination. People connect with progress, not perfection. Share the behind-the-scenes moments — what’s working, what’s failing, and what’s still in development. Transparency builds trust and makes your audience feel like they’re part of the mission.

2. Make Data Emotional. Statistics about plastic pollution can be overwhelming, but they’re powerful when tied to real-life impact. Instead of saying “millions of tons of plastic enter the ocean every year,” show what that means for a specific community, species or future generation. Turn numbers into stories.

3. Find the Unexpected Messenger. Not all sustainability heroes wear lab coats, activist badges or make blockbuster movies. Sometimes the most compelling voices come from local business owners, nature lovers, farmers, teachers and children. Elevate unexpected messengers to make your story fresh and relatable.

4. Create a Sense of Belonging. Sustainability movements succeed when they feel inclusive. Avoid doom-filled, guilt-driven narratives. Instead, invite people in with messaging that says,?You’re already part of the solution — here’s how we can do it together.

5. Let Action Speak Louder Than Words. A great story doesn’t end with awareness. It sparks action. Make it easy for people to engage, whether that’s through policy advocacy, product swaps, or community initiatives. The best storytelling doesn’t just inform; it mobilizes.

For the full Rolling Stone column, go to https://www.rollingstone.com/culture-council/articles/how-private-sector-eliminate-plastic-pollution-through-storytelling-innovation-1235278095/.