Reduce the Use of Single-Use Plastics in Mobile

Mobile Baykeeper is unifying 178 businesses in Mobile, Alabama behind a single campaign to reduce the use of single-use plastics while encouraging consumers to eat, stay, and shop at local businesses. 

Type of Project: Prevention

Region: Gulf of Mexico

Project Dates: October 2020 - September 2023

Who is involved?
Mobile Baykeeper will work with the NOAA Marine Debris Program and in collaboration with Plastic Free Gulf Coast, the Downtown Mobile Alliance, and the City of Mobile to educate and build awareness of the litter problem, while providing solutions to local business owners, including alternatives to single-use plastic products.

What is the project and why is it important?
Litter is an unsightly problem in Mobile, Alabama that negatively impacts the tourism industry and local economy. In addition, because of its proximity to the Mobile River and Mobile Bay, litter from downtown Mobile can contribute to marine debris that contaminates waterways used for fishing, endangering the health of marine wildlife and the habitats on which they depend. As a result, the City of Mobile, the Downtown Mobile Alliance, and area businesses have identified the need to reduce the amount of trash produced and improve the management of litter in the area. This project will partner with local restaurants, businesses, and government agencies to encourage them to reduce the amount of waste they produce by more than 1,000 pounds per year. 

Eighteen businesses in Mobile will go plastic-free in support of the Downtown Mobile Alliance’s Clean, Safe, and Beautiful program. An additional 178 Downtown Mobile Alliance member businesses and the City of Mobile will prevent marine debris through a three-pronged approach: 1) hosting a powerful visual awareness and marketing campaign that uses public art installations to engage the downtown public in hands-on activities that encourage them to change their behaviors, 2) preventing litter at its source by helping downtown businesses switch to reusable and/or biodegradable products; and 3) a targeted public relations campaign that unifies partner businesses and organizations behind a common branding and encourages shoppers to eat, stay, and do business with the partner organizations.

For more information about this project, visit the Marine Debris Program Clearinghouse.