This photo clearly shows the plastic caps inside the stomach of an albatross. According to the Center for Biological Diversity,  “Every year, billions of pounds of plastic end up in the world's oceans.” What does this have to do with Whole Foods? 

On the front of the Whole Foods web page, it says: “Our purpose is to nourish people and the planet.” So let’s ask Whole Foods this: Why are you FEEDING US PLASTIC? 

Whole Foods also writes: “We’re committed to reducing single-use plastics in our stores because it benefits our environment, customers, team members and suppliers.”  

But where is the reduction? 

We don’t see it. We see plastic.  

Who are we? We are the KEEP Club. KEEP stands for Kids Expect Environmental Protection. We are an environmental group of 5th-8th graders based in Brookline, MA. We did an audit of our local Whole Foods store, and what we saw does NOT match their pledge.  The Whole Foods brand '365' is sending plastics into our earth and oceans 365 days a year.  

According to the Conservation Law Foundation, the neighborhoods where plastics are made are being poisoned by the process of ‘cracking’ plastic. The World Wildlife Fund did a study in 2022 that shows 88% of marine species are now affected by severe contamination of plastic. 

The report also shows that 90% of marine birds and 52% of turtles are filled with plastic.

And now, because we are the apex of the food chain, plastic is getting into us. The same studies show that we are eating 5 grams of plastic and microplastics per week. That is a credit card of plastic EACH WEEK. The plastics we are eating have toxins such as BPA and PFAS. It’s dangerous for animals and plants, and it’s dangerous for us too. 

We know things cannot change all at once. So let’s start with the plastic cap.

Tell Whole Foods: Feed us food. NOT PLASTIC! Scrap the Plastic Caps.