Listen to the latest episode of Sparking Change: The Official Podcast of Berks County Community Foundation, titled “What’s Up with Plastic, Berks?”
Emily Smedley, Environment and Energy Program Officer, hosts a conversation with representatives from What’SUP Berks, a local initiative whose mission is to reduce and eventually eliminate the use of Single-Use Plastic (SUP) bags in all stores, restaurants, and businesses in Berks County by 2027. By providing educational opportunities, engaging with community leaders, and encourage the use of reusable bags, What’SUP Berks hopes to ultimately help pass legislation banning SUP in the Commonwealth. Listen to the episode now to learn about the environmental, health, and financial repercussions SUP has on the Berks community–and how you can join the fight against SUP. Tom Crotty, Executive Team Member, and Linda Dapcic-Angst, Treasurer of What’SUP Berks, join the conversation.
Want to take a deeper dive into the effects of single-use plastic?
Here are helpful sources to supplement the conversation on single-use plastic:
- What are microplastics?
- Recycling Codes and what they mean for plastic users
- Microplastics found on Mount Everest, the world’s tallest peak
- Plastic bag found in Mariana Trench, the world’s deepest ocean trench
- The effect of microplastics on human health
- The cost of litter removal in Pennsylvania towns
This podcast episode was recorded at BCTV’s studio in Reading, PA, on March 24, 2026.
