Current projections for an increase of plastic packaging by 40% in the next 10 years require strategic thinking on the part of the business, advocacy, and sustainability community. In order to prevent a rapid increase in the generation of plastic waste – much of which will pollute already stressed aquatic environments and vulnerable communities – solutions are critical that focus on true source reduction. This panel will explore several different sectors in the plastics supply chain – the ocean science, landscape in emerging markets, current projections, and solutions at the systems thinking and institutional levels.