"[1] The stated mission of Californians Against Waste is "to protect communities by eliminating the pollution inherent in the extraction and disposal of natural resources.

CAW believes in preventing waste at its source and holding producers responsible throughout a product's lifecycle to transition California to a thriving circular economy.

[2] After personal computers and cell phones started to become widely used in California in the 1990s, a growing amount of resulting e-waste began accumulating in landfills.

[3] In the 2000s, Californians Against Waste sponsored legislation that created retailer take-back programs for personal computers, mobile phones,[4] rechargeable batteries[5] and other household electronics.

[11] In 2014, Californians Against Waste worked with California State Senator Alex Padilla to sponsor SB 270, legislation that would phase-out lightweight plastic bags.

[20] This was subsequently expanded by the landmark SB 1383 (by State Senator Ricardo Lara) in 2016 to mandate universal composting service for all businesses and residents, and ban the disposal of edible food that can be donated, both of which go into effect in 2022.