02: What even is Break Free From Plastic? with Emma Priestland

Explicit content warning

05/07/19 • 7 min

The Mercast | Plastic Free Mermaid talks Change Making

Imagine a world free from plastic. Wonderful isn’t it?

Our vision of a plastic-free world is possible and it’s slowly happening. There are many amazing people working hard to make this happen and one of them is Emma!

Emma is a Plastic Pollution Campaigner at Friends of the Earth. I met her from the Break Free from Plastic Global Leadership meeting and she’s here to talk about her involvement with Break Free from Plastic and the work that they’re doing to reduce single-use plastic.

In this episode, we talk about the Break Free from Plastic campaign and the future of plastic pollution. Emma will also share what Break Free from plastic is all about, their strategies and how it plays a big role in tackling plastic problems around the world.

In this Episode, We Discuss:

How Emma got involved with the Break Free from Plastic movement
Emma’s amazing experience at the 1st Break Free from Plastic meeting held in Tagaytay, Philippines
Foundational strategies on how to tackle the problem with plastics
Legislations that support less plastic usage
Brand audit and how it is impacting big corporations to rethink their approach with plastic and ultimately change their ways

Get to know Emma:

Emma Priestland is a Plastic Pollution Campaigner at Friends of the Earth, a unique network of campaigning local groups, working in over 200 communities throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Learn more about the work that Friends at Earth is doing here.

Connect with Emma:

Resources Mentioned:

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Imagine a world free from plastic. Wonderful isn’t it?

Our vision of a plastic-free world is possible and it’s slowly happening. There are many amazing people working hard to make this happen and one of them is Emma!

In this Episode, We Discuss:

How Emma got involved with the Break Free from Plastic movement
Emma’s amazing experience at the 1st Break Free from Plastic meeting held in Tagaytay, Philippines
Foundational strategies on how to tackle the problem with plastics
Legislations that support less plastic usage
Brand audit and how it is impacting big corporations to rethink their approach with plastic and ultimately change their ways

Get to know Emma:

Learn more about the work that Friends at Earth is doing here.

Connect with Emma:

Resources Mentioned:

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Did you enjoy today’s episode?

I hope you spend some time in nature today! I'll catch you next time.

Subscribe to The Mercast

++ Apple Podcasts

++ Spotify

++ Castbox

Previous Episode

01: The Dark & Dirty Real Story of Plastics with Stiv Wilson

Our planet is drowning in a never-ending pile of plastic! And people are showing no signs of slowing down or reducing their consumption. Businesses are still active in producing single-use or disposable plastic products, and it has become an integral part for others to consume it.

We are definitely in plastic crisis! Plastic pollution is not only harming our planet but also us humans. Glady, this problem can be solved if we collectively take action and aspire to create a world that’s free from plastic!

Join me in this very first episode of the Mercast podcast as we talk about the plastic documentary and global plastic movement that aims to end plastic pollution with Stiv Wilson!

Stiv Wilson is the Director of Campaigns at The Story of Stuff project. He’s a waste and plastic pollution expert and has created and led several campaigns to victory from plastic bag bans, both internationally and locally.

He’s currently working on a short documentary called “The Story of Plastic” that will center on the entire supply chain of plastic from its extraction and all the way to its disposal.

Listen on, as we talk more about the movement that’ll create a future without plastic pollution and how you can take part in it!

The Story of Plastic is coming this 2019. Click here to receive update about the film and if you want to join the global #breakfreefromplastic campaign to stop plastic pollution for good, click here to sign up!

In this Episode, We Discuss:

The background behind the film “The Story of Plastic”
The sensitive side of the “White Savior/White Saviorism” or Rockstar Mentality
Stiv’s experience in making the film
The Break Free from Plastic Movement
The goal of changing the narrative: diverting the fault back to the producer and not the individual
Where is “away” when you throw your stuff?
How can people get involved in order to make a difference in the global plastic movement?
Start asking yourself what we should do collectively and not individually
What to look forward in the documentary film
Unveiling the curtain and revealing the true cost of plastic pollution
Mess up, acknowledge, and move on

Get to know Stiv:

Stiv Wilson is the Director of Campaigns at The Story of Stuff project. He is a waste and plastic pollution expert who’s frequently asked to speak on Solutions to the vexing inefficiencies in the materials economy all over the world.

He’s created and led several campaigns to victory from plastic bag bans, national and international level. He has sailed over 35,000 nautical miles to four of the five oceanic ‘garbage patches’, documenting and communicating maritime plastic pollution firsthand.

He’s currently working on a short documentary called “The Story of Plastic”, that will focus on the journey of the plastic from the entire supply chain to extraction and all the way to disposal.

Connect with Stiv:

Resources Mentioned:

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Did you enjoy today’s episode?

I hope you spend some time in nature today! I'll catch you next time.

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Next Episode

03: Indonesian Scientist turned Radical Diaper Activist with Prigi Arisandi

In Indonesia, locals use rivers for washing, bathing, and drinking. But many are unaware of how contaminated the water is due to industrial waste from industrial factories and irresponsible dumping. The river water is so polluted, eating fish from it can cause food poisoning and even death!

To stop pollution from flowing into the Indian rivers, Prigi an Indonesian scientist turned radical environmental activist, made it his mission and purpose to make the river water clean and let other people know the real situation and problem that they are currently facing.

In this episode, Prigi talks about how he and his community are dealing with the river problem in Indonesia. He shares how he conducted their own scientific research and publicizing it through the media. Because Prigi cherishes the river where he grew up, he learned how to communicate with the locals and other people to take part in the solution.

He conducted further research on the river and uncovered the effects it has on the lives of the people living near it. Since then, he has dedicated his life to cleaning it up and bring clean water to the people of Indonesia.

In this Episode, We Discuss:

What inspired Prigi to take action over the industrial pollution that is massively affecting the rivers in India
Pressuring the government to make a water treatment plan through the media
How a local superstition over plastic diapers is harming the Indian rivers
Fish census and fish sex
Prigi’s purpose and calling
Small things equate to big ones when combined

Get to know Prigi:

Prigi Arisandi is an Indonesian biologist and environmentalist. He graduated in biology from the Airlangga University. He was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2011, for his efforts on reducing industrial pollution of the Surabaya River

Connect with Prigi: