plastic paradise transcript

They are everywhere around this area. An endangered sea turtle? RONALD LIESEMER, Council for Solid Waste Solutions, 1988-2001: They wanted to know, was I interested in being the guy who actually made recycling happen across the U.S.? But they said, "Oh, you know what? View Plastic Paradise Worksheet.pdf from CHEM 1405 at Killeen Early College High School. Plastic Paradise Infographic Henderson Island has the highest concentration of plastic trash ever recorded despite being, otherwise, untouched by humans. Amid the backlash, I headed to the Texas Gulf Coast, where oil and gas companies are under pressure from climate change and increasingly turning to plastics, now their biggest growth market. Back in Oregon, I found one of these new technologies. For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service. With Josh 'Shag' Agle, Jeff 'Beachbum' Berry, Drew Birch, Richard Boccato. There is no program in Oregon that wants this in the curbside mix. So, you're saying consumers stand here and think, "What can I recycle?" When Sun tells us at the end of the film that the amount of plastic in the world will quadruple by the . It is, and it performs very well. 'This is an issue of vast scales. And the guy industry tapped decades ago to get recycling going isnt surprised. And this one talks about the cost of separating plastics from other trash. Eventually, the reality of what was happening in China became clear. I believe with the proper infrastructure and the proper education and we all work together as a collective, we can. For decades, the national response to the growing plastic waste problem has focused on one solution: recycling. They would just take the low-hanging fruits. Recyclers also appealed to government regulators, but they sided with industry. Do you think that because its not quite recyclable yet that that might be a little misleading? There are various types of plastics, and that the cost of new plastic is so low that sorting and reprocessing used plastic cant be justified economically. What are the toxics emissions? Plastics in the ocean have been building up for decades. Polystyrene, PET, PVC, polypropylene. Plastic Paradise 1) Why is plastic different than any other substance on Earth? "Some firms used it as a green marketing tool." If you have questions about how to cite anything on our website in your project or classroom presentation, please contact your teacher. The recycling system that we have at the moment, its not really recycling because some part of it exportedbeing exported all over the world to be "recycled," but you never know whether its really being recycled overseas or not. (function() { var po = document.createElement('script'); po.type = 'text/javascript'; po.async = true; po.src = 'https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(po, s); })(); News Pollution. Let's just go knock and see if maybe someone will talk to us. There is no proof. Dr. Sherri A. Mason, Professor of Chemistry, Environmental Sciences Program Coordinator, SUNY at Fredonia'We are all familiar with trash, but most of us likely are unaware of indestructible plastic trash that pollutes the oceans, contaminates our seafood, kills birds, fish, and marine mammals as well as carrying toxic substances into the environment and our bodies. And on the day I stopped by, local lawmakers had been invited in to hear about the benefits of a new sorting machine that industry says will make recycling plastic more economical. Transcript Plastic Wars View film LAURA SULLIVAN, Correspondent: In 2015, a marine biologist came across a sea turtle in distress. "Greatly harming our oceans, and killing and injuring countless marine creatures and seabirds. The film's haunting message highlights the importance of society transitioning to the existing truly biodegradable polymers wherever possible and as soon as possible.' And the consumption and lifestyle that we have, I think itsyou have to rethink, because we have to reduce the amount of plastics that we produce at the moment. Use and discard, and then this is where it all ends up. The film is excellent--in its timeliness, its depth, and its presentation. But it's not economical to recycle it given the current economics of recycling. It all made me wonder whether the plastic industry is just recycling old ideas. Lately there's been a lot of talk about how plastics impact our lives, for better or worse. I think others were more hopeful. By 1987, a wandering barge called the Mobro became an emblem of the growing crisis. She or he will best know the preferred format. MALE SPEAKER: I don't want to pull it too hard. For the last 40 years, the conversation in this country has been about the recycle part of "reduce, reuse, recycle.". The Legislature wants to impose new fees on plastic makers and restrict single-use plastics. We follow Angela Sun while she investigates the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which is where the plastic waste of three different continents accumulates. The economics that are described there still prevail today and likely will prevail tomorrow. In Washington last November, during America Recycles Week. Using the infographic and a world map, point out the pattern of ocean currents. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited. This is the world we see. Reveals the history and worldwide scope of plastics pollution, investigates its toxicity and explores solutions. Her video of the encounter quickly went viral. Coy Smith ran recycling centers in Southern California in the 1980s and early '90s. And then they said its from Harvest, they call it. I strongly recommend this film as an instructional tool to connect ecology, communication, and global service. Documentary. Its very confusing to a lot of people. That wasnt the intent. That needs to be. One internal document from the Society of the Plastics Industry cautioned "the techniques of cleaning and separating the mixed plastics has not been developed for large scale economic application. And Im afraid that the same thing is happening right now. So much of all this stuff in the grocery store is plastic now. The film won many awards and was released in 2013. Flexible packaging has become part of our daily lives. We need to confirm if the data that we have is correct or not. Once again, the industry is pushing recycling. People with respiratory problem, they really get affected. Modern-day miracles that were made with the help of petrochemicals. So, we dont think banning these products is necessarily the right way to go. So the idea would be mechanical sorters pick out 11 billion K-Cups, right? Even if there was, how do we put a price on an albatross? Angela Sun reveals the effects of our rabid plastic consumption as she investigates The Great Pacific Garbage Patch. After a 30-minute drive, we reached a quiet neighborhood with an area hidden from the road. The effect on the planet, the actual effect. ", And this document was candid: There is serious doubt widespread plastic recycling can ever be made viable on an economic basis.. Recyclers and the plastic makers couldn't agree on how to change the code. That was one of the comments early, that it implied that those products were being recycled. When I came here in June, I asked them where did they get this from? Presenting the possibilities of plastics. We need more work. Liesemer was sent to Minnesota on an urgent mission. The sacks are from a plastic company. Planetsave'Sun offers a fresh, new voice for her generation and has made a film that can appeal to the masses.' Some, like Keurig, saw a need for better technology. A good substitute is a Swap Meet. Global Environmental Justice: Plastic Paradise The common refrain in this whole field is that it's all up to consumers. They're not going to be able to continue to drill that oil and gas and burn it for energy anymore because the climate can't sustain it, so this is their lifeline. The reality is, for all the ads and promises over the years, it's estimated that no more than 10% of plastic has ever been recycled. But later that night, on a back street, I met up with a New Harvestindo worker who agreed to talk to me about what the company does with its plastic waste. And the next thing you know, all of the plastic containers have these symbols on them. On the bottom, it says "100% recyclable." The big problem is that it is all about money, profits. We call it Plasticstown USA. We can't delay this for another 10, 20, 30 years or we're going to be. The film is excellent--in its timeliness, its depth, and its presentation. The plastic industry had brought a demonstration project here in 1994. We're covered in plastic-based gear from head to toe. Thomas wouldnt sit down for an on-camera interview but agreed to talk on the phone. Plastic Paradise is an excellent, accessible, and troubling documentary that reveals these issues. While the efforts to change consumer behavior helped clean up the more visible litter problem, they did little to address the root cause. If the public thinks that recycling is working, then they're not going to be as concerned about the environment. In the last 20 years weve seen more environmental degradations and environmental problems in Indonesia. Construction will eventually employ 6,000 people. Americas postwar boom presented endless opportunities for this new, durable, lightweight material. All of a sudden, our own customers, they would bring it in and not only say it has the triangle, but it wouldthey would flat-out say, "It says its recyclable right on it." Our newest CALI Award winner is Angela Sun - Storyteller, Adventure Traveller, Sports Lover. Many U.S. cities are taking steps to ban plastic grocery bags. It provides valuable information and presents that information in an engaging and visually gripping way.' With the help of an Indonesian journalist, we tried to speak to someone at New Harvestindo, but we were told there was no one available. Back then, one of the vice presidents at the Society of the Plastics Industry was Lew Freeman. [Chanting] Save our Earth before it's too late! One recycling company here caught our attention. Plastic bags are essentially indestructible, yet they're used and thrown away with reckless abandon. Carl F. Cranor, Professor of Philosophy, Faculty of Environmental Toxicology Graduate Program, University of California-Riverside'Plastic Paradise warns that the environment is everyone's responsibility, and that humanity cannot turn a blind eye to its own garbage forever. National Geographic Society is a 501 (c)(3) organization. What does coral treat? Are we damaging the environment more in the name of recycling?". The photography is a strong asset, and images from Midway Island are especially striking. ", Now youre getting more mixed plastics, like pouches andeverything comes in a clamshell now. In this independent documentary film, journalist/filmmaker Angela Sun travels on a personal journey of discovery to uncover this mysterious phenomenon. // CNN.com - Transcripts Earth Day was one of the largest mass protests in U.S. history. And Liesemer found a solution. But by 1970, the plastic industry would have to confront the turbulent times of Americas environmental awakening. Added to the plastic consumer goods swirling and settling in the way-beyond, are the estimated 640,000 tons of discarded plastic and nylon commercial fishing nets, many weighing more than a ton each, that snag on and break life-giving coral reefs, and entrap and kill larger marine animals. 'This is an issue of vast scales. Watertight and endlessly malleable, plastic is the perfect invention yet, its miraculous durability is also its curse because it never goes away. [CDATA[ This is from California. Sun, Angela (film director) That all originates with us. The Midwest Book Review'Intriguing..chilling filmJournalist Angela Sun offers valuable new insights.' Dr. Joel Baker, Director, UW Puget Sound Institute, Professor and Port of Tacoma Chair in Environmental Science, University of Washington Tacoma'Angela Sun has found a way to present the imminent dangers of plastics pollution in a jarringly visual and inquisitive formatSignificant take-home messages include a misconception of just how few plastic products are recyclable, and that plastics production will continue to increase as long as the demand for plastic products remains. A major showdown is shaping up in California. A dead seal or sea lion? There are a lot of different kinds of plastics that have to be sorted. Most end up in the ocean, where they pollute the water and harm marine life; the rest are burned in garbage piles, where they release harmful dioxins into the atmosphere. Let me continue to use it. Were they? We are approaching a 'point of no return. Students will learn the unexpected economic and ecological facets of plastic pollution and ways for each of us to minimize our plastic footprint. Americans need to know that your waste ended up here. Much more education needs to happen on how to recycle. But more importantly, we have to look at reuse models; using less where we can; developing new materials, which is the plastic maker's responsibility, that can be better recycled; and also really important that we deploy the technologies that are now available to us at scale. We took a trek up to Wilmington and this one DuPont executive, he said, "I think if we had $5 million"which seemed like a lot of money then"if we had $5 million, we could solve this problem.". For scrap. Oh, poor baby, Im sorry. But it isnt just industry thats kept consumers focused on recycling for so long. The U.S. is now one of the worlds largest plastic producers. Wed heard about an environmental activist whos been tracking what happens to the plastic coming into Indonesia. 08/08/2014. So plastic came to be used in many applications because it performed better. Welcome to Hawaii's 'plastic beach', one of the world's dirtiest places Honolulu Pulse'Offers some alarming information that might cause viewers to think twice about buying one-time-use water bottles.' At the time, it was one of the few atolls in the world unspoiled by human activity. In South Portland, the plastic industry was showcasing a demonstration project. 'This is an issue of vast scales. This is a documentary that should be seen by educators, students, politicians, and environmentalists alike. Honolulu Pulse'Offers some alarming information that might cause viewers to think twice about buying one-time-use water bottles.' Its the biggest Ive seen. Angela Sun is an award-winning journalist, sports caster, and filmmaker. Sun, Angela (film director) From 1990 to 2010, production more than doubled. How are those two things going to meet anywhere in the middle? Film Review: Plastic Paradise: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch Greenpeace went and climbed aboard it and took a huge banner that we put on it. By doing so, this film will inspire young people to act as global citizens and contribute to finding solutions for the major environmental problems of the coming century.' Eleven billion. Teaching Sociology 2020 48: 3, 259-261 Download Citation. // ]]> Thousands of miles away from civilization, Midway Atoll is in one of the most remote places on earth. It's not going to happen this month or by the end of the year, but we're moving now. This package here is technically recyclable. It would. Remember, a lot of the plastic packaging that you have in your kitchen is recyclable. The big problem is that it is all about money, profits. That message is reinvigorating a backlash against plastic, the likes of which the industry hasnt seen for decades. When we do that, we end up with bales that are more easy to sell and that are more easy for consumer goods companies to incorporate into their packaging. After the community complained to the government about the burning, the dumping stopped here. ; "Plastic Paradise"; Bullfrog Films. I think we were naive. Not a good idea for the environment. There's going to be more plastic than ever. I think thats true. This is one of the easiest visualizations of how humans (not all, but many) have lost connection with the environment--a sad state of affairs--but the truth.' Angela Sun is an award-winning journalist, sports caster, and filmmaker. In this state, none of this is recyclable. What are we looking at? Angela Sun - Plastic Paradise Documentary Film - Five Point Five And if you turn this over, you see the chasing arrows. And yet it's become ground zero for The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, syphoning plastics from three distant continents. But the question really is, "How do I reduce?". Some were very skeptical but felt they had to do it. And now Im what I've always wanted to be. 11 Zero Waste Documentaries to Inform & Inspire Change - Sustainable Jungle As of today, plastic bags are banned in Jersey City. I mean, how big a problem do you think these kinds of dumping grounds are in Indonesia? They wanted us to sort plastics when people thought plastics might be starting to be a problem. Glass? And they said no. TV-PG. But the proof here is the dramatic amount of investment that's happening right now. How much plastic will the US produce this year? In the meantime, let me just recycle this.". I wanted to understand how we came to this moment; how the plastic industry has been able to thrive all these years in the face of a growing crisis and opposition thats now stronger than its ever been. Reduce the impact. This is an American city, a real community of homes and homemakers like thousands of others across the nation. to tout the virtues of plastics as a way of heading off the criticism the industry was experiencing. One hundred and ninety-one containers being held right now. Freemans boss at the time, Larry Thomas, the head of the Society of the Plastics Industry, was blunt about it. Plastic is Killing the Planet and Our Health - Wake Up World Her documentary, Plastic Paradise, reveals the devastating truths around single-use plastics and the reality of what they are doing to our oceans & marine life on a massive and rapid scale. People can stop it. So the big plastic producers came up with a multimillion-dollar solution: advertising. This is just hangers, one type of plastic. It includes a good history of the genesis of the plastics industry from materials shortages during World War II, and demonstrates that things put in the environment (such as a message in a bottle) can stick around for a long time and move great distances. Considering the creation of plastic was used as a substitute for . I mean, China did a big one for the recycling industry, I must say. Thousands of miles away from civilization, Midway Atoll is in one of the most remote places on earth. Id come to see what its archive could tell me about the evolution of the plastic problem. Years later, we shut it down because there was no way to make money at it. My college age son thinks it is 'right on.' Its facing opposition to the construction of new plants. Sunil Bagaria is national chairman of the plastics division for ISRI, the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries. They are going to double down on single-use plastic like we have never seen, so we're heading towards a real battle. Reflection of the documentary Plastic Paradise: The Great Pacific Today its main lobbying group is the American Chemistry Council, and until recently its vice president of plastics was Steve Russell. They didnt want to go anywhere near no triangle. It was a critical moment. Did you feel like they cared more about selling plastic than they did about making recycling work? Drawing from the expertise of a diversity of scientists, activists and management practitioners in the field, this film introduces its audience to issues regarding plastic production and waste-management, plastic contamination in the ocean and the hazards of plastic and its chemical cocktail to humans and wildlife.' We dont want that. He now heads a local environmental coalition, but he remembers a pivotal board meeting in the late '80s, when the industry was worried about its public image. We need to increase the interest in and demand for recycled materials and more products made from recycled materials. Tejal Rao is the California restaurant critic for The Times . Elizabeth A. Newell, Stephanie Hanus, Stevie Monteiro, Destiny Harbison, and James McTighe. If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice . YUYUN ISMAWATI, Co-founder, Nexus3 Foundation: Yeah. Then what? The idea behind that particular facility is if we improve the way that recyclables move down the conveyor belt, so they get separated, we're going to create better, cleaner streams of like materials. You get recycling going, that has its benefits and it improves the image of the material. But more than half of all people that live in the Portland area believe this belongs in the curbside container. Plastic Paradise | Bullfrog Films: 1-800-543-3764: Environmental DVDs and Educational DVDs is a leading source of educational DVDs & videos, with a collection of over 700 titles in these main subject areas: Environment Globalization Sustainability Climate Change Social Justice Developing World Indigenous Peoples Earth Science Life Science A year? The Hollywood Reporter'The film everyone needs to see.' The plastic industry that you were working with agreed to these and signed on to this report. Looking back, do you think putting the banner on the Mobro was a mistake? Busy lifestyles and a growing urban population mean an increase in demand for food that is fresh. John Wesley Hyatt took up the challenge. For the oil and gas industry, the stakes are higher, too, because single-use plastic is their Plan B. This poor sea turtle, a straw stuck in its nose, It would attract more than 35 million views. Soto, Tanya Leal (film producer). Will Posegate is the chief operating officer of Garten. The start of construction on that multibillion-dollar plastics plant. This is a pile of U.S. recycling. Back in Oregon, I put the question to David Allaway. No. If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media. bloated seabirds and littered waterways have fueled a global anti-plastic movement. A lot of Americans do this, like what you're doing right now. Reveals the history and worldwide scope of plastics pollution, investigates, 2023 Docuseek, LLCAll rights reserved | Privacy Statement | Accessibility Statement, Angela Sun, consumption of plastics, Great Pacific Garbage Patch, Midway Atoll, plastic, pollution, gyre, Pacific gyre, Midway Atoll, war in the pacific, history of plastics, plastics in war and peace, BPA, endocrine disruptors, Frederick vom Saal, John Klavitter, Matt Brown, Captain Charles Moore, Rikeem Sholes, Lewis Goldsmith, Arnold Schwarznegger, Jean-Michel Cousteau, Gerry Fishbeck, Brian Porter, Andy Keller, Rolf Halden, Wailana, Elizabeth Keenan, Gregor Hodgson, Susie Holst, Marcus Eriksen, Noel Mendiola, Annette Horman, Indie Carbo, dianna Cohen, Anna Cummins, Kitt Doucette, Dave Rastovich, Wallace J Nichols, Lisa Boyle, Julia Brownley, Gretchen Bleiler, Jack Johnson, Micah Mendiola, Daniel McGregor, Raquel Long, Matthew Long, Greg Stone, Peter Seligmann, Algalita Marine Research and Education, plastic nets, microplastics, albatross, indicator species, recycling, single use plastics, consumer power, American Chemistry Council, ACC, Society of the Plastics Industry, SPI, bag monster. But to get to the beach, the trash had to float through the water, which is where coral reef organisms would have encountered it. Yes. In a highly controversial action, one county in New York state has voted to ban all packaging made of two kinds of plastic. In what may be part of a national trend, the City Council of St. Paul, Minnesota, voted to outlaw the use of polystyrene plastics. The crisis passed. And when it comes to understanding and reducing the environmental impacts of materials, including packaging, consumers have the lowest amount of leverage. Looks like a lot of shipping containers. You also have to really build up the infrastructure for collection. So this is how it looks like when they burn it. This is the big war. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler was talking up the future of recycling. We wanted to see for ourselves what was happening to the plastic coming here. All Rights Reserved.Graphics by. This floating ocean garbage is home to a surprising amount of life from the coasts. Theres no one that would even take it if I paid them to take it." In five years, he invented a new material called celluloid, which would become known as the first plastic. But the alternative is having plastic waste in the environment. 1996 - 2023 National Geographic Society. The image of plastics among consumers is deteriorating at an alarmingly fast pace, it says. It really became a metaphor of, "We are bumping up against limits here. Thats right. When the recycling market in China went away, Bagaria and other brokers scrambled to find a new home for their plastic, and countries like Indonesia saw a business opportunity.
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