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 Producers should disclose the environmental impacts of their materials publicly. They would just take the low-hanging fruits. What do you think? 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. and fast. We could ship scrap and hope that it is being recycled in the way it should be, or the other way is come here, see how serious he is about doing it the right way. 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.' Plastic Paradise Infographic Henderson Island has the highest concentration of plastic trash ever recorded despite being, otherwise, untouched by humans. Use this infographic to explore how plastic pollution is affecting ocean life on a remote Pacific island. Web Site Copyright 1995-2023 WGBH Educational Foundation. See it and share it with others!' A brief history of plastic | TED-Ed Plastics have been around since the 1930's. It is virtually indestructible, never deteriorates and is produced by using resources from two of the largest money making industries in the world: oil and gas. That needs to be. One recycling company here caught our attention. It's time for change, and this is that time. [CDATA[ 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.? Whats happening with K-Cups? Welcome to EPAs 2019 America Recycles Innovation Fair. Currently, we support online registration for anyone affiliated with a higher education institution. A major showdown is shaping up in California. based on Indonesian customs documents wed obtained. 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. Are we damaging the environment more in the name of recycling?". In New Jersey, I met a man who built a $180 million recycling business off of that waste. Not a good idea for the Earth. This confusion about what can and cant be recycled, and where plastic ultimately ends up, is no accident. Like in the '90s, the industry has been spending money on ads. We follow Angela Sun while she investigates the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which is where the plastic waste of three different continents accumulates. It currently covers roughly 1.6 million square . By 2050, its estimated that global production of plastic will triple. 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. The industry found another way to promote plastic using recycling. I think we were overly optimistic about the potential of recycling, and perpetuating that narrative led us astray. Yes, because we are struggling to handle our own waste. So here weve collected some old newspaper articles from 199425 years ago. So this is classic. The image of plastics among consumers is deteriorating at an alarmingly fast pace, it says. This package here is technically recyclable. In the United States. The table is set with polyethylene products, too. This floating ocean garbage is home to a surprising amount of life from the coasts. 11 Zero Waste Documentaries to Inform & Inspire Change - Sustainable Jungle Dr. Mike SanClements, Staff Scientist, The National Ecological Observatory Network, Affiliate Faculty, Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado-Boulder'Sun's documentary sends a clear and coherent message about one of the major environmental problems we face today. I think its a transitional moment. How much responsibility do you feel like you have over what's happening here? David Allaway is a senior policy analyst with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. Let's put these away and let me show you another recycling label. Microplastics are invading our water supply. And the guy industry tapped decades ago to get recycling going isnt surprised. 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. What does Chevron Phillips want to see happen? In what may be part of a national trend, the City Council of St. Paul, Minnesota, voted to outlaw the use of polystyrene plastics. 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.' Today its main lobbying group is the American Chemistry Council, and until recently its vice president of plastics was Steve Russell. bloated seabirds and littered waterways have fueled a global anti-plastic movement. Once again, the industry is pushing recycling. It's not going to happen this month or by the end of the year, but we're moving now. 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. Vinod Singh is the outreach manager at Far West Recycling. This poor sea turtle, a straw stuck in its nose, It would attract more than 35 million views. This film makes the case that the only solution is source control, and that consumers have a great deal of underutilized power.' the equivalent of a garbage truck dumped every minute. It spent most of its money, millions and millions of dollars, on advertising. What if its got a chasing arrow sign on it and you think that means its getting recycled? Were they misleading the public? To preview films or license them for streaming, you must register and login. And theres nothing wrong in an industry promoting those kinds of things, but thats not addressing the problem that people are criticizing you about. Sarah Appleton, National Geographic Society. Jim Becker is the vice president of sustainability. According to the filmmaker, plastic debris collects in this fashion because a combination of gyres (large systems of rotating ocean currents) serve as catchment basins, and debris that would. It was manufactured. Were working with other organizations to get the word out. Sun, Angela (film producer) Film Review: Plastic Paradise: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch So, if somebody throws their Tide bottle into their bin, thats a win, but what youre saying is youre seeing more and more of this stuff. // ]]> Thousands of miles away from civilization, Midway Atoll is in one of the most remote places on earth. Thats right. So, you're saying consumers stand here and think, "What can I recycle?" Lead editor, Wendy Shuey; cinemtaography, Francisco Aliwalas [and 6 others]; music by APM Music [and 6 others]. Back in Oregon, I found one of these new technologies. Remember, a lot of the plastic packaging that you have in your kitchen is recyclable. A piece of plastic debris that's been colonized by both costal barnacles (pink and striped) and a gooseneck . I was the front man for the plastics industry, no getting around it. They say residents will put all their plastic containers in one bag. LEWIS FREEMAN, VP, Society of the Plastics Industry, 1978-2001: A vice president of the DuPont company pulled me aside and said, "You guys better get up to Wilmington. Angela Sun - Plastic Paradise Documentary Film - Five Point Five I showed Ron Liesemer industry reports we found dating as far back as the 1970s. The film takes a refreshing approach of avoiding the blame game, while emphasizing that learning about the issue can lead to less plastic use by the general public.' A dead seal or sea lion? Dont tell me thats a freaking straw. Her film articulates this message in a way that will resonate with anyone that cares about nature and the environment. And in 2018, China stopped taking imported plastic waste. No, this is about all of us understanding that we each have a role to play in making the system that we have better and achieving the goals thatI think everybody would have to say we cannot continue with business as usual. Sun, Angela (film director) The sacks are from a plastic company. Plastic Paradise 1) Why is plastic different than any other substance on Earth? And yet it's become ground zero for The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, syphoning plastics from three distant continents. For scrap. Eventually, the reality of what was happening in China became clear. So you can talk about this stuff a lot. But to get to the beach, the trash had to float through the water, which is where coral reef organisms would have encountered it. When they were running the advertising on television, they were not about how plastics can be recycled but all the wonderful things that plastics bring to us. Do you think that the company feels so strongly that it is willing to make less money? The smell of burnt plastic was in the air, and all around, there were sacks of plastic, and big piles, too. Last fall, I met up with Bagaria there. View Plastic Paradise Worksheet.pdf from CHEM 1405 at Killeen Early College High School. Recycle, bury, what to do with it? Even if there was, how do we put a price on an albatross? The Garten Foundation of Salem unveiled a new sorting machine that may change the way we recycle forever. We are the shipper of the scrap. And you just need to sort out your recyclables and do your part. 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. For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service. Ask students to predict what might happen if turtles or seabirds become less common in a coral reef ecosystem. That all originates with us. Responding to pressure from states and environmentalists to better identify the many types of plastic, it created a code to tell them apart. I think it is a big moment. He was checking out a recycling company that he sells his plastic to. That code was a numbering system put inside the well-known symbol for recyclingthe chasing arrows. After the community complained to the government about the burning, the dumping stopped here. This is from California. In small groups, explore the impact of ocean plastics on coral reef species by having students research the impact of ghost nets on sea turtles, the ingestion of plastic by Pacific seabirds, and the ingestion of plastic particles by coral polyps. Angela Sun is an award-winning journalist, sports caster, and filmmaker. This is a pile of U.S. recycling. childhood leukemia. Kamilo Beach, located on the south-eastern tip of Hawaii's Big Island, has been dubbed one of the most plastic-polluted spots on the planet. Thousands of miles away from civilization, Midway Atoll is in one of the most remote places on earth. They said I couldnt dream. Dr. Chelsea M. Rochman, Smith Fellow in Conservation Biology, Marine Ecologist/Ecotoxicologist, Aquatic Health Program, University of California Davis'Plastic Paradise offers new and sharpened perspectives on the problem of plastics in the environment. Here we are at our GDB South Brunswick facility. Years later, we shut it down because there was no way to make money at it. Instead, what they disclose is the recycling logo. Amazing work!' to tout the virtues of plastics as a way of heading off the criticism the industry was experiencing. STATE REP. LORENA GONZALEZ (D-San Diego): Yeah. National Geographic Society is a 501 (c)(3) organization. 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.' In this independent documentary film, journalist/filmmaker Angela Sun travels on a personal journey of discovery to uncover this mysterious phenomenon. It then makes it's way up the food chain, ultimately into humans. Did you feel like they cared more about selling plastic than they did about making recycling work? Documentary. 'This is an issue of vast scales. We said go to a square. I think others were more hopeful. I strongly recommend this film as an instructional tool to connect ecology, communication, and global service. You could recycle this in a lab. Once a completely natural product, much of today's plastic is man-made and largely dependent upon fossil fuels. On a bright day last summer, Larson and fellow . The big problem is that it is all about money, profits. A bunch of small but . Global Environmental Justice: Plastic Paradise But it isnt just industry thats kept consumers focused on recycling for so long. One hundred and ninety-one containers being held right now. In Oregon, again, there are no curbside programs that would accept any of these tubs. Directed by Angela Sun 640,000 tons. Plastic Paradise engages students by illustrating how their everyday interactions with plastic are connected to pollution at the farthest, most exotic corners of the world . Loaded with more than 3,000 tons of waste from New Yorks Long Island. When we started that advertising program, I think the image of plastics was in the mid-30s, 30-35% favorability. Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service. The Midwest Book Review'Intriguing..chilling filmJournalist Angela Sun offers valuable new insights.' Allaway is a leading authority on the environmental impacts of materials, like plastic. The film's haunting message highlights the importance of society transitioning to the existing truly biodegradable polymers wherever possible and as soon as possible.' Yeah. We are approaching a 'point of no return. The Hollywood Reporter'The film everyone needs to see.' I watched the film with some of my students so I can attest that it appeals to the younger generation. The good news is they're coming. The fact that you now dont have to worry about dropping a shampoo bottle that was made out of glass on the bathroom floor because its plastic. 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. Not a good idea for the environment. If you're looking for a zero waste documentary on Netflix, don't overlook the 2016 film A Plastic Ocean. Its going to be the largest plant of its kind in the world. In Washington last November, during America Recycles Week. Dr. Patricia Corcoran, Associate Professor of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario'Angela Sun spoke with all the right people and even went to places she wasn't supposed to go in order to present the full story on plastic pollution. We took a seat by the side of the road and she showed me pictures she'd collected of plastic that locals said had been dumped here. Plastic Paradise - YouTube I mean, China did a big one for the recycling industry, I must say. But the proof here is the dramatic amount of investment that's happening right now. Lets be the ones that came together to change the world. No transcript available. Now here we are again in a crisis. Welcome to Hawaii's 'plastic beach', one of the world's dirtiest places That was one of the comments early, that it implied that those products were being recycled. Documentary on the perfect invention of plastic, yet its durability has built up in oceans and is killing species that are full of its waste. He told me he could take me to a place where the company had recently been dumping plastic. and plastic bans are spreading across the country. What are we looking at? The big leverage is with the producers. Bagaria had come to make sure his plastic was actually being recycled and turned into tiny pellets that are used to make new plastic products. under Environment, Pollution; by Tafline Laylin. The film won many awards and was released in 2013. As we continued reporting, we found even more internal documents and court filings and spoke with over a dozen industry insiders, including three top executives who represented the big plastic producers and agreed to talk publicly for the first time. As plastics break down through photodegradation, they leach out colorants and chemicals, such as bisphenol A (BPA), that have been linked to environmental and health problems. Ask students to predict what kinds of floating trash might be most harmful to ocean life and why. So if you put this in your curbside tonight, do you think that this tube would be recycled? It says it's recyclable. [Speaking Indonesian] It depends on the condition of the bales. Posted By : / actual instructions in flowcharting are represented in /; Under :nose exercise before and afternose exercise before and after These Chinese children spend most of their waking hours between plumes of smoke and mountains of plastic. Plastic Paradise Flashcards | Quizlet Earth Day was one of the largest mass protests in U.S. history. Melati and Isabel Wijsen are on a mission to stop plastic bags from suffocating their beautiful island home of Bali. ; "Plastic Paradise"; Bullfrog Films. If the oil industry is able to get 100% of the material recycled. The common refrain in this whole field is that it's all up to consumers. 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 this one talks about the cost of separating plastics from other trash. MONIQUE OXENDER, Chief sustainability officer, Keurig Dr Pepper: I mean, youve got a couple hurdles, in the sense that youre going to have to have people sorting out tiny cups, right? Angela Sun provides an excellent model of how one curious person can use her talents to follow her interests, speak from the heart, and contribute to improving the world. That's just freaking. I met up with Yuyun Ismawati in a small rural community nearby. Plastic Paradise is the first documentary to chronicle the rise, fall, and resurgence of tiki, or Polynesian pop, one of the defining cultural trends of postwar America. Plastic Paradise: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch - ResearchGate