Plastic is everywhere. We know that. But what can we actually do about it? In this episode of Oceanography, host Clark Marchese speaks with Dr. Anja Brandon, Director of Plastics Policy at Ocean Conservancy, to work backwards through the lifecycle of plastic and ask which solutions can actually make a difference.
Starting with plastic already in the ocean, they explore why targeted cleanups still matter before moving upstream to recycling, reuse systems, product design, Extended Producer Responsibility, reductions in single-use plastics, and policies designed to turn off the plastic tap altogether. They also look at where negotiations for a global UN plastics treaty stand and what needs to happen next.
From the plastic bottle on the beach to the systems that produced it in the first place, this episode is about moving beyond awareness of plastic pollution and toward what we can actually do about it.
Support our science communication directly by donating to Pine Forest Media or directly on PayPal
Episode Guests: Dr. Anja Brandon
Visit Dr. Brandon’s website, follow on Instagram @plasticfreeanja, or connect on LinkedIn
Review Dr. Brandon’s publications on Google Scholar
Visit the Ocean Conservancy website and get involved here
Listen to Plastic Podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and find our episode on the Plastics Treaty: Busan and Beyond - A UN Treaty on Plastics
Listen to Pine Forest Media’s NEWEST PODCAST GREEN FREQUENCY
Episode Transcript and more information on the Pine Forest Media website
Follow Pine Forest Media on Instagram @pineforestmedia
Hosted, produced, and edited by Clark Marchese
Cover art by Jomiro Eming
Theme music by Nela Ruiz
Find some more Pine Forest Media podcasts below
Listen to South Pole on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
Listen to Something in the Water on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
","author_name":"Pine Forest Media | Environmental Science Podcasts"}