What Can We Do About Plastic? (Like, for Real)

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.

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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

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Episode Transcript and more information on the Pine Forest Media website

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Hosted, produced, and edited by Clark Marchese

Cover art by Jomiro Eming

Theme music by Nela Ruiz

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