Gallifrey Foundation’s Post

Sign the Declaration of Independence from Plastic Today. Join us in the World's 1st Fully Plastic Free Run. Plastics have abdicated a sense of environmental responsibility, and have initiated a war against nature. Plastics have polluted our waters, ravaged our lands, choked our wildlife, and decimated the health of our ecosystems. Plastics have constrained our fellow citizens taken captive by convenience to bear the burden of waste, to become the executioners of their environment. Plastics have inflamed environmental crises among us, and are destined to bring upon all inhabitants of this Earth, the merciless consequences of pollution. https://lnkd.in/gBbKMVxN #plasticindependence #sustainability #sustainblestrides #runnaturally #declareplasticindependence Written by: Tommy Chambers

The #PlasticsTreaty negotiations are scheduled to end later this year. With a substantial amount of work left before the treaty can be ratified, it’s important to look at precedents for extending negotiation time. Learn about previous negotiation timelines in our new brief. Link in the comments.

Register for this upcoming webinar on "Centering Ocean Justice in the Global Plastics Treaty." Join Earth Law Center, EarthEcho International, The Ocean Project, and World Ocean Day for a critical discussion on ocean justice and plastic pollution!

Learn how Professor Richard Thompson became a leading expert on plastic pollution and marine litter, and how he and his team first alerted the world to microplastics with their pioneering work. Lately he's been working with the United Nations on the global plastics treaty. Garbage Hero! For details, see the following article.

Second chances are important. At least, if you have missed the open briefing by our Environment Programme Director, Prof. Michael Norton, on our new Commentary on Plastics 😉 Take a look at the recording if you wonder what the World must do to avoid a scenario in which oceans, land and even our bodies will be ever more contaminated with plastics. Did you know that plastics do not rot, but only break down in smaller pieces? 📽 https://lnkd.in/eJgz-66z #plasticpollution #plasticrecycling #plasticstreaty #oceanprotection #circulareconomy

Referendums with an 80% majority are rare. However, Greenpeace recently hosted their own multinational referendum on plastics, gathering results from 19 different countries. The conclusion is resounding. It's evident that there is a market ready for new approaches to packaging. The question remains—who will pioneer and take full advantage of that 80% majority? #reuse #plasticpollution #circulareconomy #circulardesign

Please watch this video. There are scary parallels here between the history of research on the harm caused by smoking. To me, the proofs of the studies on the harm caused by microplastics in mammals are sufficient to conclude that microplastics in human bodies cause significant harm. We don’t need to wait until the ongoing studies on the long term effects of microplastics on humans reach statistically significant conclusions. When are we going to take decisive action to stop plastic pollution? And the most effective action is to significantly reduce the total quantity of plastic we use. This must start with reducing the consumption of the goods and services that use plastic; followed by reducing the plastic intensity per unit of the remaining consumption. We must create a hierarchy of plastic consumption - with applications in pharmaceuticals, staple foods and water being prioritised over frivolous use of plastic such as in soda bottles and premium/luxury goods. And although recycling has its place, we can’t recycle our way out of this crisis. We must also invest in taking legacy plastic out of the biosphere. Only taxes can make this happen at the required scale and speed. I am planning to start a PhD on this topic. Could Costas Velis, the University of Leeds, RICHARD THOMPSON OBE FRS, the University of Plymouth and others guide me in the right direction or refer me to other potential mentors and universities?

A new post from my web "On Science and Society" (https://lnkd.in/eEaW9vSe). Plastics: We can't live with them; we can't live without them. #OnScienceAndSociety

Introduction of the EU ReUse Barometer : https://lnkd.in/eQaJ79tf

The plastic crisis is what’s known as a “wicked problem.” That's why we launched the WHOI Microplastics Initiative. Since 2016, we've made important strides in understanding how plastic breaks down in the ocean, how it impacts marine and human health– and most importantly, what we can do about it. WHOI members are like a sieve, enabling solutions-based science to stem the tide of marine microplastics—and help us solve other wicked problems. 🌍 In honor of Earth Week, please consider becoming a member: go.whoi.edu/earthweek-2024