The Plastic Free July initiative first began in 2011, and since then the campaign has grown so much that in 2017, the founder of the movement, Rebecca Prince-Ruiz, set up the Plastic Free Foundation Ltd. This foundation is an independent non-profit charity striving for a future … [Read more...] about 7 tips to kickstart your Plastic Free July
Plastic pollution
US unveils plan to ban single-use plastic in national parks
Plastic pollution is so prevalent that harmful plastic particles can even be found in drinking water. Robust action on a national scale is needed to stop the flood of plastics into natural environments. Wednesday, on World Oceans Day, the White House announced its plans to … [Read more...] about US unveils plan to ban single-use plastic in national parks
Captain Fanplastic teaches young pirates about plastic pollution
“Why do you think pirates are called pirates? Because they ‘aRRRRRe!’” This is the joke that forms the basis of the “Captain Fanplastic” initiative—a primary school program aimed at teaching young children in South Africa and the Netherlands about plastic waste and the “R’s” … [Read more...] about Captain Fanplastic teaches young pirates about plastic pollution
Self-repairing plastic soon to become reality thanks to Japanese scientists
The future of better plastics is here! A team of researchers in Japan has developed a type of plastic that can repair itself. It could be used in smartphones, cars, and many other applications, reducing the amount of plastic that ends up discarded and polluting the … [Read more...] about Self-repairing plastic soon to become reality thanks to Japanese scientists
The Ocean Cleanup’s sunglasses fund even more cleanup missions
We at The Optimist Daily have been following The Ocean Cleanup project since its first plastic-capturing voyage back in 2019. From that point forward, we’ve enjoyed reporting its progress, from removing plastic debris from rivers to eventually becoming the largest … [Read more...] about The Ocean Cleanup’s sunglasses fund even more cleanup missions