Special Collections:
Plastic in Our Oceans
In 2025, The Ocean Cleanup achieved a record-breaking year, removing over 25 million kilograms of waste from aquatic environments, bringing their total catch to 46 million kilograms. They also deployed two new Interceptors in Honduras and Panama.
Expanding their mission, the organization launched the 30 Cities Program to stop one-third of river plastic emissions into oceans, and introduced Coastal Sweeps for legacy plastic near shores. Developing new technologies further solidified 2025 as their most impactful year yet.
Watch their year-in-review video and subscribe to their YouTube channel. Learn more and support them at theoceancleanup.com. Follow them on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X.
Our core mission is to achieve clean and healthy oceans for future generations. This commitment drives all our efforts.
To realize this vision, we employ a systematic approach: developing cutting-edge technology, rigorously testing its efficacy, and continuously iterating based on results. This ensures maximum impact in our fight for ocean preservation.
Artist and documentarian Chris Jordan premiered his film ALBATROSS in Charleston, SC, alongside his "Midway" exhibition at the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art. Jordan aims to connect with and inspire audiences through his work.
The documentary explores Midway Atoll, an isolated Pacific island situated within the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. It offers an intimate look at native Laysan albatrosses, whose existence is gravely threatened by global plastic waste.
Rising chronic diseases are partly linked to hazardous chemicals leaching from plastic food packaging and utensils. While food packaging pollutants are a public health concern, research on a strong causal link between plastics and conditions like infertility or immune disorders is still developing. TEDx events are independently organized; guidelines are available here.
In her TEDx talk, Dr. Jane Muncke explains chemical migration from plastic food contact materials and discusses regulatory gaps. She advocates for inert materials like glass and stainless steel. As Managing Director of the Food Packaging Forum (FPF), Dr. Muncke co-founded the organization to share scientific information on food packaging’s health and environmental impacts. Learn more about TEDx at ted.com/tedx.
This clip, from *Advancing Australia* Season 1, Episode 1: "Sea of Plastic," highlights marine biologist Nicole Nash. Inspired by rampant plastic waste, Nash launched the 'Last Straw on the Great Barrier Reef' campaign, advocating for a ban on plastic straws from commercial boats operating in the region.
Addressing plastic pollution necessitates distinguishing between two fundamental challenges. The first is the inherent problem of plastic production itself, encompassing its scale and the materials utilized.
The second, separate challenge involves the effective management of plastic waste once it has been created and discarded. Recognizing these distinct issues is crucial for developing targeted and comprehensive solutions.
Ocean plastic pollution is a major global concern, with an estimated four million tons entering annually and projected to rise. This widespread issue poses significant threats to marine ecosystems.
Scientists recently discovered a massive load of microplastics, around 12,000 pieces per liter, frozen in Arctic ice. These tiny particles are easily ingested by sea animals, raising fears about harm to marine life and humans.
Tackling this urgent global challenge requires immediate and effective solutions.
A luxury boutique now offers fish infused with fashionable microplastic fibers from the hottest brands.
This stark reality is highlighted by Just One Ocean.
Rowan Byrne, a Marine Biologist and Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology, will discuss ocean plastics, explaining their impact on marine life and civilization. His extensive career includes shark research, sea turtle conservation, and pioneering satellite tracking of leatherback turtles from Dominica to Ireland.
As Marine Plastics Lead for Mott MacDonald, Rowan drives global research and solutions for marine plastic challenges. He champions collaboration with industry and governments to integrate environmental considerations. His work earned him the IEMA Sustainability Leader of the Year Award in 2020 and media recognition for installing Seabins at Howth Harbour.
This talk was given at a TEDx event. Learn more at ted.com/tedx.
This document explores a key issue, featuring a one-on-one interview with Audrey Choi, Chief Marketing and Sustainability Officer at Morgan Stanley.
Copyright © 2020 by 3BL Media/Client. All Rights Reserved.
Nate Liebenberg, co-founder of idiveblue.com, champions awareness regarding the severe impact of throwaway plastics. These pollutants devastate marine species, contaminate our precious waters, and ultimately endanger human well-being.
Join us for a crucial discussion on ocean conservation and discover how we can collectively safeguard these vital ecosystems.
In July 2020, The Pew Charitable Trusts and SYSTEMIQ, with partners including the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, released "Breaking the Plastic Wave." This robust study on ocean plastic pollution revealed that without action, plastic volume will double, ocean entry will almost triple, and ocean stocks will quadruple by 2040. This aligns with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's 2016 warning of more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050.
The study emphasizes that a circular economy for plastic is the sole solution to tackle waste and pollution at its source. This vision already unites over 850 organizations through the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment and Plastics Pact network. Learn more about the study here.
Dame Ellen MacArthur urges "bold and urgent action" to address plastic pollution. A 2020 study, "Breaking the Plastic Wave," by The Pew Charitable Trusts and SYSTEMIQ, reveals a grim forecast: without intervention, by 2040, plastic on the market will double, annual ocean entry will almost triple, and ocean stocks will quadruple. This echoes the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's 2016 warning of more plastic than fish by 2050.
The study confirms a circular economy for plastic is the only way to tackle waste at its source. This vision already unites over 850 organizations. Find out more here.
Fossil fuel companies are projected to become the world's largest plastic producers by 2025. This expansion will lead to a significant increase in plastic waste, further exacerbating air and water pollution.
Join the fight to stop plastic polluters and protect our environment: BiologicalDiversity.org/StopPlasticPolluters
Sir David Attenborough has shared an update from Blue Planet II regarding plastic consumption.
Born on 8 May 1926, Sir David Frederick Attenborough is an English broadcaster and natural historian. He is renowned for writing and presenting the BBC's "Life collection," a series of nine natural history documentaries that comprehensively survey Earth's animal and plant life.
"A Plastic Ocean" is an adventure documentary filmed over four years across more than 20 locations.
Explorers Craig Leeson and Tanya Streeter, with international scientists, reveal the causes and consequences of plastic pollution, offering solutions.
"A Plastic Ocean" is an adventure documentary, filmed over four years across more than 20 locations.
Explorers Craig Leeson and Tanya Streeter, with international scientists, reveal the causes and consequences of plastic pollution and propose solutions.
Addressing plastic pollution requires more than solutions like recycling, bioplastics, or compostable straws. These methods do not tackle the fundamental problem.
The only effective approach is to confront the root cause: halting the production of new plastic. This is the essential step for a lasting solution.
On August 14, 2019, Pakistan celebrated two independence days: its 72nd national freedom and the launch of a ban on single-use plastic bags. This initiative began with Islamabad's pilot project, making Pakistan one of 129 countries combating plastic pollution.
The World Bank is committed to Pakistan's environmental sustainability. Demonstrating this, the World Bank's Islamabad campus has operated free of single-use plastic for the past year, aligning with its pledge to "walk the talk."
Cigarette filters, often called the "last acceptable form of littering," are a major source of plastic pollution. Made from cellulose acetate, these filters release plastic, nicotine, heavy metals, and other toxic chemicals into waterways and oceans, posing a significant threat to our health and the planet.
National Geographic explores this critical issue and potential solutions. Learn more about this widespread plastic pollution by subscribing to National Geographic or reading "Cigarette butts are toxic plastic pollution. Should they be banned?" here.
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The Thinking Game | Full documentary | Tribeca Film Festival official selection
“The Thinking Game” is the inside story of DeepMind's groundbreaking AI research, culminating in the Nobel Prize-winning AlphaFold breakthrough. Filmed over five years by the award-winning team behind "AlphaGo," this documentary explores co-founder Demis Hassabis's lifelong pursuit of artificial general intelligence and the rigorous scientific journey from mastering strategy games to solving the 50-year-old protein folding problem.
Following its world premiere at the Tribeca Festival, "The Thinking Game" is now available to watch for free. For those interested in hosting a screening for a classroom, community, or workplace, visit: rocofilms.com/films/the-thinking-game/.





















