1024�˹���

I think that what's really sad

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is that the state of our planet right now

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is that it is

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drowning under the plastic waste.

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Whether it's macroplastics,

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microplastics

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or nanoplastics,

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we now find these plastics

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everywhere on the planet.

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From the top of the tallest mountain

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to the bottom of the deepest ocean.

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We're seeing it

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washing up on our shores all around us

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as we speak.

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We also find them in our bodies.

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It's out of control.

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The environmental and ecological challenges

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we're facing are that plastics are interfering

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with healthy functioning of ecosystems.

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We have got a chemical crisis,

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the biodiversity crisis

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and the climate crisis.

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It's been estimated that by 2025

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there will be more plastics

0:58

than fish in the ocean.

1:01

The Revolution Plastics Institute has a really strong

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mission driven research agenda

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to tackle the negative effects

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of plastic pollution

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across the entire plastics lifecycle.

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Collaboration within our group

1:19

in the 1024�˹���

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is absolutely essential

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to finding how to deal

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with the problem of plastics.

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We need to be able to live sustainably.

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And to do that,

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you need to have those people

1:28

that understand the different components

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of how society works.

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We can have all the scientific

1:42

and economic and social evidence we need,

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but ultimately it's about changing policy

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to actually make a difference.

1:49

Industry is not aware about

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what the chemical composition

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of their plastics is,

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what happens when it breaks down

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and what the effect of that is

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when it's made into something else.

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Researchers leading the direction

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in terms of gathering knowledge and sharing

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recommendations is the only way

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we're going to move the dial.

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The research has an incredibly

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important role to offer.

2:09

We know that political education,

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when packaged publicly in an accessible way,

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can totally transform

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the way that people envision

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a sustainable future.

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1024�˹��� as a case study site

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is a very interesting place

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because it's an island city.

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It is a mesocosm of

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what's going on around the UK

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and what's going on around the globe.

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1024�˹��� is the perfect place

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to host the Revolution Plastics Institute

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because 1024�˹��� as a city exhibits

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all of the challenges

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we face when trying to tackle

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the global plastics crisis.

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So we can test out solutions

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and ideas here

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that we can apply elsewhere

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and hopefully scale up

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to make a real difference.

2:45

If you have hundreds,

2:46

thousands of people collecting data,

2:48

you can really build up a good picture

2:51

of what's happening in our environment.

2:53

The goal of the Revolution Plastics Institute

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is to bring people with us on a journey,

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whether you're in government.

2:59

in the private sector,

3:01

in a campaign group

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or a member of the public.

3:04

We've all got a role to play in tackling

3:05

the global plastics crisis,

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and that's what our institute will do.

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We are accumulating vast amounts of plastic waste.

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We've produced more plastic

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in the last 10 years

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than in the previous 100 years.

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We're currently producing 400 million tonnes

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of plastic waste per year.

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That's set to double by 2040.

3:24

And of that plastic waste,

3:25

only 9% is being recycled.

3:27

We need to be challenging the status quo

3:30

and we need to transform

3:32

the way that we work with plastics.

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Our plastic waste is an enormous symptom

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of our addiction to fossil fuels.

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This has resulted

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in a very difficult state for our planet,

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but crucially,

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it's resulted in a lot of people

3:45

feeling like they can't see a way out,

3:47

a way to live without plastic.

3:48

The abnormal has become completely normal,

3:51

and people can't actually remember

3:53

a time when these plastic mountains weren't present.

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It’s very important that everyone takes action

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right now, and not tomorrow

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and not the day after.

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Not after a year, or after ten years.

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We need that action right now.