In 2015, I got aware of the Plastic Soup problem. Back then, there were only a handfull of people and organizations that actually raised awareness. Sylvia Earle was one of the first people that talked about plastic pollution in our oceans. In the Netherlands I only knew The Ocean Cleanup and The Plastic Soup Foundation.
The Plastic Soup Foundation is one of the leading advocacy groups to tackle plastic pollution.. When I was doing research on plastics and its effects on the environment, the information on their website had brought me pretty far. Their fight ‘against the biggest environmental crisis of our times’ has inspired many of us to actually take action. And they’ve been supporting initiatives like ours as well. I see them as the ones pioneering in doing research on different topics around plastics: the effects on our healths, the effects on our oceans and what we as consumers and companies can do to support it. I’ve seen them doing research, spreading information, educating people and bringing up new topics that need attention as well.
That’s why our team decided to support them on the Black Friday weekend. Of every box sold between 29 November - 1 December, 10% will be donated to te Plastic Soup Foundation so they can keep doing their work.
Photo credits: Leonid Danilov in Pattaya City, Thailand
Just so you know where the money goes to, here is some more information about their role and mission in this system of fighting plastic pollution:
“Since the founding of the Plastic Soup Foundation in 2011, we have been a fast growing organization. From a small group of motivated volunteers without funding to 10fte at the start of 2017, a very competent and committed board, a big and strong worldwide network and a budget estimate of almost a million euros in 2016, of which 400,000 euros in kind.
Through smart and witty campaigns the Plastic Soup Foundation has a strong influence on the public, industries and politics. In 2014 PSF and L&DJ PR won the Dutch PR Award for their ‘Beat the Microbead-campaign’ in the non-profit category.
Mission: The mission of Plastic Soup Foundation is: ‘No plastic waste in our water!’
We do not take plastic out of the water; instead, we want to put an end to the increasing amount of plastic polluting the ocean by tackling the issue at its sources. Think of microplastics in cosmetics or synthetic fibres from clothing. These all end up in the ocean one way or another. We have been working towards this goal since 2011. According to the international press, we are now ‘One of the leading advocacy groups to tackle plastic pollution.’
Vision: With a devoted Amsterdam-based team we work with a firm approach:
Be aware: The Plastic Soup Foundation constantly draws attention to plastic soup through campaigns, news articles and social media.
Get educated: Anyone who wants to find out more about plastic soup is in the right place when they come to us. The Plastic Soup Foundation has developed educational programs for primary and secondary schools since 2016, and in 2018 we launched a new digital education program for primary schools. In addition we work together with experts, politicians, organizations, universities and companies which have similar missions or visions.
Find solutions: The Plastic Soup Foundation stimulates all possible (innovative) solutions which help tackle the causes of plastic soup at source. Measures which prevent plastic entering the environment, water and possibly ending up in the sea have the greatest impact in our opinion. This includes reducing the amount of single-use consumer plastics, the development of a plastic footprint for companies as well as smart devices which collect plastic in waterways.”
It’s one of our favourite initiatives that deserves all the support so they can keep doing their work… don’t you think?
Source: Plastic Soup Foundation
