An existing, proven project or program that reduces or eliminates plastic pollution that can be cost-effectively replicated and scaled

When one reads the two-page chapter from the Plastic Atlas Asia on recycling and waste management (below) “We Cannot Recycle Our Way Out of the Plastic Crisis,” there may be a feeling of resignation because many current solutions don’t seem to slow the overabundance of plastic waste. However, this is a macro-viewpoint, wherein in this Theme, a student team should look for, as the title suggests, a proven project or program that is locally succeeding to capture a large amount of the plastic waste at its source. That means, where it is generated by the local population or where it winds up. In East Asia, and in the world generally, if we are to win the war against plastic pollution, the battles have to be fought locally in thousands of communities, with the right tools, projects and programs.

This Case Study Theme 2 is all about your student team finding a great example of an organization with an existing, proven project or program that is succeeding to reduce or prevent plastic pollution in its local area. Your team should ‘make the case” that this project or program deserves greater attention, and that it should be replicated throughout East Asia in similar cities, towns and villages.

Our thesis is simple: Many organizations are doing great work, many of them in local “obscurity.” In other words, their laudable, praiseworthy and potentially scalable projects and programs do not travel, so to speak, beyond local or even regional participants, receive much press coverage, and rarely are shared from one country to another. Thus, many local efforts around the world almost start from scratch each and every time, without any blueprint.

This is not about finding successful one-off beach or river cleanups done annually or even weekly. Organizations that run these programs are doing great work, but the amount of effort, resources, time and energy are extensive. They are often not long-lasting or systemic, as a day or week later, there might then be more plastic waste….a never ending supply. Please do not select a beach or river cleanup as your project or program.

What should your student team select? A student team has a wide number of potential projects or programs to research — on a variety of topics. To assist your team, one resource is from Ocean Recovery Alliance, one of the co-organizers. It wrote a report on commitments made by the world from 2014 -2018, funded by United Nations Environment (UNEP). In fact, CAPP.Global was founded as a result. For this report, it developed a list of potential project categories, based on almost 600 commitments it analyzed – by type of project and the type of stakeholder. Please visit the Plastic Category Classification Codes (“PCC Codes”)

In sum, in contrast to Theme 1 and its focus on projects or programs near waterways, this Theme is about finding any type of project or program that reduces or prevents plastic pollution. It casts a much wider net for student teams to champion a solution that merits attention. Your Case Study will drive attention, and, we hope, spur others to get involved to make the project or program happen in their local areas.

Each team that submits a Case Study for this theme MUST use our Theme 2 Template.