Maya Ellison
The Plastic Oceans Foundation, also known as Plastic Oceans International, is a charitable organisation dedicated to stopping plastic pollution through science, education, and policy advocacy. The foundation was established in 2012 following a typhoon in Hong Kong, during which a container ship lost its cargo of plastic nurdles, coating the shoreline in plastic pellets. With no cleanup from the responsible company, the founder of Plastic Oceans, Julie, realised that plastic is not deemed hazardous, leaving no one accountable for its impact on ecosystems and communities. Since its founding, the organisation has worked to educate people about the dangers of plastic pollution and has promoted film as a powerful medium to drive awareness and spark discussions that lead to action.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of Founding | 2012 |
| Founder | Julie |
| Reason for Founding | To end plastic pollution through education and community engagement |
| Types of Activities | Film-based activism, shoreline cleanup and waste audit, biodiversity preservation, citizen science training, waste management services, green vocational training programs |
| Type of Organization | Charitable, international, nonprofit |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic Oceans Foundation's mission
The Plastic Oceans Foundation is a charitable organisation that has been working since 2012 to end plastic pollution. The foundation was inspired by an incident in 2012, during a typhoon in Hong Kong, when Plastic Oceans International’s founder, Julie, witnessed a Chinese oil company container ship lose its cargo of plastic nurdles, coating the shoreline in trillions of plastic pellets. With no cleanup from the responsible company, Julie realised that plastic, unlike oil, is deemed non-hazardous, leaving no one accountable for its impact on ecosystems, communities, or health. This experience spurred the creation of the Plastic Oceans Foundation, with a mission to end plastic pollution through education and community engagement.
The foundation recognises the power of film to drive awareness and promote discussions that lead to action. They have built their own film library, SEE+Δ (See Positive Change), and developed a film-activism model that goes beyond viewing. By working with grassroot organisations and businesses, they effectively engage intersectoral stakeholders and develop opportunities for collaborative action. The foundation also offers shoreline cleanup and waste audits, biodiversity preservation, citizen science training, holistic waste management services, and green vocational training programs.
Plastic pollution requires proactive systemic strategies towards a circular economy. Plastic does not decompose, break down, or disappear as it was designed not to. It breaks up into smaller fragments, adding to the insidious nature of the problem. These microplastics, resulting from exposure to sunlight, salt, and wave action, are now the same size as plankton, entering the marine food chain at its very base. Waterborne chemicals attach to the surface of these microplastics, easily transported into the fatty storage tissues of animals through the bloodstream.
The Plastic Oceans Foundation aims to reduce plastic consumption and usage by educating people about the dangers of plastic pollution. They promote reducing, reusing, replacing, rethinking, and redesigning plastic items, as plastic cannot be recycled perpetually and loses quality with each round of recycling. The foundation works to create a wave of change to stop plastic pollution and be part of the solution through science, education, and policy advocacy.
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Founding story
The Plastic Oceans Foundation, also known as Plastic Oceans International, is a charitable organisation dedicated to stopping plastic pollution through science, education, and policy advocacy. The organisation has been working since 2009 to educate people about the dangers of plastic pollution and how to reduce their consumption and usage of plastics.
The founding of Plastic Oceans International was spurred by an event that took place in 2012 during a typhoon in Hong Kong. The founder of the organisation, Julie, witnessed a Sinopec (Chinese oil company) container ship lose its cargo of plastic nurdles, coating the shoreline in trillions of white plastic pellets. With no cleanup from the responsible company, Julie realised that plastic, unlike oil, is deemed non-hazardous, leaving no one accountable for its impact on ecosystems, communities, or health.
This experience led to the creation of Plastic Oceans International, with a mission to end plastic pollution through education and community engagement. The organisation recognised the power of film to drive awareness but also the barriers of language, accessibility, and distribution that hindered global reach. As a result, they built their own film library, SEE+Δ (See Positive Change), and developed a film-activism model that goes beyond viewing, promoting discussions that lead to action.
Plastic Oceans International also works with grassroots organisations and businesses to effectively engage intersectoral stakeholders and develop opportunities for collaborative action. They use film to create a shared starting point for dialogue, where all voices can engage with the same story, reflect, and contribute equally.
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Founders and trustees
The Plastic Oceans Foundation, also known as Plastic Oceans International, was founded in 2012. The organisation is dedicated to stopping plastic pollution through science, education, and policy advocacy. It offers shoreline cleanups, waste audits, biodiversity preservation, and citizen science training, among other services.
The Plastic Oceans Foundation was founded by Julie, who witnessed a Sinopec (Chinese oil company) container ship losing its cargo of plastic nurdles during a typhoon in Hong Kong in 2012. The plastic pellets coated the shoreline, and with no cleanup from the responsible company, Julie realised that plastic, unlike oil, is not deemed hazardous, leaving no one accountable for its impact on ecosystems and communities. This experience spurred the creation of the foundation, with the mission to end plastic pollution through education and community engagement.
The foundation also has several trustees and board members who play a crucial role in guiding the organisation's activities. These include:
- Daniel, who is a Trustee of Hong Kong's World Wildlife Fund, a Trustee of the Plastic Oceans Foundation, and Executive Producer of the documentary "A Plastic Ocean". He is also a member of several advisory boards, including at the Morningside College and the Berklee College of Music.
- Karen, who founded Globe Creative in 2008, an experiential design agency that creates cultural programming and exhibitions for museums, public spaces, and cultural institutions. She is also a founding board member of the Plastic Oceans Foundation and advises several non-profit organisations in the special needs, arts, and culture sectors.
- Steven, a marine engineer, lawyer, and commercial executive with experience in the shipping and marine environmental fields. He is based in Hong Kong and has a thorough understanding of the shipping environment in the Asia-Pacific region. He is currently a trustee of the Plastic Oceans Foundation and holds several other directorship positions.
- Sonjia, a lawyer and business development professional, who has worked with broadcasting and satellite television ventures in Asia. She also founded her own clothing and lifestyle brands, Chibi and Sonjia.
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Charitable status
The Plastic Oceans Foundation is a global charity that addresses the issue of plastic pollution and its impact on the seas and our lives. The foundation is a registered charitable organisation in Hong Kong. It is dedicated to creating a wave of change to stop plastic pollution and be part of the solution through science, education, and policy advocacy.
The foundation was started as Plastic Oceans UK in 2009, with a focus on ocean plastic pollution. The award-winning documentary 'A Plastic Ocean' was a turning point, igniting mass public awareness about the impact of plastic on the ocean. The film was described by Sir David Attenborough as "one of the most important films of our time".
The Plastic Oceans Foundation is an international non-profit organisation that has been working since 2012 to end plastic pollution. It uses film to create a shared starting point for dialogue, where all voices can engage with the same story, reflect, and contribute equally. The foundation works with grassroots organisations and businesses to engage intersectoral stakeholders and develop opportunities for collaborative action.
The organisation is science-driven and ensures that the projects it undertakes have solid scientific bases and measurable outcomes that can be used to drive policy change. The foundation also has a global network of grassroots organisations and businesses that use the film dialogue framework to engage stakeholders.
The Plastic Oceans Foundation is a charitable organisation with a mission to address plastic pollution and create a sustainable relationship between humanity and the ocean.
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Year founded
The Plastic Oceans Foundation, also known as Plastic Oceans International, was founded in 2012. It is a charitable organisation that aims to stop plastic pollution through science, education, and policy advocacy. The foundation is based in Wan Chai, Hong Kong.
The creation of the Plastic Oceans Foundation was spurred by an event witnessed by its founder, Julie, in 2012. During a typhoon in Hong Kong, a Sinopec (Chinese oil company) container ship lost its cargo of plastic nurdles, coating the shoreline in trillions of white plastic pellets. With no cleanup from the responsible company, Julie realised that plastic, unlike oil, is not deemed hazardous, leaving no one accountable for its impact on ecosystems, communities, or health.
The foundation's mission is to end plastic pollution through education and community engagement. They recognised the power of film to drive awareness but also the barriers of language, accessibility, and distribution that hindered global reach. As a result, they built their own film library, SEE+Δ (See Positive Change), and developed a film-activism model that goes beyond viewing, promoting discussions that lead to action.
Plastic Oceans International has been working since 2012 to proactively address plastic pollution through a systemic and structured approach, collaborating with grassroot organisations and businesses to engage intersectoral stakeholders and drive change.
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Frequently asked questions
The Plastic Oceans Foundation was founded in 2012.
The Plastic Oceans Foundation is a charitable organisation that aims to stop plastic pollution through science, education, and policy advocacy.
The foundation offers shoreline cleanup and waste audits, biodiversity preservation, citizen science training, a holistic waste management service, and a green vocational training program, among other things.
