Plastics 360: Impact & Possibilities
One hundred students, teachers, and citizen advocates took part in our March 2013 Plastics 360 conference in Berkeley and Lafayette. We’re making plans for fall of 2013. Do you have a venue where you would like to see our Film Night, day-long conference, or a shorter seminar? Send your message via our Contact page.
MARCH 2013 CONFERENCE
“We may not think about them often,” says the American Chemistry Council, “but versatile plastics inspire countless innovations that help make life better, healthier and safer every day.” In this view, plastics provide cheap, hygienic, lightweight, and convenient materials for a growing economy. But plastics are turning out to be anything but convenient.
In 2010, American manufacturers produced over 51 million tons of plastic. That same year, American households threw away (not recycling) over half that amount. What are the costs and effects of this kind of waste in our daily lives? What can you personally do to protect the environment and your health?
Join us for a comprehensive review of research on plastic in the oceans, plastic toxicity, the costs of disposability, and ways that we each can shift to more life-sustaining materials. Local leaders in health, conservation, and resource recovery will describe issues and solutions to the plague of plastic pollution.
For students, teachers, business managers and owners, civic leaders, citizen activists, and anyone interested in sustainable living.
Thursday, March 7, 7-9 pm. Introduction & film night. $10 donation. Reserve your seat here.
- Film shorts: The Story of Bottled Water (Annie Leonard); Midway Island cleanup (Chris Jordan); We Can Recycle Plastic (Mike Biddle); and more
- With: Chris Pincetich, PhD, Sea Turtle Restoration Project; Beck Cowles, Berkeley Ecology Center; Sheila Hollander, Piedmont Connect; and Monica Wilson, GAIA
- Where: Berkeley Unitarian Fellowship Hall, 1924 Cedar Street (at Bonita Avenue)
To register for Film Night or the Conference by mail: send your check to Green Sangha, PO Box 20261, Oakland, CA 94620. Thank you!
Saturday, March 16, 9:30 am – 4 pm. Conference fee: $30 pre-registration by Mar 1; $40 at the door ($10 discount for Green Sangha members & students with current ID). Register for conference here.
Schedule
9:30 Welcome and mindful gathering with Gerry Swan, RYT
9:45 A brief history of plastics. Susan Freinkel, author of Plastic: A Toxic Love Story
10:30 Oil and plastic. Joe Mueller, MS, biology instructor, College of Marin
11:15 Mindful movement break. Gerry Swan, RYT
11:30 Marine litter. Chris Pincetich, PhD, marine toxicologist
12:15 Lunch (BYO mug, food, etc.)
1:00 Plastics in our bodies. Marion Guyer, MD, MBA
1:45 Solutions to plastic pollution. Samantha Meyer, Clean Water Action
2:30 What we can do. Panel moderated by Andy Peri, Campaign Director, Marin County Bicycle Coalition:
- Recycling: what it can accomplish; what it can’t. Rick Anthony, President, California Resource Recovery Association
- Sustainable textiles. Sarah Kelley, Terra Textiles
- Source reduction. Samantha Meyer, Clean Water Action
- Personal changes: at home & in the office. Beth Terry
3:20 Making the shift to sustainable materials. Four action-discussion groups:
- Advocacy. Andy & Samantha
- Beach clean-up & litter reduction. Chris
- Boycotting plastic. Rick Anthony
- Personal change. Beth
3:45 Closing remarks
Where: Lafayette Public Library, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd.
Refreshments: Light, earth-friendly snacks will be provided at registration (9:00-9:30 am). BYO lunch! We will provide coffee and beverages. (BYO mug, too.)
What you will get:
- Learn more about plastics – their amazing history, our complex relationship with them, their infiltration into our bodies and our environment, and where we are heading
- Discuss ways to maintain the benefits of plastics while eliminating the negative impacts of litter, waste, and toxicity
- Network with leaders in the campaign to end plastic pollution
- Develop your own plan of action for reducing waste and minimizing your exposures to toxic plastic chemicals
- Enjoy relaxing meditation and mindful movement breaks during the day
More information: info@greensangha.org or call (510) 532-6574
In cooperation with:
° Ecology Center of Berkeley
° Sea Turtle Restoration Project
Endorsed by ° ECOlunchboxes
