PLASTIC POLLUTION: TRANSFORMATIVE GLOBAL STRATEGY USING HUMANITY
Evidence-based research to solve a big puzzle.
PLASTIC POLLUTION: TRANSFORMATIVE GLOBAL STRATEGY USING HUMANITY
Evidence-based research to solve a big puzzle.
Evidence-based research to solve a big puzzle.
Evidence-based research to solve a big puzzle.
Alarmed by critical plastic pollution levels, over twenty scientists and academics have issued a call to action for the private sector to help with the widening gap between corporate growth and practical solutions to plastic pollution (Lau et al., 2020; Borelle et al., 2020). The debate centers on how society can live with the benefits of plastic while protecting the environment. We conducted a private-sector research study started in 2014, synergizing a large body of interdisciplinary peer-reviewed scientific and academic studies--from the perspective of marketing, social psychology, and economics. This approach gave us a high-level view of the interworkings of the plastic pollution space. We found knowledge gaps, data anomalies, and other telling insights that led to the discovery of a "new paradigm." The new conceptual framework was a missing piece of the puzzle in nearly all studies and conversations, and could drastically change the conversation and reduce the 2030-2040 projections of uncontrolled plastic emissions. While the paradigm has many applications, we applied it to a public engagement strategy. In an evidence-based plan, we identified a problem the global public can solve using the marketplace. We crafted messaging and new product inventions, and marketing designed to influence new social norms that could slow plastic emissions at speed and scale. The plan is not dependent on governments yet it solves a piece of the Tragedy of the Commons by addressing leakage on land, before it reaches aquatic bodies.
We believe the problem of planetary-scale plastic pollution exceeds the abilities of governments and advocacies to contain it. Why? Plastic is borderless because it circulates by weather, rivers, and ocean currents throughout Earth. It requires a borderless global approach that governments can't provide because they stop at the boundary of their sovereign borders with no control over other governments; and advocacies are too regional and fragmented to address a planetary-scale problem. Further, no amount of infrastructure, policy, and regulation can cover Earth's land surface area to control slow out-of-control plastic leakage from social behaviors of most of 8.1 billion people occupying the farthest reaches of Earth and using plastic morning, noon, and night.
Stated another way, with population size using plastic (and the various reasons for leakage) and the proven scalability and influence of marketing, plastic pollution could be greatly be impacted with global brand leadership (what Apple is to electronics, Nike is to athletic shoes) to achieve critical mass of people to change social norms. This type of global leadership cannot come from governments and non-profits.
We applied the new paradigm to develop a proprietary, profitable solution to meet demand by the public to solve plastic pollution-- developed and sold under the new corporate brand.
We've detailed our plan in a proprietary whitepaper outlining the rationale, purpose, and execution plans for a private-sector, global business model. Co-authored by Suzette Mehler, a marketing researcher, and Jim Levine, Ph.D., Environmental Economics and Earth scientist, in a novel interdisciplinary collaboration, we innovated a profitable solution in a number of patentable product offerings.
Stopping invisible nano-sized particles is critical. Mounting research on the adverse effects of nanoplastics suggests an increased impact on animals and plants. Of particular concern is that nanoplastics are distributed worldwide by the atmosphere, spreading the problem far and wide. Human health may be affected, too. A mouse study raises concerns about the potential health risks of nanoplastics on the human brain.
Nano-Plastic Crosses Blood-Brain Barrier in Mice: A recent study finds evidence for potential neurological effects of plastic pollution. Researchers exposed mice to polystyrene nanoplastics and found evidence that these particles crossed the blood-brain barrier, potentially triggering brain inflammation (Wang, J., et al., 2022).
Harms to Plants and Animals: Plastic permeates ecosystems, with impact to animals through follicle contact and ingestion (Wang et al., 2021), and recent findings indicate plants may uptake nanoplastics via their roots, posing risks to the food chain (Meijer et al., 2021). This issue is compounded by atmospheric transport, which disperses plastics worldwide, leading to the next concern: greenhouse effect.
Airborne Micro and Nano-Sized Plastics and the Greenhouse Effect: Micro and nanoplastics become airborne, scatter sunlight, and absorb radiation emitted by the Earth. Currently, microplastics have a minimal influence on global climate. However, with projections to double plastic waste in the coming decades, atmospheric micro and nano plastics could increase the greenhouse effect unless plastic pollution can be reduced (Ravelle, et al., 2021).
Plastic pollution has a growing body of research documenting harms and its insidious reach into ecosystems. Reviewing viable scenarios to solve plastic pollution, even with aggressive measures such as Zero Waste and Circularity, scientists in two 2020 studies forecast annual plastic emissions will increase to 53 million MT by 2030 (Borelle et al., 2020) and 710 million M.T. of cumulative plastic will enter all ecosystems by 2040 (Lau et al., 2020); both studies call for an urgent response from the private sector to employ an economically solution.
Why a private-sector for-profit model: The challenges faced by non-profit organizations in addressing issues like plastic pollution are multifaceted and complex. While the limitations on unrelated business income and the risk of losing tax-exempt status can be a factor, there are several other potential reasons why non-profits might struggle to compete for public attention with large for-profit conglomerates:
However, it’s important to note that non-profits play a crucial role in raising awareness, advocate for policy changes, conduct research, and implement projects on the ground.
We applied the new paradigm to empower humanity in a way that could disrupt plastic debris flows while on land before it escapes irretrievably into aquatic bodies of water.
Market Size: Our research indicates most people are informed and concerned about plastic pollution. However, there are anomalies in their behaviors to suggest they are confused about how to help. They need a clear directive with a marketing plan that rises above a crowded media field of many advocacies.
We Know What To Say To the Public: Our marketing research of published studies helped us to develop a robust marketing plan. We identified several markets, their size, and psychographics (more research is needed in this area). We know the optimal target audience and accordingly developed criteria for message design and testing.
Scope: Our Approach Goes Beyond Litter: While public engagement media traditionally focuses on reducing single-use plastics and litter, we broadened the aperture to include macro, micro, and nano-sized plastics from the Garment, Home Improvement, and Building and Construction sectors.
How We Solve It: We identified the point of greatest opportunity cost to disrupt the conveyance of plastic debris from land into rivers and oceans at the least economic cost to mitigate. We tied it to a global business opportunity. The specifics of our strategy are proprietary at this time.
Our Mission: We propose creating a private-sector, for-profit global business model as the most viable means to reduce plastic pollution at speed and scale. Our venture would do what niche leaders do to become profitable corporations. We aspire to become a globally branded leader providing trusted leadership in public engagement to impact plastic pollution using science-informed directives, products, and educational movies.
The Team: Our endeavor to lift our project with a team of experts in areas of global brand marketing, environmental engineering, product engineering, software engineering, economics, geography, with C-suite leadership.
Meta-Analysis Led to a New Paradigm to Understand Plastic Pollution: We conducted an in-depth interdisciplinary examination of literature addressing plastic influences on Earth systems and public engagement efforts to mitigate it. Interdisciplinary led to unique insights to the complex innerworkings within the plastic pollution community and a new paradigm to understand causes of plastic leakage, why stakeholders cannot slow it, and new interventions.
Research was Extensive: The research considered most countries, their socio-economic status, population size, governmental structure, culture, literacy rate, the state of their waste systems, and topography. We then considered peer-reviewed studies on the global perspective of plastic pollution, sources, harms, weathering of macro plastic into nanoparticles, coastal and riverine emissions estimates, and impacts to terrestrial ecosystems, continental watersheds, and the atmosphere. Lastly, we considered global policy, infrastructure, and public engagement efforts to offset producer activities to meet consumer demand with expansion, marketing, and advertising. We also stay informed about new innovations to fill knowledge gaps (we recommend investigating Carbotura.com for advanced waste processing technology for big cities to small islands, and is integral to accelerate fruition of circularity).
Knowledge Gaps & Inefficiencies Identified: In essence, we considered the pathway of plastic–from manufacturing to plastic ocean pollution–in the context of human communications and discovered knowledge gaps and inefficiencies.
What Our Models Indicate: Our models predict the greatest impact could be seen in high- and upper-middle-income countries within two to five years of launch. We conceived of a monitoring system to quantify changes in per-country waste-collection data to prove efficacy. While we may have the most negligible impact in lower-income countries, our system may naturally fill a vacuum for an unaddressed source of plastic pollution in conjunction with other innovative interventions and improved waste management.
Our Strategy Has Not Been Tried: We spent time and effort as the historian of 50 years of data and attempts to control plastic pollution and we could not find anything such as what we propose. Monstrous plastic systems in our soils, vegetation, water, and atmosphere constantly move and redistribute, making it elusive to control. The world is invested in plastic, yet it harms marine and terrestrial animals and human health and costs industries billions. It is a conundrum to find a balanced, sustainable, and permanent solution. Considering this, we developed a strategy that goes upstream, activating the public's help in a way that has not been tried. While details of the strategy are proprietary, we can share general findings and benefits of the plan.
The Intersection Point: Our proposed paradigm offers a middle-ground solution that satisfies environmentalists and business, with the potential to slow plastic emissions as Zero Waste and Circularity manifest. We identified an intersection point for the ideal strategy that could slow global plastic pollution.
Project benefits include:
Strategic Collaboration: In a meta-analysis of the plastic pollution landscape, we developed a “new paradigm” capable of reshaping the understanding and approach to mitigate plastic pollution. This transformative shift led us to address a global void in global public leadership by merging the power of people with market forces to slow “uncontrolled” plastic emissions en masse. Our unexpected solution, meticulously outlined in a comprehensive white paper with citations, introduces a pro-forma private-sector, global brand business model with multiple product branded product extensions. Now, we actively seek alliances with a multifaceted media outlet, organizations, and investors endowed with substantial resources—funding, distribution channels, team building, and mentoring—to propel our project from its nascent stages to a position of global recognition.
We welcome inquiries about the project.
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