Hundreds of thousands of tiny plastic pellets fill the docks and bays of the Mississippi River. There are people who paddle out every morning to collect them, removing what they can as pellets continue to flood the water. But the problem starts much closer to home. Look around your house. See all the plastic bags, plastic bottles, plastic everything? We are all at fault – and, like Sharon Lavigne, we all have the power to make a change. In this episode, we’ll talk to politicians, scientists, and journalists who teach us how. 

This series is presented in partnership with Only One, the action platform for the planet. Only One is on a mission to restore ocean health and tackle the climate crisis in this generation — with your help. Visit only.one to learn more and get involved.

SHOW NOTES

Nurdle Patrol

Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act

Attorney General Bonta Demands Manufacturers of Plastic Bags Substantiate Recyclability Claims

CREDITS

Discarded is a Lemonada Media original, presented by Only One. Gloria Riviera is our host. Our producers are Alie Kilts, Alexa Lim, and Gloria Riviera. Tess Novotny is our associate producer. Chrystal Genesis is our supervising producer. Jackie Danziger is our vice president of narrative content. Mix and sound design by Natasha Jacobs with additional mixing by Ivan Kuraev. Music is by Hannis Brown. Naomi Barr is our fact checker. Executive producers are Stephanie Wittels Wachs and Jessica Cordova Kramer. 

To learn more and take action, go to only.one/discarded.

Follow Gloria on Twitter at @griviera. Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

You can also get premium content and behind the scenes material by subscribing to Lemonada Premium on Apple Podcasts.

There’s more Discarded with Lemonada Premium. Subscribers get exclusive access to bonus content, like our conversation with California Attorney General Rob Bonta about holding plastic companies environmentally accountable. Subscribe now in Apple Podcasts.

To follow along with a transcript, go to lemonadamedia.com/show/Discarded shortly after the air date. Follow Discarded wherever you get your podcasts or listen ad-free on Amazon Music with your Prime Membership.