We've seen the reports and news headlines: "Our planet is choking on plastic" "Microplastics: Polluting our blood, foetuses - and now the dairy and meat we eat." Along with the climate and biodiversity loss crises, pollution - including air and plastic pollution -  is the third part of the Triple Planetary Crisis. How can we be part of the solution to end plastic pollution? In conjunction with #PlasticFreeJuly, we discuss this and more on this month's episode of Plastic Soup - an ongoing series where we ask whether we are indeed living in a giant bowl of plastic soup, and explore ways we can get out of this goop. Helping us today is Hema Mahadevan, a Public Engagement Campaigner at Greenpeace Malaysia, who will also share her views on the Global Plastics Treaty, and Malaysia's Plastics Sustainability Roadmap.



Image credit: Shutterstock / Maxim Blinkov

We've seen the reports and news headlines: "Our planet is choking on plastic" "Microplastics: Polluting our blood, foetuses - and now the dairy and meat we eat." Along with the climate and biodiversity loss crises, pollution - including air and plastic pollution -&nbsp; is the third part of the Triple Planetary Crisis. How can we be part of the solution to end plastic pollution? In conjunction with #PlasticFreeJuly, we discuss this and more on this month's episode of Plastic Soup - an ongoing series where we ask whether we are indeed living in a giant bowl of plastic soup, and explore ways we can get out of this goop. Helping us today is Hema Mahadevan, a Public Engagement Campaigner at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.greenpeace.org/malaysia/">Greenpeace Malaysia</a>, who will also share her views on the Global Plastics Treaty, and Malaysia's Plastics Sustainability Roadmap.Image credit: Shutterstock / Maxim Blinkov

Climate change, ferocious weather and ‘the haze’ are now part our everyday lives. How are our lifestyles connected to them, and what can we do about it? What does the economy have to do with it? Earth Matters engages with activists and experts to explore our changing relationship with the planet that we only borrow from our children.

Earth Matters

Plastic Soup: Purge the Plastic Scourge

Since the late 1980s, over a quarter of a billion tonnes of plastic waste have been globally traded, disproportionately burdening developing countries with insufficient waste management capacities, while enabling developed nations to sustain high plastic consumption. Referred to as "waste colonialism," this practice leads to irreparable harm to the environment and human health in importing countries like Malaysia, now a top destination for plastic waste following China's 2018 ban. A new report by the Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4 Center) exposes corruption and regulatory loopholes exacerbating the crisis, with Malaysia importing a substantial portion of plastic waste from Japan, raising doubts about Japan's support for waste management infrastructure in Southeast Asia. With limited recycling capacity, Malaysia struggles to manage both domestic and imported plastic waste. We find out more about the findings from this research, and how it sheds light on the need for transparency, traceability, and accountability, and advocates for a global agreement to combat plastic pollution, with two of the report's authors, Wong Pui Yi and Nabila Zulkeflee, who are both with the C4 Center.



Image Credit: Rich Carey, Shutterstock

Since the late 1980s, over a quarter of a billion tonnes of plastic waste have been globally traded, disproportionately burdening developing countries with insufficient waste management capacities, while enabling developed nations to sustain high plastic consumption. Referred to as "waste colonialism," this practice leads to irreparable harm to the environment and human health in importing countries like Malaysia, now a top destination for plastic waste following China's 2018 ban. A new report by the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://c4center.org/">Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism</a> (C4 Center) exposes <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://c4center.org/policy-brief-ending-waste-colonialism-governing-plastic-pollution/">corruption and regulatory loopholes</a> exacerbating the crisis, with Malaysia importing a substantial portion of plastic waste from Japan, raising doubts about Japan's support for waste management infrastructure in Southeast Asia. With limited recycling capacity, Malaysia struggles to manage both domestic and imported plastic waste. We find out more about the findings from this research, and how it sheds light on the need for transparency, traceability, and accountability, and advocates for a global agreement to combat plastic pollution, with two of the report's authors, Wong Pui Yi and Nabila Zulkeflee, who are both with the C4 Center.Image Credit: Rich Carey, Shutterstock

How Can We End Waste Colonialism? - Part 1

We speak to Harris Raj Kumar, an environmentalist and the founder of Local Nature Trips, about the nature based tourism activities he runs, to promote a love for our natural heritage.

We speak to Harris Raj Kumar, an environmentalist and the founder of Local Nature Trips, about the nature based tourism activities he runs, to promote a love for our natural heritage.

Into The Wild We Go!

The Fashion Revolution is a global movement that aims to transform the fashion industry into a more sustainable and ethical one. It was founded in the aftermath of the Rana Plaza building collapse in Bangladesh in 2013, which claimed the lives of over 1,100 garment workers. The tragedy shed light on the poor working conditions and lack of transparency within the fashion supply chain. The Fashion Revolution movement calls for greater transparency, sustainability, and ethics in the fashion industry. It encourages consumers to ask brands, "Who made my clothes?" as a way to raise awareness about the people behind the garments and to advocate for fair treatment and wages for workers throughout the supply chain. It's Fashion Revolution Week this week, held annually in April around the anniversary of the Rana Plaza collapse, and there are various events, campaigns, and initiatives being organised both here and globally to engage consumers, brands, and industry stakeholders in discussions about sustainability, ethical production, and the need for systemic change in the fashion industry. We speak to Melissa Tan, a climate action and sustainability advocate, and the Country Coordinator for Fashion Revolution Malaysia, to discuss how Fashion Revolution is raising awareness about the social and environmental impacts of the fashion industry.



Image Credit: Fashion Revolution Malaysia

The <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.fashionrevolution.org/">Fashion Revolution</a> is a global movement that aims to transform the fashion industry into a more sustainable and ethical one. It was founded in the aftermath of the Rana Plaza building collapse in Bangladesh in 2013, which claimed the lives of over 1,100 garment workers. The tragedy shed light on the poor working conditions and lack of transparency within the fashion supply chain. The Fashion Revolution movement calls for greater transparency, sustainability, and ethics in the fashion industry. It encourages consumers to ask brands, "Who made my clothes?" as a way to raise awareness about the people behind the garments and to advocate for fair treatment and wages for workers throughout the supply chain. It's Fashion Revolution Week this week, held annually in April around the anniversary of the Rana Plaza collapse, and there are various events, campaigns, and initiatives being organised both here and globally to engage consumers, brands, and industry stakeholders in discussions about sustainability, ethical production, and the need for systemic change in the fashion industry. We speak to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.heymelissatan.com/">Melissa Tan</a>, a climate action and sustainability advocate, and the Country Coordinator for <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/fashrevmalaysia/">Fashion Revolution Malaysia</a>, to discuss how Fashion Revolution is raising awareness about the social and environmental impacts of the fashion industry.Image Credit: Fashion Revolution Malaysia

Plastic Soup: Purge the Plastic Scourge

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