PLASTICS: RETELLING THE STORY OF WASTE
Plastic is now everywhere! It is one of the biggest, most urgent threats faced by humanity, alongside climate change. Invented in 1907, it can take up to 500 years to decompose. In other words, almost every bit of plastic ever created is still in existence. Focusing on this urgent global challenge, the Global Columbia Collaboratory, founded by Columbia University’s Office of Undergraduate Global Programs, is partnering with Columbia Global Centers | Mumbai, to provide undergraduate students with a platform to engage with plastic pollution on a global scale. Recognizing students as agents of change, the aim of the Spring 2023 Collaboratory is to give students an opportunity to understand the impact of plastics on environment, health, social well-being, and find ways to mitigate the pollution as part of a global initiative. Read more
Collaboratory Program Staff:
- Gale Lynch, Program Director – [email protected]
- Linh Nguyen, Program Assistant - [email protected]
- Columbia University Center for Undergraduate Global Engagement (UGE)
Co-Organizer:
- Columbia Global Centers | Mumbai
Project Activities:
1. Global Seminars
Our Center organized two Interactive seminars within the Global Collaboratory, bringing in eminent scientists, policymakers, and innovators to provide a holistic view of plastic pollution.
Tracing the Impact of Plastic Pollution
Our first global seminar as part of the Columbia Global Collaboratory on February 14, 2023 provided a holistic view of the current plastic crisis. The seminar featured presentations by Dr. Beizhan Yan, Lamont Associate Research Professor, Columbia Climate School, Dr. Alexandra Harrington, Chair, IUCN WCEL Task Force on Plastic Pollution, and Ms. Shalini Goyal Bhalla, MD, International Council for Circular Economy and Member–Dry Waste and C&D Waste at NITI Aayog, Govt. of India.
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Plastic Warriors
Focusing on the burden that plastics create on the waste management system, we organized the second global seminar on February 28, 2023 in partnership with Columbia University's Office of Undergraduate Global Programs. As part of the Global Columbia Collaboratory, the seminar focused on the solutions to plastic pollution by featuring changemakers who have been working on innovative solutions for packaging, delivery, new ways of recycling, with a strong ecosystem approach that integrates social and economic dimensions of waste management.
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2. Outreach and Engagement
The project engaged students from multiple countries including India, China, Ireland, Israel, Tunisia, and the US, providing them an in-depth understanding of the plastic crisis, international treaty and laws, circular economic models, and new ways of recycling. The virtual global seminars witnessed an audience from 13 countries and helped participants understand the need for a multipronged approach to deal with the monumental challenge that plastics present.