California Plastic Crisis: Impacts and Solutions at Home and Beyond – Kick-Off

Event Details

Join Coastal Quest for this four-part conference series, hosted by the Newkirk Center for Science and Society and the University of California, Irvine (UCI) that will engage the community in a discussion about the scope and impact of plastic pollution, as well as plastic alternatives and policy solutions in California and beyond.

We will kick off the series with a special viewing of the film, The Story of Plastic, and a Q&A with the producers on April 29^th at 7pm PST.

Every Thursday in May at 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm PST we will host a virtual panel presentation and discussion on a topic related to plastic pollution:

• May 6th: Plastic Impacts and Solutions 
• May 13th: Plastic Health Impacts
• May 20th: Community Impacts, at Home and Abroad 
• May 27th: Debunking Common Myths and Best Solutions 

On Thursday, May 27th there will be a 30 minute “mingle” session after the conference that is open to all speakers and attendees to have an informal discussion on topics covered throughout the conference series.  

To register for this free conference series, and for a full agenda, please visit the conference landing webpage HERE.                                                                                                  

Participants will learn about: 

• Plastic Impacts and Solutions: An overview of the plastic pollution problem and impact on coastal ocean ecosystems, waterways, and public health.
• Plastic Health and Community Impacts, at Home and Abroad: Impacts of plastics on front-line communities in California and how California’s actions affect the global community. 
• California Plastic Legislation: The landscape of current and newly introduced California legislation on plastic pollution, specifically plastic waste, recycling and reuse, and reducing plastic. 
• Debunking Common Myths and Best Solutions: Debunk common myths and present environmental justice, community-based and regional solutions, best practices, plastic alternatives, and case studies. 

Conference Speakers Include:

• Dianna Cohen, Co-Founder & CEO, Plastic Pollution Coalition
• Tom Dempsey, Oceans Program Director, The Nature Conservancy
• Von Hernandez, Global Coordinator, Break Free From Plastics
• Angela Howe, Legal Director, Surfrider
• Jenna Jambeck, Distinguished Professor in Environmental Engineering, University of Georgia
• Joleah Lamb, Assistant Professor, University of California, Irvine
• Pete Myers, Founder and Chief Scientist, Environmental Health Sciences
• Diana Russo, Founder and CEO, Think Beyond Plastic
• Jacqueline Savitz, Chief Policy Officer in North America, Oceana