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The Plastic Peril: Two activists on the global ecological, health risks

Plastics and trash washed up onshore at Kanapou Beach on Kaho'olawe Island, Hawaii in October, 2018. Greenpeace USA partnered with the Protect Kaho'olawe 'Ohana (PKO) and Kaho'olawe Island Reserve Commission (KIRC) to do a beach cleanup. (photo (c) Tim Aubry/Greenpeace USA)
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Plastics and trash washed up onshore at Kanapou Beach on Kaho'olawe Island, Hawaii in October, 2018. Greenpeace USA partnered with the Protect Kaho'olawe 'Ohana (PKO) and Kaho'olawe Island Reserve Commission (KIRC) to do a beach cleanup. (photo (c) Tim Aubry/Greenpeace USA)

And now, the problem with plastics.

Most of the plastics we encounter in our consuming lives cannot be recycled, and the pollution from plastics is causing great environmental harm, from the petrochemicals it takes to make it, to toxic exposure while using it, and the waste it creates when it is dumped in underdeveloped countries.

We speak with two environmental activists closely involved in confronting the growing ecological and public health dangers posed by the worldwide proliferation of plastic.

Tom's first guest is Lisa Ramsden. She's a Senior Oceans and Plastics Campaigner at Greenpeace USA.

Lisa Ramsden joins us on Zoom from Durham, NC...

Then, Tom talks with Jennifer Congdon, the deputy director of an environmental justice organization called Beyond Plastics.

Jennifer Congdon joins us on Zoom from Bennington, VT.

(L-R) Jennifer Congdon is Deputy Director of Beyond Plastic; Lisa Ramsden is Senior Plastics Campaigner with Greenpeace USA. (courtesy photos)
(L-R) Jennifer Congdon is Deputy Director of "Beyond Plastics"; Lisa Ramsden is Senior Plastics Campaigner with Greenpeace USA. (courtesy photos)

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