Special Collections:
Forests and Oceans
PLASTICIZED documents a pioneering scientific expedition focused on plastic waste. It recounts a first-hand journey aboard the Sea Dragon with the 5 Gyres Institute through the South Atlantic Ocean.
This eye-opening film highlights the institute's global mission to study the reality, effects, and scale of plastic pollution worldwide. It was published on December 24, 2012.
British ocean rower and environmental campaigner Roz Savage discusses plastic pollution, labeling it a "man-made global catastrophe." Her solo row from San Francisco to Hawaii provided first-hand experience with the problem's immense scale, including meeting scientists on a "Junk craft" hundreds of miles east of Hawaii to share research.
The core message is clear: we must reduce our plastic use. Each individual can significantly lessen their consumption, making a positive global difference.
This interview, conducted by Ruth Ann Barrett of EarthSayers.tv, was published on January 28, 2014. For more information about Roz Savage, visit www.rozsavage.com.
Howard Lack, CEO of the Plastic Oceans documentary project, discusses his fundraising efforts to raise awareness about plastic pollution in our oceans, particularly microplastics. He references UNESCO leaders and naturalist David Attenborough, who believe that public awareness drives problem-solving. The film's core focus is to increase this understanding.
Lack was interviewed in Fall 2013 in San Francisco by Ruth Ann Barrett of EarthSayers.tv, Voices of Sustainability.
In an interview, Howard Lack, CEO of Plastic Oceans, discusses their film project. This initiative aims to raise awareness about ocean plastic's detrimental effects on wildlife and human health, especially children, as it moves through the food chain.
Lack passionately addresses the impact of plastic toxins on developing nations, the importance of personal responsibility, and the development of solutions. He also highlights recycled plastic's potential as an energy source. Plastic Oceans provides a powerful platform, campaigning for, supporting, and funding targeted solutions to significantly reduce environmental plastic pollution.
Update
While the film was produced under the banner of Plastic Oceans UK, the charity officially rebranded to Ocean Generation in 2021. The documentary, A Plastic Ocean (2017) remains their most significant media contribution to global awareness regarding plastic waste.
You can currently find the documentary on various streaming platforms, including Netflix and Apple TV, or through educational screenings organized by the charity.
Wildlife cameraman Doug Allan, a passionate advocate for the environment and oceans, shares his insights on plastic pollution. In this clip, he discusses the evolving nature of the problem and his personal emotional response to plastic in our oceans.
This video was uploaded on December 29, 2011. Learn more about Doug Allan at dougallan.com.
World record-holding free diver Tanya Streeter discusses her experiences with plastic pollution in our oceans.
She offers a unique perspective on this critical environmental challenge.
Steve Russell, VP of the Plastics Department at ACC Plastics, emphasizes a shared commitment: plastics should be used wisely, reduced when possible, and recycled after use.
He expresses confidence in achieving these goals, attributing his optimism to the goodwill and collaborative spirit among all parties involved in addressing this critical issue.
This three-minute video examines the critical issue of plastic pollution in our oceans.
It also discusses potential solutions to this environmental challenge.
Dr. Sylvia Earle is a National Geographic Society Explorer-in-Residence, renowned oceanographer, explorer, author, and lecturer. She has been called a "Living Legend" by the Library of Congress and the first "Hero for the Planet" by *Time* magazine.
In this video, Dr. Earle addresses the devastating impact of our plastic addiction on the world's oceans.
Released March 22, 2010, "The Story of Bottled Water" is a five-minute film exposing the bottled water industry's deceptive practices. It reveals how the industry undermines tap water and uses environmental-themed advertising to mask the vast plastic waste it generates. The film strongly advises avoiding bottled water.
Production partners for the film include five leading sustainability organizations: Corporate Accountability International, Environmental Working Group, Food & Water Watch, Pacific Institute, and Polaris Institute.
For more information on Annie Leonard, visit storyofstuff.org/about/annie-leonard/.
Plastic pollution is an alarming global issue, with indigestible debris accumulating rapidly in communities, rivers, deserts, and oceans. Disposable plastics are the primary source. Start today by refusing them.
For more information, visit the [Plastic Pollution Coalition](http://plasticpollutioncoalition.org/). The film "Plastic Seduction," written, directed, and produced by Katrin Peters, further explores this topic. Learn more about her work [here](http://www.dailydifference.org/).
Hilario Saant, a community leader in Ecuador's Kapawi Achuar Territory, shares his firsthand account of oil extraction's devastating impact on his community and the forest.
This interview was conducted in February 2013 by Barry Heidt of Sustainability Action Media, with support from EarthSayers.tv and the Pachamama Alliance. An English translation is currently underway.
The World Resources Institute and partners recently previewed Global Forest Watch 2.0 at the UN Forum on Forests 10 (UNFF) in Istanbul. This powerful new initiative aims to improve forest monitoring and management globally.
Speakers at the event included Zulkifli Hasan (Minister of Forestry, Indonesia), Kerri-Ann Jones (Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of State), Wu Hongbo (Under-Secretary-General, United Nations), Naoko Ishii (CEO, Global Environment Facility), Tim Christophersen (Senior Program Officer, UNEP), and Nigel Sizer (Director, WRI).
Jeremy Irons and Sinead Cusack lent their voices to a cause against the sale of Irish public forests. This video captures Jeremy Irons reading at the Avondale Forest Walk on April 28, 2013.
Cathy Fitzgerald, Green Party Forest policy spokesperson, filmed this event. The Green Party's comprehensive 2012 Forest Policy advocates for continuous cover, permanent, non-clearfell forestry.
In Irish mythology, trees symbolize wealth. The Irish Government plans to sell over 1 million acres of public forests, managed by Coillte, to private investors. This vast area, equivalent to two counties, includes valuable native woodlands and vital refuges for Ireland's flora and fauna, which will be lost forever. Sign the petition here.
Swiss finance company Helvetia Wealth, owners of the International Forestry Fund (IFF) chaired by former Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, has expressed interest, as has The China Investment Corporation.
The Surui Cultural Map showcases the Amazonian Surui tribe's vision of their forest, territory, and traditional history. Surui youth documented ancestral sites, including their 1969 first contact and 1970s battles with colonists, along with places of interest like jaguar sightings. To preserve their forest and livelihood, the Surui utilize Open Data Kit software on Android smartphones to measure carbon and monitor illegal logging, engaging with the Carbon Credit marketplace.
Google Earth Outreach provides nonprofits and public benefit organizations with resources to visualize their causes and share their stories with a global audience through Google Earth & Maps.
Patricia Gualinga of Ecuador's Kichwa community criticizes the lack of economic analysis on the Amazon's true value, asserting that oil extraction is prioritized for "easy money" to repay China's debt, without considering "what is lost by destroying the Amazon." This concern arose as an oil round in southeastern Ecuador offered 3 million hectares of tropical forest, home to seven indigenous nationalities, to companies, with contracts anticipated by October 2013.
This report was published on March 9, 2013, and produced by Pacha Producciones in Quito, Ecuador.
WWF's Global Marine Programme works to increase international attention for ocean conservation and protect the high seas.
These international waters, comprising 64% of the oceans (half the planet), lie beyond national jurisdiction and are open-access common areas. For more information, visit panda.org/highseas.
From 60 feet beneath the sea, Dr. Sylvia Earle delivered a powerful wake-up call about the ocean's critical state and its necessity for human survival. This message originated from Aquarius' final mission as a research base, recorded during a live event on July 17, 2012.
The ocean is our lifeline, supplying over half our oxygen, 97% of Earth's water, and countless species. Our very existence depends on it. Watch this compelling clip featuring "Her Deepness" Sylvia Earle, a renowned ocean advocate, to understand why.
In Dana Point, California, Melissa McGinnis spoke with eco expert Anthony Zolezzi, fresh from the Fortune Green conference. Zolezzi shared a profound takeaway: 50% of our oxygen comes from the ocean. He noted that the ocean's vital importance is often overshadowed by concerns for rainforests or carbon emissions.
Consequently, Zolezzi emphasized the critical need for extreme sensitivity in how we view and manage water resources moving forward. He urged a shift in perspective to prioritize the ocean's role in global ecosystems.
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The Thinking Game | Full documentary | Tribeca Film Festival official selection
“The Thinking Game” is the inside story of DeepMind's groundbreaking AI research, culminating in the Nobel Prize-winning AlphaFold breakthrough. Filmed over five years by the award-winning team behind "AlphaGo," this documentary explores co-founder Demis Hassabis's lifelong pursuit of artificial general intelligence and the rigorous scientific journey from mastering strategy games to solving the 50-year-old protein folding problem.
Following its world premiere at the Tribeca Festival, "The Thinking Game" is now available to watch for free. For those interested in hosting a screening for a classroom, community, or workplace, visit: rocofilms.com/films/the-thinking-game/.






















