Plastisphere: A podcast on plastic pollution in the environment

Latest Episodes:

Confused about Bioplastics? Jul 16, 2019

Show notes

What happens if bioplastics end up in the environment? In this episode, Anja takes a closer look at synthetic polymers marketed as more environmentally friendly. Can they contribute to a healthier planet, and in what way? Anja talks to Frederik Wurm, a chemist developing biodegradable plastics, Constance Ißbrücker of the industry association European Bioplastics, Zero Waste expert Enzo Favoino, marine microbiologist Linda Amaral-Zettler and ecotoxicologist Lisa Zimmermann. Though biodegradable plastics might not fullfill our hopes, it turns out that they might make sense in some niche applications. The Plastisphere is a research and interview podcast by German freelance journalist Anja Krieger. Subscribe: www.plastisphere.earth Support the production: patreon.com/plastispherepodcast or riffreporter.de/plastisphere Transcript with links and images: http://anjakrieger.com/plastisphere/2019/07/14/ep7-transcript/ This episode was inspired and partly supported by Ensia, the solutions-focused nonprofit media outlet reporting on our changing planet. Learn more at www.ensia.com/ Read more about bioplastics on Ensia: https://ensia.com/features/bioplastics-bio-based-biodegradable-environment/ Music: Dorian Roy and Blue Dot Sessions www.sessions.blue/  Cover art: Maren von Stockhausen  Thanks to: Ines Blaesius, Stephanie Hood, Luisa Beck, Sirine Rached, MPIWG, University of Plymouth, Marcus Anhäuser German post on RiffReporter: riffreporter.de/plastisphere/bioplastik Updates on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram: PlastispherePod

Plastic Traces in the Soil Apr 19, 2019

Show notes

Plastic pollution also affects the soil, the thin layer of ground that feeds all of us. For a long time, this terrestrial plastic has been overlooked. Now scientists are starting to investigate the extent and impacts of plastic pollution in the soil and in the ground. What do we know about them? In this episode, Anja talks to artist Saša Spačal from Slovenia, soil biologist Matthias Rillig from Germany, Brazilian environmental scientist Abel Machado and geologist Reinhold Leinfelder. She learns more about the potential impacts and traces plastic leaves behind in the ground. The Plastisphere is a research and interview podcast by German freelance journalist Anja Krieger. Subscribe: http://plastisphere.earth Support the production: http://patreon.com/plastispherepodcast or http://riffreporter.de/plastisphere Transcript with links and images: http://anjakrieger.com/plastisphere/2019/04/19/ep-6-transcript/ Music: Dorian Roy and Blue Dot Sessions www.sessions.blue/  Cover art: Maren von Stockhausen  Thanks to: Julie Comfort, Brooke Watkins, Sedat Gündoğdu, Sam Athey, and Joachim Budde for editing the German post on RiffReporter Updates on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram: PlastispherePod

Visiting the Albatross Dec 30, 2018

Show notes

Chris Jordan has taken some of the most iconic pictures to shape our image of plastic pollution. He traveled to Midway Island on his quest to photograph the evasive "Great Pacific Garbage Patch", which is really a soup of microplastics. There, he documented albatross chicks who had died with their guts full of plastic. His images went viral, but they also haunted him so much that he decided to return to the island. In this episode of the podcast, Chris tells Anja how working on his film "Albatross" transformed him and his view on tackling plastic pollution. The Plastisphere is a research and interview podcast by German freelance journalist Anja Krieger. Transcript with links, images and tweets: http://anjakrieger.com/plastisphere/2018/12/30/ep-5-transcript/ Twitter, Facebook, Instagram: @PlastispherePod Subscribe: anjakrieger.com/plastisphere/ Support: www.patreon.com/plastispherepodcast  Support (German): www.riffreporter.de/plastisphere/?accounting=open Music: Dorian Roy and Blue Dot Sessions www.sessions.blue/  Cover art: Maren von Stockhausen  Thanks to: Markus Knigge, Kim Gruetzmacher of the Berlin Ocean Dinner and Ines, Susie, Volkart, Sara, Craig, Wicki and James at the Sonic Soirée Berlin German post on RiffReporter: https://www.riffreporter.de/plastisphere/albatross/

Plastic vs. the Climate? Dec 06, 2018

Show notes

Plastic pollution might be the most visible environmental issue we face today. But there are other kinds of pollution, and they are far harder to see. One of the most dangerous is the huge amount of greenhouse gases that we emit into the atmosphere. In this episode, Anja explores the connections between plastic pollution and climate change. She talks to ocean expert and publisher Nikolaus Gelpke, youth activist Lilly Platt, oceanographer Sarah-Jeanne Royer and climate expert Gunnar Luderer to understand whether plastic and climate are buddies or enemies. As with many relationships: It’s complicated. The Plastisphere is a research and interview podcast by German freelance journalist Anja Krieger. Transcript with links, images and tweets: http://anjakrieger.com/plastisphere/2018/12/07/ep-4-transcript/ Twitter, Facebook, Instagram: @PlastispherePod Subscribe: anjakrieger.com/plastisphere/ Support: www.patreon.com/plastispherepodcast Support (German): www.riffreporter.de/plastisphere/?accounting=open Music: Dorian Roy and Blue Dot Sessions www.sessions.blue/ Cover art: Maren von Stockhausen Thanks to: Eleanor Platt, Ines Blaesius, Kathleen Mar, Sasha Chapman and Christian Schwägerl, Marcy Trent Long and Sustainable Asia, Melanie Bergmann, Laura Markley, Simon Hirsbrunner, Martin Wagner, Kennedy Bucci, and Alicia Matteos. German post on RiffReporter: https://www.riffreporter.de/plastisphere/plastik-klima/

Waste Picker Economies Oct 05, 2018

Show notes

In this episode, Anja calls up Dr. Jenna Jambeck and Amy Brooks from the University of Georgia on a research trip in Vietnam to learn about their research on waste management and plastic pollution. In many Asian countries, a booming economy is coupled with more and more people using throw-away items. Informal recyclers and waste pickers who have traditionally sorted the waste cannot keep up. But, like millions of people around the world, they depend on waste as a resource for their livelihoods. How can the systems be reformed without leaving the people behind? To find out more, Anja calls Dr. Sonia Maria Dias, a garbologist from Brazil, who tells her about how waste management should include the working poor. The Plastisphere is a research and interview podcast by German freelance journalist Anja Krieger. Transcript with links and pictures http://anjakrieger.com/plastisphere/2018/10/06/ep-3-millions-of-waste-pickers/ Twitter, Facebook, Instagram: @PlastispherePod Subscribe: anjakrieger.com/plastisphere/ Support: www.patreon.com/plastispherepodcast Support (German): www.riffreporter.de/plastisphere/?accounting=open Music: Dorian Roy and Blue Dot Sessions https://sessions.blue/ Cover art: Maren von Stockhausen Thanks to: Ines Blaesius, Luisa Beck, Daniella Cheslow, the Wiego staff, and Karl Urban for editing the German version for RiffReporter https://www.riffreporter.de/plastisphere/muell-asien/

Plastic, the Size of a Virus Sep 14, 2018

Show notes

Anja goes on a lab tour with Alexandra ter Halle from Paul Sabatier University in Toulouse. The chemist and her team were the first to detect nanoplastic in the open ocean - plastic so small that it is comparable in size to a virus. What do we know about these very tiny pieces, and how do researchers try to detect and understand them? The Plastisphere is a research and interview podcast by German freelance journalist Anja Krieger. Transcript with links and pictures: http://anjakrieger.com/plastisphere/2018/09/14/ep-2-transcript/ Twitter, Facebook, Instagram: @PlastispherePod Subscribe: anjakrieger.com/plastisphere/ Support: www.patreon.com/plastispherepodcast Support (German): www.riffreporter.de/plastisphere/?accounting=open Music: Dorian Roy and Blue Dot Sessions https://sessions.blue/ Cover art: Maren von Stockhausen Thanks to: Ines Blaesius, Luisa Beck, Tim Howard, Melanie Bergmann, Deborah Blum and the Knight Science Journalism Program at MIT, and Joachim Budde for editing the German version for RiffReporter: https://www.riffreporter.de/plastisphere/makro-mikro-nanoplastik/

Welcome to the Plastisphere Sep 02, 2018

Show notes

In this introduction to the Plastisphere podcast, Anja takes the listener on a journey back in time, from a remote plastic beach on the Big Island of Hawaii to the factory of a big chemical producer making bioplastics. She shares what she has learned about the issue of plastic pollution in the past years. The Plastisphere is an interview and research podcast by German freelance journalist Anja Krieger. Transcript with pictures: http://anjakrieger.com/plastisphere/2018/09/02/ep1-transcript/ Twitter, Facebook, Instagram: @PlastispherePod Subscribe: http://anjakrieger.com/plastisphere/ Support: https://www.patreon.com/plastispherepodcast Support (German): https://www.riffreporter.de/plastisphere/?accounting=open Music: Dorian Roy and Blue Dot Sessions https://sessions.blue Cover art: Maren von Stockhausen Thanks to: Ines Blaesius and Susie Kahlich of http://www.artipoeus.com

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