THERE IS NO 'AWAY' FOR A MATERIAL THAT NEVER DIES

Every piece of plastic ever created still exists in some form. At present, between 15 and 51 trillion tiny pieces of plastic pollute the blue heart and lungs of this planet. That’s 500 times more pieces of plastic in the oceans than stars in the Milky Way. That's also just an estimate. No one knows the full extent. What we do know: plastic is everywhere — in the deepest ocean trenches, along the most remote stretches of shorelines, in every lake, river and stream. It's in the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink.

Around 75% of the 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic manufactured since the 1950s has been thrown away. Most of this plastic is still out there in the environment. The problem grows by the minute with plastic entering the oceans from the coasts as a result of faulty design, misguided choices, insufficient waste management systems — and gravity (wherever you live, the oceans are always downhill). It’s best to avoid useless plastic wherever possible, but how do we solve for what’s already out there?

The second pillar of Parley AIR is about recovering existing threats, stopping potential pollution in its tracks, and bringing what we can back into the supply chain as a replacement for virgin plastic and catalyst for change. Recycling plastic waste isn’t a solution. It’s damage control. And it doesn’t happen on its own.

Image credit: NOAA

NOAA team collect marine debris

Together with a network of partners comprised of NGOs, schools, governments, and major brands, we are working to intercept, divert, and upcycle plastic waste from high seas, shorelines, and coastal communities. By upcycling this waste, we create Parley Ocean Plastic™, a range of high-end materials that can replace virgin plastic while raising awareness and funding for initiatives focused on Communication & Education, Direct Impact, R&D, and Eco Innovation — the ingredients of our strategy for long-term change.

In the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing stories from our network and operations around the globe, and introduce you to the people who understand the concept of 'away' best.

Here’s how you can participate:

SEND #GREETINGSFROMAWAY

If you haven’t already, take the pledge, create your badge, then share your badge. (p.s. more social graphics here).

Choose a photo from “away” — borrow ours, make a drawing, snap your local beach, park, point break, the overflowing trash can down the block, neglected recycling bin in the kitchen…