Playtimes HK Magazine April 2018 Issue | Page 39

A Plastic Ocean
A Plastic Ocean
Craig Leeson is a filmmaker , journalist and long-term Hong Kong resident . His award-winning documentary , A Plastic Ocean , has made a major impact worldwide by revealing the extent and cost of the earth ’ s plastic rubbish problem . Hong Kong families might also recognise his film from its many school and community-group screenings across the territory .
Fresh off a Ted Talk in Mexico , Leeson took some time to answer questions for Playtimes .
Q : As a filmmaker and reporter , you ' ve been a witness to the environmental ups and downs in Hong Kong for many years . Can you highlight something that ’ s happened recently that feels like real progress to you ?
A : A couple months ago , a working group was launched to look at the issue of single-use drinks plastic packaging in Hong Kong , which involves the government , industry , manufacturing , retail and NGO leaders . It ’ s a real step forward in understanding the problem and brings all stakeholders to the table . An independent company will release a report on the group ’ s findings after six months of research . It hopes to come up with solutions that reduce consumption and cut waste .
Q : A Plastic Ocean shows that our environmental problems are serious and complicated , and people can often feel overwhelmed by the scope of the problems . In your opinion , what ’ s it going to take to see meaningful progress in terms of the plastic problem or climate change or deforestation ?
A : As I say in the film , “ With knowing comes caring , and with caring comes change .” We need awareness of the scope of the problem so people understand that change needs to start now . And then we must empower individuals with the knowledge of how to go about making change . Change starts at home , so we need to first of all look at our personal relationship with plastic . We can all simply stop buying single-use plastic products . We didn ’ t need it 50 years ago and we still don ’ t need it today . Now , the entire planet is suffering as a result of our plastic habit . It ’ s time to stop .
Q : Related to that , do you know if any of the green technologies you drew attention to in A Plastic Ocean are being used or even considered for use in Hong Kong ? What do you think would make the most economic sense for Hong Kong ( in dealing with plastic use ) and would help reduce our plastic packaging problem ?
A : Hong Kong has a golden opportunity to be at the forefront of dealing with this issue . Incineration is not an answer . We need to consider used plastic as a resource , not as waste . We need proper collection systems and infrastructure . Recycling companies need government subsidies to get them going and encourage them to create circular systems whereby they turn old plastic in to new plastic and make products accordingly . I ’ ve just filmed companies with these circular systems in Chile . One company takes 20 tonnes of old fishing nets every week , washes the nets , cuts them up and makes pre-production plastic pellets , which it then uses to make and then sell all sorts of longlife plastic products like soda bottle crates and fruit crates . Nothing is wasted .

Hong Kong needs to end legacy contracts , adopt new recycling infrastructure technology such as industrial composting , encourage companies to become part of the recycling , manufacturing , retailing chain , and legislate to force consumers to adopt recycling practices at home to cut government features

costs . Ultimately , we need to move to a zero-waste society , and I believe in eventually banning single-use plastic products outright . But we need to deal with the plastics we have created . Ideally , start with banning products made from virgin materials to encourage collection and use of used plastics .
Q : This last question relates to your own journey making A Plastic Ocean . It must have been such a gruelling production , both physically and emotionally . Could you talk a bit about your lowest point while making the movie and also your highest point – a moment that helped you to confront this awful , ecological disaster ?
A : The film took eight years to make and every step of the way I was told it was not a film people would want to see , it was not an issue people would engage in , that the footage I had shot wasn ’ t good enough , the cinematic cameras I was using were overkill , that our story wasn ’ t compelling . The negativity was relentless . But I ’ m stubborn , and I believed in the project and that we needed awareness about this critical issue . There were low points for sure where I felt like walking away from the film . But every roadblock I hit I found a way to go around it . We filmed in some amazing locations and I was always uplifted by the work being done by others to find solutions .
I think my pessimism for the future was turned around , though , when I started doing talks and screenings at schools . Kids are very aware of the problems and know they have been left with it to solve . They have no choice but to engage in finding solutions and they are hungry for knowledge on the subject . Kids keep me optimistic .
For more information about A Plastic Ocean and what you can do to help , please go to : www . plasticoceans . org
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