14 Feb 2018 Story Oceans & seas

#CleanSeas Break-Up PSA: "It's not me, it's you."

United Nations Environment Programme has produced a public service announcement (PSA) that we think could shift people’s engagement (and non-engagement) with plastics. The PSA was released Feb. 12 in time for Valentine’s Day. A brief synopsis of the video is given below. 

Synopsis: Sandra realizes she has been in a toxic relationship for too long and decides it's time for a break-up (with plastics). What's more, she has found a new love (her new water bottle).This short #CleanSeas PSA takes a lighter look at the issue of plastic pollution and asks everyone around the world to break-up with single-use plastics and make their pledge at cleanseas.org.

We would greatly appreciate your help in promoting this PSA on your social media platforms, website or wherever you see possibilities. 

The link below has 45 sec versions with subtitles in Russian, Chinese, Japanese and Korean languages:  https://wetransfer.com/…/b89ea2d74ec8df93d1797c27e5d…/ca4995

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: ‘The Break-up’ is part of the Clean Seas campaign to address the global challenge of plastic pollution, which is choking our oceans and marine life. 

The Clean Seas is one of UN Environment’s most ambitious campaigns that aims to build a global movement, working with governments, industry and consumers, to urgently reduce the production and excessive use of plastic that is polluting the earth’s oceans, damaging marine life and threatening human health.

‘The Break-up’ film is a public engagement tool that aims to inspire behaviour change towards single-use plastics and potentially shift people’s engagement with the issue. In the film, Sandra realizes she has been in a toxic relationship for too long and decides it’s time for a break-up. What’s more, she’s found a new love.  Worldwide reliance on disposable plastic packaging is overwhelming our planet. By 2050, the oceans will contain more plastic than fish. Plastic is a material made to last forever, yet 33 percent of all plastic – water bottles, bags and straws – is used just once, often for a few minutes, and then thrown away.

‘The Break-up’ film aims to encourage greater awareness and understanding of the critical point which unsustainable plastic consumption rate has reached. It also seeks to mobilize action to reduce single-use plastic consumption in support of a world free of plastic pollution.

Some of these actions include: saying no to straws, carrying reusable bags, avoiding products with microbeads, using a refillable water bottle, choosing products with no or less plastic packaging, and bringing your own take-out containers.

So, this Valentine’s Day, let’s all break-up with single-use plastics and find a new love. For more, visit www.unenvironment.org. Learn more about UNEP’s clean seas campaign http://www.cleanseas.org