BUNDjugend Nordrhein-Westfalen  
Projekt

Werde Plastik Aktivist*in

Information (EN)

What does plastic activist mean and how can I get involved?

What does „plastic activist“ mean?

We are people who want to work together against the ever-growing flood of plastic. As plastic activists, we learn together how we can reduce plastic use in everyday life.

How can I participate?

You can participate in our events, workshops and seminars. If you like, you can train pupils and interested people with the help of our educational material. You are welcome to join our regular exchange meetings to stay active.

You want to know more about the topic?

Plastic-free hour – a regular online talk

What exactly is plastic?

Mi., 30.09.2020, 18.30 Uhr: What exactly is plastic? with Philip Heldt, Consumer advice centre NRW

Plastic surrounds us every day and is an integral part of our environment. But what exactly is plastic? We want to give an overview of the topic and better understand what plastic is made of, how it is produced and what challenges it brings with it.

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Various plastics

Mi., 28.10.2020, 18.30 Uhr: Various plastics with Kerstin Effers, Consumer advice centre NRW

Not all plastics are the same. There are many different types of plastics, with different compositions and properties. Would you like to better understand what qualities different plastics have? Which plastics last longer and which break down sooner? We take the time to get to know and characterise individual plastics.

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Bioplastics – and what’s the point?

Mi., 25.11.2020, 18.30 Uhr: Bioplastics – and what’s the point? with Philip Heldt, Consumer advice centre NRW

Is corn instead of oil the solution? Bio-plastics are made from renewable raw materials and initially seem to be more environmentally friendly than conventional plastics. You will learn how bio-plastics are produced, what their advantages and disadvantages are and how they differ from conventional plastics.

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Plastic & Health

Mi., 24.02.2021, 18:30 Uhr: Plastic & Health with Manuel Fernandez, BUND Substance Policy Officer

Can the consumption of plastic have consequences for our health? Which ingredients used in plastic production have an impact on us? These and other questions will be addressed in the lecture on the topic of plastic & health.

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Plastic in the water

Mi., 31.03.2021, 18:30 Uhr: Plastic in the waterasser with Carolin Völker, Institute for Social-Ecological Research

The intensive use of plastic also leaves its mark in the water. What concrete effects can be seen? And what are the consequences? These and other questions will be explored in the lecture on the topic of plastic in water.

Plastics recycling – a business with illusions?

Mi, 28.04.2021, 18:30 Uhr: Plastics recycling – a business with illusions with Heribert Wefers, Formerly Head of Technical Environmental Protection at BUND e.V.

Recycling works for glass, paper and some metals. It is a valuable instrument for resource protection. With plastics, recycling as users imagine it is rather the exception. The collection and processing of packaging plastics is a business for the operators, who are paid via the licences, i.e. ultimately by consumers. In this respect, this is a rather questionable system, as it gives consumers a good conscience, but often makes serious approaches to packaging reduction and avoidance more difficult. The lecture by Dr. Heribert Wefers, former consultant for technical environmental protection at BUND e.V., will provide information on plastics in general, on packaging plastics and on the possibilities and limits of recycling.

Plastic in soils

Mi, 26.05.2021, 18:30 Uhr: Plastic in soils with Dr. Andrea Beste, Office for Soil Protection and Ecological Agriculture

The pathways of microplastics into the environment are manifold. Every plastic in or from a product or waste with direct or indirect contact with the environment contributes to the input of microplastics into the environment. In this respect, inputs from almost all anthropogenic sectors into almost all ecosystems are to be expected. Even in our soils, which serve our food production, more and more plastic ends up. Where this primarily comes from and what can be done about it is what we talk about with Dr Andrea Beste from the Office for Soil Protection and Ecological Agriculture.

Life cycle assessments and a ban on single-use plastic products

Mi, 30.06.2021, 18:30 Uhr: Life cycle assessments and a ban on single-use plastic products with Philip Heldt, Consumer advice centre NRW

On 3 July, the „Single-Use Plastic Ban Ordinance“ comes into force across Europe – an unwieldy title, but an ordinance with far-reaching consequences. Disposable products for which there are already more environmentally friendly alternatives and which are made entirely or partly of plastic may no longer be manufactured. For example, drinking straws, cotton buds or balloons. Philip Heldt, an environmental expert from the Consumer Advice Centre NRW, will discuss this regulation with you and show you where the strengths and weaknesses lie and what further developments are planned. The lecture and the subsequent discussion will also deal with the life cycle assessment of disposable and reusable products. This is very important when comparing products, but often difficult to find. Philip will show us how to do it and find the best alternative.

Plastic recycling

Mi, 25.08.2021, 18:30 Uhr: Plastic recyclingtik with Axel Subklew, Initiative Waste separation works („Mülltrennung wirkt“)

We produce too much waste! Packaging waste, with a particularly short useful life, is the main category of plastic waste. But what happens to the waste when it ends up in the bin? This plastic-free lesson is about information and important facts on the topics of waste separation and recycling. After a short lecture, you will again have the opportunity to discuss your questions with experts. This time Axel Subklew will be there. Axel Subklew represents the initiative „Mülltrennung wirkt“ (Waste separation works) of the dual systems in Germany and is looking forward to your questions at this plastic-free hour!

Sufficiency – towards a response

Mittwoch, 29.09.2021, 17:00 Uhr: Sufficiency – towards a response

With this plastic-free lesson, we are making an exception and looking at a topic that is out of the ordinary. So far, we have looked at the challenges of the plastic crisis and looked at specific solution strategies. This time we are looking at a sustainability strategy that we believe can pave the way out of the plastic crisis: sufficiency. Deceleration, unbundling, de-commercialisation and de-cluttering – sufficiency living sounds pretty exhausting and challenging. It can be, if the framework conditions for this collective task are not right. But what can contribute to making our society sufficiency-oriented? How can patterns of consumption and production be changed in a resource-conserving and social way?

In this plastic-free hour, we will go into an exchange about sufficiency with you. After a short introduction to the basics, we will look for places and good examples of sufficiency that will inspire you.

Zero Waste – A life without waste

Mittwoch, 27.10.2021, 17:00 Uhr: Zero Waste – A life without waste, with Olga Witt

To start with, Olga Witt takes the participants on a tour of our waste economy, the various problems that arise from the unreflective handling of waste and exposes widespread recycling myths. To escape the precarious situation, the ZeroWaste lifestyle is the obvious conclusion. How to do this and how anyone can easily and effectively get started is the main part of the lecture. Why this lifestyle is anything but a renunciation, but can be a clear gain in quality of life, becomes clear at the end, when Olga Witt once again clearly lays out the advantages.

The path to a zero waste city

Mittwoch, 24.11.2021 17:00 Uhr: The path to a zero waste city, with Marc Delaperrière, Zero Waste Kiel e.V.

A zero waste city – is that even possible? The concept of Zero Waste with the direct translation „zero waste“ sounds like a lot of abandonment and prohibitions. With input from Marc from Zero Waste Kiel, we will take a look at what really lies behind the concept in this plastic-free hour. Zero Waste aims to conserve all resources and to reuse and recycle products, packaging and materials. Responsible production and conscious consumption play an important role in this. Together we want to look at how the process of a zero waste city can look and what advantages can be gained from a zero waste city.

A tip: tap – Leitungswasser

Mittwoch, 26.01.2022 17:00 Uhr: A tip:tap – Leitungswasser, mit Svenja Weichhold, Wasser-Quartier Gelsenkirchen und a tip: tap e. V.

By switching from bottled water to our best-controlled drinking water from the tap, we save money, CO² emissions and waste. The non-profit association a tip: tap e.V. (German: Ein Tipp: Leitungswasser) stands up for tap water and against unnecessary packaging waste: it campaigns for a water turnaround that wants to make tap water the main drink in society. At 177 litres per person, bottled water consumption in Germany today is 15 times higher than in the 1970s. Atip:tap e.V. wants to reverse this trend with the water turnaround. According to the motto: „Imagine you could save the world by being cheap and lazy“. Svenja Weichhold will give a lecture on this topic. After the lecture, there will be an opportunity for discussion and exchange.

Waste separation