ASB MAGAZINE: Corona, in partnership with Parley for the Oceans, has today released a new documentary showing never-before-seen footage of Australia’s marine plastic pollution – where approximately one tonne of plastic debris can be found for every kilometre of coastline.
As part of their 100 Islands Protected initiative, Corona and Parley for the Oceans, have joined forces with National Geographic, to investigate how the global marine plastic pollution issue is impacting some of our most pristine and remote paradises. The documentary shows an in-depth view of the global plastic pollution epidemic hitting Australia’s Far North Queensland – one of the country’s most polluted stretches of coastlines and acts as a reminder for why Australians must urgently take action to reduce their single use consumption.
Together, Corona, Parley for the Oceans and National Geographic teamed up with a range of ocean conservationists and scientists, including marine biologist and science communicator, Laura Wells; well-renowned photographer, Michaela Skovranova; and Parley Director in Australia, Christian Miller, to conduct the first fact-finding mission in Far North Queensland to reveal the impact from the 1,580kg of plastic waste entering Australian oceans every hour.
“Corona is our ally in fighting plastic pollution on beaches and driving change in the beverage industry. Our mutual vision is to leave plastic behind us, to make it a relict of a toxic past. Working in remote areas of Australia shows that even in the most pristine places, even where you would only expect untouched wilderness, you will find dramatic signs of our poor choices. Plastic is a design failure, it’s not ready for a circular economy — and its replacement is overdue. We need to let this faulty material go as fast as we can to safeguard our future,” said Cyrill Gutsch, Founder of Parley for the Oceans.
“Each year, 9 million tonnes of plastic waste ends up in our ocean and as a global media brand with a rich history of scientific discovery and exploration, we are committed to raising awareness of the challenges and highlighting the solutions in reducing single use plastic. While this is a global problem, it’s equally important for us to educate Australians on the plastic waste issue in our own backyard. This documentary serves as the perfect awareness piece to Australian audiences in shining a light on both the plastic waste affecting Far North Queensland and the amazing work organisations such as Corona and Parley are doing to protect paradise.” said National Geographic spokesperson, Kael Hudson,
Corona and Parley partnered in 2017 with a commitment to protect 100 islands by 2020. To date, more than three million pounds of plastic waste has been collected through Corona and Parley’s partnership globally and has seen over three hundred clean-ups take place in over 15 countries, including the Maldives, Palau, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Chile, Indonesia, Italy, South Africa and Australia, with over seven thousand volunteers from more than two hundred locations participating in the project.
“For many Australians, marine plastic pollution can be out of sight, out of mind due to the pristine perception of our beaches. As a brand synonymous with the beach and oceans, we’re on a mission to protect these paradises and plastic pollution is the most visible issue affecting paradise today. We’re excited to be able to collaborate with like-minded organisations such as Parley for the Oceans and National Geographic to share this important story with Australians in order to inspire Aussies to become more plastic conscious in their daily lives, ” said Andy Vance, spokesperson for Corona Australia,
According to research commissioned by Corona, three quarters of Australians (74%) underestimate or have no idea about how much plastic is entering Australia’s ocean. However, findings show that when confronted with the amount of plastic entering our waterways, the majority of Australians (89%) said they will make an effort to reduce their usage of single use plastic.
Australians encouraged to put eco-footprint forward
To bring greater awareness to the issue and encourage to reduce single-use plastic consumption in their everyday lives, Corona and Parley – have announced a national beach clean-up and educational series, Volunteers for the Ocean.
Volunteers for the Ocean will cover 16 beaches across New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Victoria and Northern Territory, and is designed to encourage everyday Aussies to take action against plastic pollution on their local beaches and waterways.
“Our research shows that many Aussies feel helpless as individuals when it comes to making an impact on this incredibly large global plastic pollution issue. However, when given the opportunity to come together as a community, they feel a sense of power to take action and make a real difference. We’re hoping through our partnership with Parley andVolunteers for the Ocean, we can make Aussies aware of the very real threat that is risking the health of our own shorelines and marine life, and provide them with a platform to be a catalyst of change to Australia’s marine plastic pollution,” added Vance.
As part of the Corona x Parley 100 islands clean-up efforts, the scale of plastic bottle pollution has been evident. To reduce further impact, Corona is giving away 500,000 750mL reusable water bottles this summer so that Australians can give plastic bottles the flick and stop using them all together. The limited edition Corona x Parley stainless steel reusable water bottles are being distributed with any carton/ case purchase of Corona Extra and Corona Ligera from liquor stores all around Australia. Avoiding single use plastics is a key part of Parley’s AIR strategy of Avoid, Intercept and Redesign.
Innovating on a global level to create change
In 2018, Corona also became the first global beer brand to launch 100% plastic-free rings in its packaging with the introduction of paper rings in an attempt to lead the industry with eco-friendly packaging. The paper rings, which are currently being tested and are made from a plant-based biodegradable fiber and contain no plastic, break down in a matter of days at a compostable facility and a few weeks if left on land or in the sea.
To learn more about Corona and Parley for the Ocean’s 100 Island Protected initiative or to register to join your local beach clean-up as part of the Volunteer For The Oceansprogramme, visit 100islandsprotected.com.
National Geographic will be premiering the Corona x Parley ‘Protecting Paradise’ documentary on the National Geographic website HERE
