Pollution in the Mississippi River, an argument to raise awareness

Over a three-month period, from June to August 2016, the Recycled Mississippi crew sailed down the Mississippi River on a catamaran made of plastic bottles and recycled wood. The group of young professionals from the environment and communication sectors took advantage of this trek down the United States’ second-longest river to reveal the extent of pollution in the Mississippi River.
 
Throughout the expedition, examples were filmed to show how local communities are affected by this pollution and their efforts to restore the environment to its natural state. The stopovers also served as opportunities to meet with school groups where students were made more aware of the devastating impact of plastic on the environment.
 
Videos that were shot and published online during the expedition created a real buzz, reaching over ten million views. Encouraged by such an audience, Recycled Mississippi has taken on a project to make a 40-minute film about plastic pollution in the Mississippi River. The aim of this documentary, receiving support from the Veolia Foundation and intended for exhibition at film festivals, is to raise public awareness of how habits can be changed to end the river’s pollution, and how it is possible to recycle waste in a smart way. The film will directly draw on the lessons learned from the expedition that sailed down the Mississippi. From experience to evidence…
 

“This is a great awareness-raising project in environmental protection, developed by an enthusiastic team of young professionals from the environment and communication sectors. The topic of plastic pollution is a major issue for every large city along the river or the coast. Recycled Mississippi has proven its value as some of its videos have been viewed on the Internet. By producing this movie, the Group will raise awareness among millions of people about the fight against plastic, the need for good waste management, recycling and reuse, and broadly speaking, the need for a circular economy.”
Thierry Vandevelde