A drop in a plastic ocean: how one person can make a difference. | Emily De Sousa | TEDxKanata

Every single year 8 million tons of plastic enters our oceans. Change starts with one person. It starts with one straw. It starts with one drop. “You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop.” Emily is the founder and owner of the sustainable travel blog “Airplanes and Avocados” which discusses sustainable travel options and marine conservation issues. Her academic focus is within environmental policy and governance, working towards better regulation of our oceans - specifically the high seas - to combat pollution, overfishing, and other illegal practices putting our oceans at risk.
When Emily is not studying, she spends her time traveling around the globe, especially ecotourism destinations, and capturing plastic pollution in coastal communities. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@tonyy7851]

"We’ve taken from the ocean all that we’ve want And feed it back, all that we don’t And now its literally feeding it back to us" Beautifully written line

[@Calli.ramira_13]

Exactlyyy

[@sashapillai7430]

Thank you for bringing this home truth to this arena. Each one of us has to do the right thing. Reduce plastic things and if we do use DISPOSE them appropriately. 👌

[@pietfunsail]

I fully agree, sustainability starts with a person, you (and I). So does refusing and reducing plastic use.

[@Smithpolly]

People didn't stop smoking in restaurants until laws were passed that made it illegal . If we waited for smoking on public transport to stop based on the it "starts with a person, you (and I)" model, we'd still be waiting .

[@petrmrazek7911]

It's nice to see someone who still cares about this planet. Thank you for that !!!

[@gabrielagrumazescu1437]

Thank you for this fantastic presentation, education is key so more people understand the consequences of plastic items we use all the time. Plastic never actually degrades or goes away.

[@alvarojaeramillo2612]

Thanks Emily for bring this huge problem in a simple way. . Beautifull presentation.

[@sandychaves5871]

An amazing presentation for a great cause!

[@tobias-hastings]

Interesting to hear about so much of the world's oxygen being produced by the oceans. Thank you for the talk.

[@KarinVorster]

Great presentation. Thank you.

[@bennystuart6118]

Fantastic video! So inspiring, unreal Emily! :)

[@Nastya304]

This is so important!

[@olenakozachenko3342]

So inspiring!!!

[@Calli.ramira_13]

Thank you so much for this video, this helps me with a speech contest and a speech assignment. Tysm!! ❤

[@shelleyli850]

people need to take action in order to protect these marine animals or they will not have a happy life

[@jopendo7834]

To be honest We all know the truth but none takes action. That sucks However thank you for clarifying the point

[@spiral-m]

Go vegan - more and more are doing it.

[@svetlanikolova7673]

@@spiral-m Going vegan is not the solution alone. I can be zero waste even if i eat my chickens

[@TropicalOceanCleanup]

Not really true, there are a few of us out there doing something and not just talking about it,,but yes we need a whole lot more.

[@user-bb6dk5iv3b]

Good idea! I think it could help the environment

[@mariafernandavalenciaaguil4879]

you go girl!!

[@algerianmarketer]

Very good speech

[@tahliadalle9795]

Thank you so much for this video so inspiring I even rote a speech and read it out to my school!

[@pumoba9567]

Thats wonderful!!

[@seasidewithemily]

Wow, this is amazing Tahlia! I’m sure your speech was wonderful. I’d love to read it sometime! :)

[@siam154s]

i like her...awesome teachings

[@mohitsperspective9748]

amazing talk

[@pragatitomar4313]

I am not giving up on it because I've tried making groups involving my classmates and friends and much more but till now only face I've seen is of failure. But still I AM NOT GIVING UP ON IT BECAUSE ITS WORTH FIGHTING FOR!!!!! Well, we can try making ECO-bricks Or saving almost 25 litres of water everyday that is wasted by that candle water filter Or by not using the dryers of our machine which almost use 5 times more energy than washer part of the machine (this is the fact I got to know by seeing Ted-Ed video only) and a lot more........ I Repeat again...... Because IT'S WORTH TRYING AND FIGHTING FOR😊

[@Calli.ramira_13]

You're so cool, please keep up the spirit!! 🎉🎉

[@pragatitomar4313]

@@Calli.ramira_13 thank you so much for your appreciative encouragement. I suggest you too to undertake the following measures I've mentioned because change starts from a very single person. If only everyone would do it, definately there will be a better change.

[@monicavaleria42]

It's become such an essential component of our material existence that it's hard to imagine life without it. But is it really that hard?

[@svetlanikolova7673]

Plastic water bottles can be refilled and kept in the basements for emergencies You can reuse those bottles for life for 5 generations without sending it to recycling . I got plastic bottles tjat are 2 years old. There is notjing wrong with them. People also have to find use for the straws, bags, and bottles that will be transformed for long term use like prosthetic limbs, ears noses etc. I saw one guy make the plastic in to beads and asphalt it in the roads.

[@Anita-md9ze]

Svetla Nikolova you can use glass to store water. Problem is plastic releases toxins.

[@svetlanikolova7673]

@@Anita-md9ze GLASS CAN HOLD MORE THAN WATER. USE YOUR BRAIN!!!

[@svetlanikolova7673]

@@Anita-md9ze And is water for home usage not drinking

[@Cingearth]

Must do more and ban all oil products !

[@duggydugg3937]

what do we do about micro Plastics ???

[@k.ganesanganesan6825]

Link Town planning with plastic issues.

[@Israa_ali95]

❤

[@spiral-m]

plastic can be turned back into oil. Why isn't this happening on a grand scale? Oil companies?

[@captaindavejseddon8788]

80% of the ocean plastic dumped actually sinks and the ocean floor is in a right state.. I am building plan to help fix that.. Thank you for your presentation, great work.. :) x

[@kamrankhalid4975]

BravO' 👍👍🥇

[@bigbreadeaterellis]

If neglecting the home of fishes cost each inconsiderate human a huge fine they would stop but because it doesn't they continue polluting the oceans. However, I have faith that one day the part of the bible that says God will bring to ruin those who are ruining the earth will finally come true. Then and only then will the home of the lovely fish species be as it was intended to be. In the meantime, let's hope that more people will become like Emily and care for the inhabitants of the oceans which serves as their home.

[@flippygee6498]

what will the last whale be listening for in response to its mating calls?

[@Kristy_cat]

Very informative!! Thanks so much!! 😊

[@1703lovelove]

That can't be said enough. Stop mindlessly buying and throwing away things

[@SamsonFernendez]

Isn't fishing gear the largest contributor to ocean microplastics?

[@angelaymlau]

Can plastic be burnt?

[@susanfoley8360]

It can. It's made of petrochemicals. It's a good source of energy.

[@cornlilyzi]

It can be burned, but the problem is that plastic chemicals could come right up into the air that we breathe in. can be very toxic overtime.

[@manikantanaveenkottamasu941]

@@susanfoley8360 Also a good source for toxins if we don't burn without proper measures.

[@vijayafernando1]

There are much more significant steps that can be taken than reducing air travel. Most countries need not use fossil fuels in the way they do now. Countries are being encouraged to use fossil fuel to aid international status quo

[@AirElegant]

Such a pretty presenter 💖

[@corriedury]

That's what you got out of her presentation? Wow.

[@Voxterx]

@@corriedury she is hot asf stay jealous lol

[@sebastianwrites]

Good video, but she "shouldn't" have 'copped-out' by not showing the difficult video where the straw is removed from the turtles nostril... people "need" to see the reality!

[@mawmawharper]

Jaycee

[@shivarakesh5541]

be a pro planet people

[@dougwhiting7631]

Its funny my comment was removed as all I did was ref an art. in the Economist that stated that the vast majority of the plastic in the Oceans and Seas comes from the 2nd and 3rd world. 90 % come from 10 rivers, 2 Africa and 8 Asia. So sure reduce your plastic use but until the 2nd and 3rd world do something to reduce their garage getting into the ocean it won't achieve anything.

[@emmad5224]

How do you suppose those poor countries pay for the infrastructure to dispose of it? Blaming the poor is an all too easy solution when you fail to consider the many other factors that play into the issue.

[@shwetav8996]

Have you heard about the act of 'exporting waste'?

[@rheagupta1361]

Agreed, but I'm afraid to tell you the ocean doesn't segregate waste on the basis of its origin. So instead of blaming another sect of the planet, if we just turn inward and be mindful of our acts, we can instigate reform one way or another. And if this argument still doesn't hold valid, I would like for you and anyone reading this to look up Global Waste Trade, which inherently talks about how developed countries are exporting their waste to undeveloped, or developing countries. Shrugging the problem of one's shoulder to another is definitely not the solution to this.

[@manikantanaveenkottamasu941]

Actually, So called 2nd and 3rd world countries consume very less amount of plastic. But, those countries who are saying that they recycle mostly don't actually recycle, they will pack them in containers and send them to developing countries for recycling even though they know that there isn't such capacity is available. So, it's hard to blame no one It's the business of human. In future, the next generations have to live with masks and spacesuits on earth because of the sick things we make. At least try to correct ourselves, each and every one.

[@ThePaladino]

ONLY 9% GETS RECYCLED, NOT 25%

[@jakubsebik865]

plastic pyrolysis rulez

[@preppysoph7088]

bruh she's holding plastic

[@imjayms8177]

I love how she is wearing plastic.

[@imjayms8177]

do make a change tho I don't want to see any plastic on you billy, yes I'm looking at you.

[@tanmayajena7507]

Toogoodpolutiondonotdothatpeopletoo

[@user-iz3hg3rr9q]

The vivacious throne ethnically tap because dirt inexplicably confuse sans a symptomatic texture. panicky, productive snake

[@ericsaur9791]

The plastic in the ocean comes from a few rivers where the people dont speak english. I'm afraid your words are being wasted. Go to where the pollution comes from and preach there.

[@rajeshsahani6851]

Throw plastic in space

[@joshuapantel5504]

Too bad her stats on straw usage are 100% inaccurate and are based on a survey conducted by a 9 year old over the phone. Look it up. 57,000,000 straws a day in Canada? Psh.