Film and Media Projects to Drive Awareness of Plastic Pollution
November 4, 2021 – Malibu, California – Today, Plastic Oceans International officially announces Los Angeles as their sixth branch location, joining other satellite operations in Canada, Chile, Europe, Mexico and the Great Lakes region of the United States.
Plastic Oceans LA will help extend the global reach of the organization’s mission by collaborating with filmmakers in all genres to develop the stories that expand minds in parallel with programs that foster sustainable communities. Since its founding in 2016, Plastic Oceans International has grown from their strategic distribution and education program for the award-winning film, A Plastic Ocean. Since then, they have continued to develop a unique production and distribution model that maximizes social impact by developing films simultaneously with community activism and advocacy programs.
“I’m thrilled to see Plastic Oceans LA actively incite change by engaging the local entertainment and social activism communities,” said Julie Andersen, CEO of Plastic Oceans International. “This is an excellent addition to our media-driven strategic approach that aims to reach new demographics by melding entertainment with the messages of conservation and sustainability.”
The Plastic Oceans LA team at a cleanup in Venice Beach, California.
Although Andersen will play a key role with the new branch, it will be led by Executive Director, Christy Mama, who has spent the past ten years working in video production, marketing and community building.
“Given Plastic Oceans’ long track record in media production, establishing a branch here in the heart of the media industry is a natural progression of the organization’s growth,” said Mama. “We want to empower creatives to develop stories with social impact to normalize sustainability with a little humor, a bit of drama, and even some thrills. There is no more important storyline than that of saving the oceans, the environment and our existence.”
Together, Andersen and Mama are forging strategic partnerships throughout the region, including with such unique startups as Conservation Comedy, a content provider using satire to deliver messages about sustainability, plastic pollution and other environmental issues.
Comedian Sheng Wang at a recent Conservation Comedy and POLA show at The Warehouse in Marina del Rey.
“Conservation Comedy is super stoked to see a local chapter of Plastic Oceans in LA,” said Sara Newton, founder of Conservation Comedy. “We welcome their efforts here and look forward to supporting them, just as they have supported our work to address environmental issues through sketch comedy. Together, we are reaching new demographics by incorporating our non-traditional way of approaching awareness of the issues.”
Plastic Oceans Los Angeles has a variety of projects, events and actions coming up in the near future. To learn more and to volunteer, visit PlasticOceans.org and Facebook.com/PlasticOceansLA.
About Plastic Oceans International
A US-based non-profit organization working to end plastic pollution and to foster sustainable communities worldwide. We operate with the belief that we can and must act locally in order to create change globally, and we do so through the power of film to empower and globalize community actions. In addition to their global entity, Plastic Oceans has branches in Canada, Chile, Mexico, Europe, Los Angeles, California and the Great Lakes region.
###
