Filmmaker Jo Ruxton to discuss ‘A Plastic Ocean’ June 29
Jo Ruxton will speak at Western Washington University at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, June 29 at Western Libraries Special Collections (Wilson Library 6th Floor) about the human-caused environmental problem of plastic pollution, and the serious detrimental effects of plastics in the oceans.
This event is free and open to the public.
During this talk, Ruxton will provide an overview of the problem with plastics, show clips from the soon-to-be-released documentary, “A Plastic Ocean,” and tell behind-the-scenes stories about the making of this film. She will also offer information about positive actions people can take to address the daunting problem of plastic pollution.
Ruxton is both a film producer and a co-founder of the environmental organization based in the UK known as the Plastic Ocean Foundation. She joined the BBC Natural History Unit in 1997 after working for the World Wildlife Fund in Asia for seven years, and was part of the celebrated “The Blue Planet” team.
After leaving the BBC, Ruxton joined an expedition to the so-called Great Pacific Garbage Patch in the North Pacific Gyre 1,500 miles off the coast of San Francisco, which discovered free-floating microplastics instead of an anticipated solid mass that could be contained. She then began fundraising to film a documentary focused on the problem of plastic.
“A Plastic Ocean” is scheduled for international release in September 2016, and Ruxton hopes to take its message forward through education and conservation programs. She gives presentations around the world to students of all ages, and to businesses and corporations to raise awareness of this issue.
This special event is co-hosted by Western Libraries, the Office of Sustainability at Western Washington University, and WWU’s Huxley College of the Environment.
For more information please contact Western Libraries Communications Manager Clarissa Mansfield at (360) 650-3052 or via email at Clarissa.Mansfield@wwu.edu.