Instagram Facebook-f Linkedin

FOR MY LIFE, FOR MY PLANET

How much AM I willing to give up without feeling that I Am losing something?

Our Vision

OUR MISSION

We want to inspire that everyone can make a contribution through their own actions, no matter how small. Every contribution has an impact.

Our Vision

We believe that we cannot survive in a world polluted by plastic.

Our Goal

We build a network to support projects, cities, people and other local entities to become more and more a Circular Economy.

Our Values

Are based on these principles:
  • 1. Never stop learning from each other
  • 2. Never stop trying
  • 3. Unity of: Economy, Government and the Power of an Individual

Integrity

Transparency of global plastic waste cycles and what local waste management is actually about. #rethink design for a real #circulareconomy

Humbleness

Gratitude for what is really worse leaving for. The Environment does not depend on us. Humans depend on the environment. Raw material is the essence of our products. #lessismore

Accountability

Authenticity about our own contribution to plastic pollution. No pretending that everything is gonna be ok without changing anything. #bethechange

Project

Journey

  • It all started in April 2020 with a local clean up initiative in our local neighbourhood. The purpose of the initiative was to clean the surrounding green spaces and a little creek from the unusually high amount of trash left behind by individuals or due to construction work.
  • During our actions we networked with the environmental office of our hometown Düsseldorf and received support in the form of grabbers, trash bags and a weekly pick-up round for trash collection near this site. To us, it felt like meaningful work which we are going to continue during our free time.
  • But as we looked at our small creek, flowing into a bigger creek, then passing over to the huge river Rhine and finally into our oceans, it was clear to us once again, that everything on this earth is connected.
  • Every small act we do, including waste creation or incorrect disposal in our individual homes, has an impact much beyond our local environment.
  • In the following months, we thoughtfully developed our ideas and shaped our initiative into something much bigger, and finally, Project Plastic Extinction was born.
  • Our stage is social media as well as the public media. But behind these curtains, we create real life projects in different industries to reduce, replace, recycle and reuse plastic to make the world a little less polluted.
  • We are taking on the challenge of attempting to de-plastic our own lives. We will actively look for and try to integrate ecologically friendlier products and solutions and share our thoughts and reviews with you. 
  • With local experts, scientists and political figures on our travels around the globe, we discuss the role and power of plastic as a resource and how we can keep it circulating in a closed loop for as long as possible. We also report current challenges and possible alternatives and solutions from different countries.

milestones

We started a journey to look for sustainable solutions on a local and global scale.
We did clean-ups on the ground as well as underwater. We perceived a deep insight of what we are actually dealing with. High rising pollution levels in Europe, Africa and Asia.
We looked for recycled products in different industries.

#makeanimpact

NOT ONE DAY. DAY ONE.
We believe, that the change in this world is based on the change we make in ourselves. By the daily decisions of what we eat, drink, buy and how we behave.
What are the things, that you really need and how much of it? What is it, that you desire, but has no purpose, only the validation of the ego?

The tragedy of the commons refers to a situation in which individuals with access to a public resource—also called a common—act in their own interest and, in doing so, ultimately deplete the resource. 1833 by British writer William Forster Lloyd.

EGO desires for more which is based on validation and recognition, based on a deficiency. We need to give up our desire for more if we recognise that we already have everything we need.

Your everything is clean water, clean air, nutritious food, security, health and a place to live - most likely, your basic needs are covered!

Ask yourself: Where did our desires on Maslow‘s Pyramid has led us: Self-fulfilment needs. Into a world where a picture means more than being aware in a moment.

Ricarda Redeker, Founder

Plastic

1. The Material

A plastic material is a synthetic polymer made from petrochemical or biological raw materials. Plastics can be divided into three main categories:
  • 1. Thermoplastics: These plastics can be repeatedly shaped and deformed when heated. Examples include Polyethylene (PE), Polypropylene (PP), and Polyvinylchloride (PVC).
  • 2. Thermosets: These plastics do not deform when heated again because they have a tightly networked molecular structure. Examples include epoxy resins, phenolic resins and melamine resins.
  • 3. Elastomers are a subgroup of polymers that are characterized by their elastic properties. They can stretch under tension and return to their original shape after relief.
POLYMER: Plastic is primarily made up of polymers composed of long chains of molecules, monomers. These polymers are made from various chemical compounds that are obtained either from fossil raw materials (such as petroleum, natural gas or coal) or from renewable raw materials (such as plants).

2. The Recycling Process

Various recycling methods help to reduce the environmental impact of plastic waste and use resources more efficiently. Each method has its specific advantages and disadvantages, and the choice of the appropriate process depends on the type of plastic and the technologies available.
  • 1. Mechanical recycling: Plastic waste is collected, sorted, cleaned, shredded and processed into new plastic products.
  • 2. Chemical recycling: With this method, plastics (polymers) are broken down into their chemical components (monomers), which can then be synthesized again into new polymers.
  • 3. Energetic recycling: Plastic waste is burned to generate energy in the form of electricity or heat.
  • 4. Material recycling: Plastic waste is processed directly into new products without chemically changing the polymer structure.
  • 5. Biological recycling (biodegradation): Use of microorganisms or enzymes to decompose biodegradable plastics.
  • 6.Circular economy approaches Integration of various recycling methods into a closed cycle in which plastic products are reused, recycled and reused.

3. The Problem

Plastic materials are used in a variety of applications including packaging, construction, automotive, electronics , healthcare, aviation and more due to their versatility, durability and cost-effective manufacturing. However, they have also caused environmental problems, particularly through the accumulation of plastic waste in the oceans and in landfills. There are therefore increasing efforts to develop bio-based and biodegradable plastics and to improve recycling processes.
Polymeres offer properties such as heat resistance, mechanical strength and chemical resistance that make them indispensable for specialized and demanding applications.
The global plastic waste situation: Plastic pollution is a global environmental problem caused by the massive accumulation of plastic waste and furthermore microplastics in nature, especially in the oceans. Plastic pollution threatens ecosystems, wildlife and ultimately human health.
Microplastics can enter the human body through food, water and air. The long-term health effects are not yet fully understood, but there is evidence of potential risks from chemical pollutants that adhere to microplastics.

Future

Acknowledgement : Luxury is not the more, it is the priviledge of choice.
How do we want to shape our future, the future of humanity and Life itself on this planet?
If Human is the next big thing, we need to ask ourselves in which world do we want to live in? Where do we find purpose?
A world of equality or division? Of destruction or balance? Of illusion on social media or reality?

Our Network Partners

Contact Us

  • You want to become an ambassador?
  • Do you have ideas for a plastic challenge?
  • Are you interested in a collaboration?
  • Or do you have a completely different question?

Then write to us or fill the contact form.

Instagram Facebook-f Linkedin
Copyright © 2025 | Project Plastic Extinction | All Rights Reserved.