The future of plastics: exploring new solutions with students at the BiotechPop Festival

Paola Catapano talks about Polarquest2018, sustainability and microplastics for environmental protection at the Festival BiotechPop in Apricena, Italy.

A Pioneering Scientific Outreach Event on the Future of Plastics.

Paola Catapano was invited to the BiotechPop festival in Apricena, in Apulia (her birth region in the South of Italy), by the IIS Federico II institute. The Festival is a forward-thinking event focused on replacing plastics with bioplastics, in collaboration with the Univeristy of Foggia and the ITS Institute in Lecce.
She presented several Polarquest expeditions and the results of microplastic sampling in the Arctic, highlighting the impact of human activity on the fragile Arctic ecosystem.

Environmental conservation is a central focus for the students of IIS Federico II, who propose innovative solutions for plastic use: “Discussing bioplastics and biotechnologies while the treaty against plastics is still being drafted means staying ahead of the curve and being ready for the ongoing change,” says Paola.
During the same tour, she also talked to the junior and high school students of Il Sottosopra, the newspaper of ITET Blaise Pascal in Foggia, who asked her about her future projects:

“I always have a project up my sleeve.” Paola said. “I have purchased a sailboat and plan to embark on a research and citizen science expedition with a clear focus: educating about environmental respect and contributing to environmental sciences to address the climate crisis we face today.”