S2 E10: Trash Talk: Inside The Marine Debris Crisis On The Great Barrier Reef – And What You Can Do Word On The Reef podcast

S2 E10: Trash Talk: Inside the Marine Debris Crisis on the Great Barrier Reef – and What You Can Do

2M ago 41:39

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This week we head to the remote beaches of the Great Barrier Reef—where plastic pollution is piling up faster than we can clean it. But is picking up rubbish really the solution? Or just the beginning?

Join us as we play trash detective with marine debris expert Heidi Tait, founder of Tangaroa Blue and the Australian Marine Debris Initiative. From her early days as a dive instructor to shaping global plastic policies, Heidi shares her extraordinary story—and the innovative ways she’s turning data into action.

Discover where this plastic really comes from, why even the most isolated coastlines aren’t safe, and how you can be part of the movement to stop pollution before it hits the beach.

Plus, hosts Tanya Murphy and Brett Goodban break down what the latest Federal Election means for the future of the Great Barrier Reef.

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Got questions? Text us on 0437 835 937 or email [email protected]
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Chapters

1. S2 E10: Trash Talk: Inside the Marine Debris Crisis on the Great Barrier Reef – and What You Can Do (00:00:00)

2. How Australia's Federal Election Result will impact the Reef (00:01:48)

3. A journey to remote Cape York (00:04:34)

4. Introducing our guest Heidi Tait (00:05:28)

5. Why are remote beaches covered in trash? (00:07:11)

6. Snowboarding, diving, world travel, and making a differnece (00:10:07)

7. The beach cleanup that changed everything (00:13:02)

8. Story of the name "Tangaroa Blue" (00:17:54)

9. Plastic is poisoning not only animals but also humans (00:18:51)

10. Reef Clean: How to Get involved in a Remote Beach Cleanup expedition (00:21:06)

11. Truly Scary: Tackling Ghost Nets (00:22:48)

12. Rig Recycle: Tackling Recreational Fishing Tackle waste (00:28:43)

13. Ditch the Flick: Tackling Cigarette Butt pollution (00:31:30)

14. No Cause to Celebrate: The Fight to Stop Balloon Releases (00:34:42)

15. What is a Nerdle? Stopping Waste from Plastic Product Manufacturing (00:36:59)

16. How can people help? (00:39:15)

33 episodes