The Plastic Country: Film Screening & Panel Discussion @University of Newcastle - Citizen COP 2026

The Plastic Country: Film Screening & Panel Discussion Australia has a plastic problem, and The Plastic Country explores what it will take to fix it. Join us on campus for a free screening of Kal Glanznig's 70-minute feature documentary, which examines Australia's heavy reliance on plastic and the impacts of our plastic use. Australians are among the highest per-capita users of plastic in the world. So what do we do about it, here at home? The film will be followed by a 20-minute panel discussion with local voices working across plastics, health and waste, exploring what can be done here in Newcastle: Prof Thava Palanisami, who has led plastics research at the University of Newcastle for over a decade, with more than 100 papers and 15 PhD theses on plastics since 2016; Bianca Bartlett, Co-Founder, Director and Sustainability Officer of The Full Circle Collective, currently working on The Unwearables Project, which collects old or damaged synthetic textiles for local reuse and recycling; Matteo Balatti, Senior Project Officer in the Litter Prevention Unit at the NSW EPA; Moderated by Dr Brodie Beales, Director of CIFAL Newcastle. Free and open to everyone: students, staff and the wider Newcastle community. Registration is essential.

Presented with the support of CIFAL Newcastle and The Full Circle Collective. Held as part of Citizen COP alongside COP31. For any questions or support, please contact: Masha Kondrasheva | masha.kondrasheva@newcastle.edu.au | 0411682792 About Citizen COP AustraliaCitizen COP Australia is a decentralised, people-powered movement running alongside the global COPs in 2026. Enabled by People For Nature, but intentionally independent and distributed, Citizen COP invites communities, organisations, schools, businesses, artists, and local groups across Australia to host their own events during the COP period. Rather than a single central event, Citizen COP is a nationwide network of conversations, workshops, and actions that bring global climate and nature discussions into local communities. It connects people to science, solutions, and each other, strengthening civic engagement and ensuring citizen voices contribute to Australia’s climate and nature conversations. https://www.peoplefornature.org.au/citizen-cop About People For NaturePeople For Nature is a volunteer-powered environmental charity empowering communities through climate and biodiversity education, citizen conservation, and science. We believe that when Australians understand and connect with nature, they’re more likely to protect it — safeguarding our climate, ecosystems, and well-being. Your tax-deductible donation helps us bring initiatives like Citizen COP Australia to life and inspire real change for the planet. https://www.peoplefornature.org.au/donate