Plastic-free mermaids

Episode #3

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Oceanic wisdom from a woman who's lived without disposable plastic for 10+ years, w/ 'The Plastic Free Mermaid', aka Kate Nelson

Kate Nelson, a.k.a. the Plastic Free Mermaid, has been living without disposable plastics for over ten years. After an "aha" encounter with ocean plastics on a research vessel, Kate has explored just about every avenue of action to address our global plastic pollution crisis, from dressing up as mermaids for policy meetings to working with groups like San Diego Coast Keepers, Surfrider Foundation, and Jean Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society. She has become a bold and creative cultural influencer with a large social media following, a ‘Mercast’, blog and info-rich website www.iquitplastics.com.  She leads yoga and sailing retreats, writes books, creates online tools, and provides personal coaching to help others live a more plastic-free life.

In this episode we talk about her story and learning journey around how to have influence and impact on something you care about by radically changing your own life to align with your values. We talk about the ocean, traveling plastic-free, what mermaids and selkies have to do with social change, and how living plastic-free can enrich your life. 

If you’re inspired to learn more from Kate:

  • Check out iquitplastics.com for resources ranging from free tips and downloads to personal coaching and webinars.

  • Follow her on Instagram (plasticfreemermaid) for regular updates, tips, and inspiration.

Brooking Gatewood

Brooking hosts Upstream’s The Indisposable Podcast and guides our team on virtual collaboration and culture-building. She has worked with Break Free From Plastic US since 2016 as a facilitator and strategist, and has spent much of the last decade supporting collaborative leadership for many ambitious change efforts - from saving monarch butterflies to curbing diabetes. In her spare time, Brooking can be found writing and performing poetry, or hosting community-connection events in her local LA neighborhood.

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Culture-hacking the end of plastic

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Community first: environmental justice organizing