Plastics Unwrapped

Buckle up—because circularity for luxury automotive is shifting into high gear. Just like a finely tuned Jaguar or Land Rover hugs the curves of innovation, today’s luxury rides are being re-engineered with cutting-edge materials science and sustainability at the wheel. 

Host: Maithreyi Seetharaman

Show Producer: Lisa Desai  

Sound Production: Dow Creative Element

Artwork: Dow Creative Element

Can luxury go fully circular?  In this episode, we take the fast lane of luxury with Jaguar Land Rover JLR. JLR isn't just shifting gears—they’re redefining the entire ride. Circularity is no longer just a pit stop on the sustainability journey; it's the new engine driving innovation. 

Host: Maithreyi Seetharaman

Show Producer: Lisa Desai  

Sound Production: Dow Creative Element

Artwork: Dow Creative Element

With consumers and investors demanding more sustainable products, the world is paying closer attention to what biodiversity loss means for our planet. Companies around the world are embracing these challenges as protecting biodiversity is key in preserving business success. In this episode, we are joined by 3M to discuss how we can unlock the power of people, ideas and science to drive innovation and reimagine what is possible, all while protecting biodiversity. 

Host: Maithreyi Seetharaman

Show Producer: Lisa Desai  

Sound Production: Dow Creative Element; PhiLipp Schweidler, Department of Noise

Artwork: Dow Creative Element

With consumers and investors demanding more sustainable products, the world is paying closer attention to what biodiversity loss means for our planet. Companies around the world are embracing these challenges as protecting biodiversity is key in preserving business success. In this episode, we are joined by 3M to discuss how we can unlock the power of people, ideas and science to drive innovation and reimagine what is possible, all while protecting biodiversity. 

Host: Maithreyi Seetharaman

Show Producer: Lisa Desai  

Sound Production: Dow Creative Element; PhiLipp Schweidler, Department of Noise

Artwork: Dow Creative Element

Biodiversity is life on earth as we know it. From our genetics and bacteria to entire ecosystems of forests and coral reefs, biodiversity is critical to all aspects of life. From food and water, to medicine, to climate stability. In this episode, we discuss the work of Jane Goodall and the Jane Goodall Institute in preserving biodiversity to secure a prosperous and stable future for this planet. 

Host: Maithreyi Seetharaman

Show Producer: Lisa Desai  

Sound Production: PhiLipp Schweidler, Department of Noise

Artwork: Dow Creative Element

Is AI really the whole story of the future? In this episode, we're asking what else is on the horizon for the future of plastic waste. We are joined by the 311 Institute to hear about the game-changing trends that are reshaping industry. From AI to synthetic biology and nanotech, the 311 Institute is looking for new ways to provide all with access to the tools that shape the future. 

Host: Maithreyi Seetharaman 

Show Producer: Lisa Desai 

Sound Production: PhiLipp Schweidler, Department of Noise 

Artwork: Dow Creative Element

Data collection and analysis is a vital step in the fight to end plastic pollution. AI could hold the answers, however it also poses significant challenges. Here we discuss how AI technology is influencing research at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) and at Wageningen University to see how they are overcoming these new challenges. 

With 2.7 billion people lacking access to waste management, this essential step in advancing a circular economy poses a significant challenge. In this opening episode for season 4 of Plastics Unwrapped, we look back on the previous 5 meetings of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) and discuss how we can find middle ground between industry and policy to end plastic pollution for good.  

The Asia Pacific region tends to dominate the rankings and headlines in coverage surrounding global plastic waste. But the pace of innovation and change in plastics production, consumption and waste in the region has been faster than you think, led by China. In this episode Junice Yeo, Executive Director at Eco-Business, discusses the real challenges facing Asia’s disparate countries and investments in policies to address the region’s varying degrees of waste challenges. Thomas Luedi, Senior Partner at Bain & Company, and Kodak Xiao, Global Sustainability Director for the Packaging and Specialty Plastics business at Dow, add industry perspective on balancing the rising production of recycling capacities, increasing patent-filing rates in the region for innovations, and Asia-Pacific's new hyper-aware consumer. 

From compostable fashion developed in the Middle East to simplifying waste into feedstock in Switzerland to reduce fossil fuels in plastics, entrepreneurs David Roubach and Felix Bobbink share their journey of being disrupters in an industry grappling with waste management. But as Dow Global Business Director Christophe Marché explains, scaling disruptive solutions will require incumbent industry leaders to take risks, invest in disrupters and pivot their business models. University of California, Berkeley professor Dr. Ting Xu shares how it will also require the industry to look into the research and science behind scalable solutions.