Planet or Plastic? Exhibition Guide

Most of us interact with hundreds of pieces of plastic everyday – at work, in restaurants and in our own homes. Plastic is so commonplace that we don’t realise how much we rely on it. Plastic has largely changed human life for the better.

Is there a way for us to keep using this miracle material and enjoy a pollution-free environment too? Experts say yes. Through a combination of citizen engagement, corporate diligence, scientific innovation and policy change, we can solve our plastic problem. All it will take is a change of perspective.

So which will you choose: planet or plastic?

In just 150 years, plastic went from scientific discovery to ubiquitous product – a meteoric rise fueled by the material’s unique combination of characteristics. Plastics are polymers, long-chain molecules made from repeating links called monomers. Polymers are strong, lightweight and durable, which makes them incredibly useful for a number of applications ranging from sports equipment to air travel.

In this section of the exhibition, we see how plastic was created 150 years ago and rapidly transformed into a widely manufactured synthetic material.

Roughly 40 percent of plastic manufactured today is disposable, likely to be discarded within minutes of purchase. Most plastic never reaches a recycling bin. When plastic reaches the sea, its benefits to humans – its light weight and durability – become harmful to animals. Animals of all sizes from zooplankton to whales, ingest microplastics with untold effects.

In this section, the vast amounts and different types of plastic waste generated by all countries across the world is explored in photographs. Examples of community-led recycling efforts are also surveyed.

Photographers, artists and activists help us to see the problem of ocean plastics in new ways. Their images can be both alluring and repulsive, opening our eyes to the extent of the problem and inspiring us to take action.

This section of the exhibition features the work of photographers, National Geographic explorers and researchers. One of the photographers featured in this section, Mandy Barker, has produced a series of images constructed from collected and crowd-sourced plastic remnants. The images, she said, ‘give science a visual voice’ in a way that scientific research papers can’t.

Take the Marine Debris Quiz made by Taiwan RE-THINK Environmental Education Association founded in 2013. RE-THINK worked together with Yi Chen Hong, a designer of Polluted Water Popsicles to create Taiwan’s first illustrated encyclopedia of marine debris, drawing attention to this crisis in our region. Start the quiz here.

The educational Interactive Space in the exhibition focuses on how COVID-19 has increased our usage of single-use plastic, especially through the usage of disposable face masks. It asks the question, "Have you ever wondered what happens to your disposable mask when you’re done with it?"  Masks help us stay safe and protect our community but that doesn’t mean we should let them harm the environment.

Find your own path on a trail in the Interactive Space that includes interactive challenges which reveal the damaging consequences of our increased use of disposable plastic. The path winds toward a powerful reflective conclusion, a mirror in which you are faced with yourself and your choices. What happens to your single use plastic after you’ve used it? What choices can you make to be a better friend of the environment?

The Interactive Space uses ArtScience Museum's 'feet-first' approach to tactile interaction within the gallery, inviting visitors to activate interaction stations with their feet, instead of their hands.

The most successful efforts to combat the looming catastrophe created by ocean plastics have been made by multiple parties, including local governments, the plastics industry and public groups. These campaigns aim to achieve a simple goal: to stop more plastic from flowing into the seas. Scientists and researchers are helping the cause, working to define the scope of the problem, its effects on both people and wildlife, and what can be done to mitigate the effects of ocean plastics.

In this section of the exhibition are photographs that show how this type of co-operative work – between scientists and the efforts of individuals, governments and corporations – can make a lasting impact.

LISTEN to an interview with Kathryn Kellogg on the Zero Waste podcast @Zero_Waste_Countdown

ArtScience Museum presents a collection of specially curated programmes in conjunction with Planet or Plastic? to ignite discussion and inspire action. From thought-provoking films about the state and future of the Earth to hands-on workshops where you create your very own sea turtle using recycled materials and simple tools, discover the events we have on offer from this downloadable guide. You can also visit these pages for more information:

Films on ArtScience on Screen
Workshops at ArtScience Museum
Tours at ArtScience Museum
Talks at ArtScience Museum
Online programmes at ArtScience at Home

This section profiles some of the National Geographic explorers, fellows and grantees who address the problem of plastic waste in their work. They are engineering new materials that break down faster after being discarded, finding new uses for the plastic we already have, and developing more effective strategies for capturing waste that escapes the disposal stream.

In this section of the exhibition are profiles of scientists and researchers accompanied by photographs that tell the stories of their ongoing work all around the world.

Our everyday choices affect the planet. So, what will you choose? We are faced with dozens of decisions each day that make an impact on the Earth, our shared home. While actions such as using a plastic straw or saying ‘yes’ to that disposable plastic bag may seem insignificant, they add up. Importantly, marine animals don’t have a choice, they are forced to live in an environment that is filling up with our plastic waste.

In this section, commit to doing your part in the fight against plastic pollution by taking the National Geographic Plastic Pledge.

Take the pledge to do your part.