Project

Unplastify

To unplastify the world, we need to change our relationship with plastic. To take us one step closer and reduce single-use plastic, Agustina Besada and Rocío González set up Unplastify, an Argentinian social enterprise focusing on local action and systemic change.
Picture of Agustina Besada on a boat taking microplastic samples from the ocean

The problem of plastic pollution is alarming. Plastic production is growing exponentially and, if we continue at the same level, by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean (The New Plastics Economy, 2016). 

This is why, in 2018, Agustina Besada decided to cross the Atlantic (twice) aboard a sailing boat, collecting samples of plastic waste and interviewing experts along the way about the problem and possible solutions. On her return and with the help of Rocío González, she turned exploration into action and created Unplastify. Based in Buenos Aires, this social enterprise is committed to accelerating solutions to reduce plastic pollution and change our relationship with plastic. 

To drive local action and systemic change, the duo set up “Unplastify Challenges” for schools, companies and institutions. The Educational Challenges for schools aims to inspire, empower and guide young change makers to unplastify their local communities. The Company Challenges help enterprises redesign their relationship with plastic internally (offices and internal processes) and externally (products and services) through a collaborative approach involving employees. The Government Challenges support regulatory processes and public policies at a national and local level to build bridges between different stakeholders. 

Challenge accepted 

In 2019-2020, Unplastify guided more than 3,300 students in 20 schools to develop their own unplastifying strategies in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Colombia, Mexico and the Dominican Republic. 10 companies in Argentina and Chile also took up the challenge, avoiding 60,521 kg of plastic. At an institutional level, one of the key achievements was contributing to legislation progressively banning single-use plastic in Argentina. 

The company is growing and now has 12 team members. Their ambition? To unplastify 1 million people in 5 years to avoid 10 million tons of plastic. 

Would you like to help them achieve this? 

 

Picture of Agustina Besada and Rocío Gonzales
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Picture of the unplastify team taking samples from the ocean.
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Group picture of eight women from the unplastify team.
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Picture of a group of girls writing down solutions to reduce plastic in their school.
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Picture of a group of children listening to speakers
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Project began: 05/03/2018 

Leading organisation: Unplastify 

The country where the team is based: Argentina 

Covered Countries: Latin America and the Caribbean 

Theme: Education for Sustainable Development, Ocean 

Sub-themes: Environment, Ocean education, Participatory/citizen science, Sustainable lifestyles 

Tag: #Youth 

Project needs

  • Financial management 
  • In search of financial partners 
  • Legal 
  • Partnerships development 
  • Press relations 
  • Sponsorship/ Philanthropy

 

So, want to help this project? 

Are you excited to participate?