This film presents the story of a ground breaking innovation to end plastic waste in the Ganges river in India, and the commitment of those behind it to drive change.

The Ganges is a lifeline for 400 million Indians who use it for religious rituals, for transportation, for domestic use and even as a source of water. However, this city known as the spiritual capital of India is facing a global crisis. The Ganga is one of 10 major rivers worldwide transporting plastic into oceans. It is estimated that the Ganges roughly carries 1.2 billion pounds of dumped plastic every year. The global impact of this is enormous.

Through a mix of verité scenes, interviews, and cinematic images in the city of Varanasi, India we will hear from students, professors, innovators and waste pickers about a much-awaited solution to the threat posed by plastic waste. On the campus of one of India’s premier technology institutions, our cameras will capture the team of Renew Oceans setting up their innovation – the plastic muncher and Renew One conversion unit. This has never before been accomplished in India, and the excitement all around is palpable.

Priyanka Bakaya, founder of the initiative explains her pathbreaking innovation to the students of IIT University, some of India’s brightest minds. We will see students depositing hard and soft plastic into the Muncher and the muncher generating a coupon for a campus shuttle for the student. Renew One will make this is a reality by producing high efficiency diesel from the plastic waste in the muncher. Beneficiaries are many and an integral part of this commitment is to create economic opportunities for the waste pickers, many of whom are women.

This film builds upon existing narratives on Priyanka’s work to show this revolutionary next step towards a hopeful future.

Alliance to End Plastic Waste - Renew Oceans

CREDITS

Sharmila Brunjes

Ryan Rumery

Vaishali Sinha

Cathleen Alexander

Senain Kheshgi

Gold partners