The global plastic education initiative, Plastic Changemakers, launches worldwide in primary schools today, spearheaded by Zag’s hit show Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir.
Today, a pioneering new global initiative has launched within schools aimed at fostering awareness of plastic pollution amongst primary-aged children in an effort to tackle one of the most urgent environmental challenges facing the planet.
The Plastic Changemakers initiative, developed by educational non-profit organisation The Breteau Foundation, provides teachers with much-needed resources with which to educate their pupils on how to become advocates for responsible plastic use in their homes and communities. The launch comes as The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) releases the first draft of its legally binding Global Plastics Treaty, which aims to eliminate plastic pollution worldwide by 2040.
The Breteau Foundation has collaborated with Zag and Mediawan, makers of global hit TV show Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir, on the initiative to leverage the popularity of the Miraculous phenomenon to raise awareness among young audiences about plastic pollution.
The comprehensive Plastic Changemakers Education Pack, comprising five modules supported by the heroes from the Miraculous series, is now available for teachers to download for free. Over 4,500 teachers have already pre-registered to receive the resources. The resources seek to equip children aged 7-11 with the skills needed to tackle plastic waste by providing essential education on the subject.
Supporting the Education Pack, a new and unprecedented special episode of Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir called “Action” has premiered where the characters of the show seek to demonstrate how small efforts can make a big impact in the fight against plastic.
Sebastian Breteau, founder of The Breteau Foundation comments: “Plastic pollution is one of the most urgent global environmental problems we face today. According to Defra, we can expect an alarming threefold increase in the amount of plastic flowing into the ocean between 2016 and 2040 unless action is taken now.”
“Our international experience in education has shown that children want to see more responsible plastic use in their homes and communities. We want to inspire over one million primary school children to become plastic changemakers, and by equipping them with the right knowledge, we believe we can kick start a global movement on responsible plastic use. It is so important to address the topic of plastic pollution with the children of today, as they are the leaders of tomorrow.”
Julien Borde, president of Mediawan Kids & Family, added: “We are thrilled to partner with the Breteau Foundation and our long-standing partner Zag on a unique and impactful project, Plastic Changemakers. Raising awareness among the younger generation about environmental issues is an absolute necessity. The Miraculous universe provides an ideal platform to raise awareness among young audiences and their families about environmental themes.”
Jeremy Zag, founder and CEO of Zag commented: “We are sensitive to ecology and environmental protection thanks to the actions we plan to launch shortly within our future foundation, Zag Forest. In this context, it seemed obvious to us to participate in the initiative of the Breteau Foundation and to put our heroes in the service of this cause. Ladybug and Cat Noir are the best ambassadors of tomorrow’s issues and will be able to accompany children in their ability to create a better world. As the old saying goes, we do not inherit the earth from our ancestors – we borrow it from our children.”
The Plastic Changemakers Education Pack and Miraculous ‘Action’ episode are now available to access on The Breteau Foundation website, where educators can download the pack for free and stream the episode. A trailer can be seen below.
