Planet Hope: Revolutionising the world's plastic waste problem with Miranda Wang

Planet Hope: Revolutionising the world's plastic waste problem with Miranda Wang

Author: The Times May 20, 2023 Duration: 40:36

This is Planet Hope, a new podcast from The Times in partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative, hosted by Stories of Our Times as a bonus weekly series each Saturday.


With estimates suggesting that there are more than 5 trillion pieces of micro and macro plastics in our seas and continued reports stating that a truckload of plastic enters our oceans every minute, we can no longer turn a blind eye to the life cycle of plastic products once they are thrown in the bin. Environmental Editor for The Times, Adam Vaughan is joined by scientist, tech entrepreneur and Rolex Awards for Enterprise Laureate Miranda Wang to learn how her innovative upcycling technology is paving the way for plastic to have a second, third… maybe even evergreen life.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Each morning, The Story arrives with a clear purpose: to move beyond the headlines and explore the forces and people shaping our world. Guided by the experienced reporting of Manveen Rana and Luke Jones, this daily podcast from The Times delves into the most significant political developments and news events with a level of depth and context that only their global network of journalists can provide. You’ll hear more than just summaries; you’ll get a nuanced understanding of why a story matters, who it impacts, and what might happen next. The analysis is sharp and the storytelling is compelling, designed to fit into your morning routine seven days a week. It’s a direct line to the frontline reporting and editorial expertise of one of the world’s most respected news organizations. This consistent, in-depth approach makes the podcast a reliable resource for anyone looking to truly comprehend the day’s events. Supported by readers of The Times and The Sunday Times, the production maintains a commitment to journalistic integrity and thorough exploration, ensuring every episode provides substance and clarity.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 108

The Story
Podcast Episodes
Queen Elizabeth II: A country in mourning [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:45
The country now enters a time of national mourning for a nation to pay its respects to Her Majesty the Queen. Years of planning and centuries of tradition will be drawn upon as Queen Elizabeth II is laid to rest. So what…
The gangs and guns of Liverpool [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:29
On a Monday evening last month, 9-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel was shot dead in Liverpool by a stranger. It’s the latest in a spate of deadly gun and knife attacks in the city. So what’s going on in Liverpool’s underworl…
How close is a cure for long Covid? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:58
Six months ago, The Times’ Africa correspondent Jane Flanagan spoke to us about her search for the cause of her long Covid symptoms. We catch up with her to find out how her treatment is going, and we look at the state o…
Liz Truss: The people and the policies of the new PM [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:25
Today, Liz Truss takes over as the new Conservative Prime Minister. So what do we know about her and how she will address the urgent challenges we face?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of…
How Boris Johnson changed Britain [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:53
The new prime minister will be announced today, and Boris Johnson will exit Downing Street tomorrow after just over three years in the job. What legacy will he leave behind? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the…
How Britain fell behind in the microchip gold rush [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:28
They’re sitting in your hands, in your house and maybe even in your heart. But a global shortage of semiconductors means this tiny object has become a big problem – just as a British chipmaker has been sold to a Chinese-…
Has Hollywood run out of ideas? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:48
The traditional summer blockbuster season is drawing to a close but in a world of prequels, sequels and remakes, independent films are finding it increasingly hard to break through. So why are we deluged by all these spi…
Everything Dolly Alderton knows about love [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:55
This August, we're revisiting some of our favourite episodes from the past year.Dolly Alderton - award-winning author, podcaster, screenwriter and Sunday Times Style's resident agony aunt - on love, friendship, sex, and…
The barristers’ strike: Justice on hold [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:00
This week criminal barristers in England and Wales voted to go on an ongoing, uninterrupted strike arguing they’re not paid enough for legal aid cases. The strike will delay thousands of trials including rapes, murders a…
The cult of crypto: How $2 trillion went up in flames [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:32
It promised a financial revolution - a liberation from money middlemen. But then the $3 trillion industry of cryptocurrency lost two thirds of its value in six months. So was it all a cult of personality? Or is the revol…