How brands got us hooked on plastic, with Saabira Chaudhuri
This week’s guest, Saabira Chaudhuri, author of Consumed: How Big Brands Got Us Hooked on Plastic, takes us on a fascinating journey through the meteoric rise of plastic. From the quirks of history that propelled it past every rival material, to the boardroom decisions that sealed its fate, we uncover how plastic became the world’s go-to choice, and what we might do differently if we could start again.
This week’s guest, Saabira Chaudhuri, author of Consumed: How Big Brands Got Us Hooked on Plastic, takes us on a fascinating journey through the meteoric rise of plastic. From the quirks of history that propelled it past every rival material, to the boardroom decisions that sealed its fate, we uncover how plastic became the world’s go-to choice, and what we might do differently if we could start again.
Join hosts James Piper and Robbie Staniforth as they delve into the world of recycling, hopefully having fun along the way. One thing is for sure, they will talk absolute rubbish from start to finish.
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Saabira Chaudhuri
Author and Journalist
Saabira Chaudhuri is a journalist and the author of Consumed: How Big Brands Got Us Hooked on Plastic, a narrative nonfiction investigation into our global addiction to single-use plastic, and why corporate solutions have largely failed.
Saabira spent the past 12 years at The Wall Street Journal in New York and London, covering consumer goods companies and their sustainability struggles. Now a freelance journalist, researcher, and speaker, she focuses on the role big business plays in helping, or hindering, our transition to a more sustainable future.
Originally from Bangalore, India, Saabira traces her fascination with waste and consumption back to her early years in a country that has rapidly embraced plastic--and big brands--over the past three decades.
