Amsterdam, February 11th, 2016. Today, exactly five years ago, Maria Westerbos founded the Plastic Soup Foundation (PSF). Not long before had she met with Captain Charles Moore in California, the sailor who discovered the floating plastic in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and has since then drawn attention to the plastic soup. Discussing with him encouraged her to found the PSF, not knowing that the organization would go through some stormy developments.
The Foundation has achieved very much during the last five years under the energetic and inspiring leadership of Maria. One of the main goals has been more than achieved: give great publicity to the plastic soup. Internationally, the PSF has become particularly known for its successful Beat the Microbead campaign against plastic microbeads in personal care products.
Westerbos has succeeded in creating a professional environmental organization with the former Minister Jacqueline Cramer as chairperson of the PSF board. An ever-growing team of enthusiastic people makes all the work possible, such as creating awareness on social media, providing lessons and lectures, consultations with parliamentarians and looking for sponsors.
Anyone who wants to contribute to the fight against the plastic soup is welcome at the PSF. During the last years, the Foundation has worked with a variety of businesses, organizations and municipalities, also internationally.
The plastic soup is now internationally recognized as one of the most serious environmental challenges the world faces. Daily alarming reports about the effects of plastic pollution are published. For the PSF, this means: pull out all the stops for the next five years.