Youth Reimagining a World Without Single-Use Plastics

World Against Single Use Plastics (WASUP) is a youth-driven global movement tackling climate change, pollution, and planetary health through education, action, and advocacy. Founded by Professor A. R. Gatrad OBE and powered by the UK charity Midland International Aid Trust, the initiative centers its mission on regenerating Earth’s natural systems—water, air, and soil—while preparing young people to lead a healthier, more sustainable future. 

Grounded in the principle that human, animal, and ecosystem well-being are deeply interconnected, WASUP advances its work through five pillars: awareness-raising, curriculum integration, community clean-ups, youth advocacy, and nature-based solutions. From school talks and global distribution of “The Story of Three Plastic Bottles” to corporate-supported litter-picking events, youth-written policy letters, and tree-planting projects across Asia, Africa, and the UK, these efforts cultivate stewardship and collective action. 

The movement extends all over the Commonwealth, with Ambassadors in more than 50 countries and partnerships ranging from the Miss England pageant to the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Creative campaigns, from Bollywood videos to eco-fiction like The Plastic Migrant, also help spread WASUP’s message. Community-focused initiatives include a WASUP-branded recycling plant in Pakistan where children exchange plastic for rewards, and a Women’s Empowerment Centre linking environmental action with skills training and climate resilience. What began with one person has become a worldwide youth-led force for planetary health, proving how grassroots energy can inspire hope, resilience, and bold action for a sustainable future.