Year 1 -
Clean Planet Peninsula
Meet the participants!
After a successful pilot year in 2023 โas โfeatured on the BBC, the Clean Planet Peninsula project embarked on an ambitious and visionary 3-year journey.
Building on last year's success, the Clean Planet Foundation invited 20 individuals to join an immersive training course in August 2024 in the UK.
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In 2025 and 2026, selected participants from this training group will travel with the project to the Arctic and Antarctic to undertake scientific research and โfurther trainingโ.
This opportunity was open to anyone* who could demonstrate a distinct interest/focus relating to microplastic or climate science and could show how undertaking research in theโ polarโ regions would help benefit the global understanding of these critical environmental issues, contributing to worldwide conservation efforts.
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We are privileged to be collaborating once again with the distinguished UK polar explorer Antony Jinman, the 12th Briton who skied solo in both the North and South Poles and the University of Portsmouth's Revolution Plastics Instituteโโโโ as lead science collaborators.
We envisioned this program as a stepping stone, guiding future projects and ensuring a continued legacy of innovation in polar research and environmental conservation established by the Clean Planet Foundation. The end goal of this project was to provide early-career scientists with practical fieldwork expeditions, enabling research studies to be undertaken in the polar regions- particularly linked to plastic pollution and the impact of climate change.
Meet the Participants
We are thrilled to unveil a short video introducing the incredible 20 participants of the #CleanPlanetPeninsula project!
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Meet passionate researchers and environmental advocates from across the UK who are joining us on this groundbreaking journey. Together, we will explore the pristine Polar regions and uncover the impact of microplastics on our planet's most remote environments. โ๏ธ๐
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This is just the beginning of a 3-year expedition aimed at advancing scientific understanding and raising awareness about the crucial issue of microplastics and their effects on human health and the environment. ๐ฑ๐ง
Meet the Participants - Y1 2024 - Clean Planet Peninsula
Year 1 - Review
The year-1 training on Dartmoor provided participants with a realistic and challenging environment that simulated conditions they will face in the Arctic and Antarctic (all be it a little warmer).
The participants, a diverse group of early-career scientists selected from across the UK, endured heavy rain, low visibility, and strong winds—conditions that tested their endurance, teamwork, and expedition skills.
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Click through the post below to read the full project review.
Multi-Year Program Summary:
Pilot Year - UK Training (2023)
*Who could Apply?
We were looking for research students and early-career scientists from diverse backgrounds who had a project or were about to embark on research that required fieldwork experience in remote areas, including polar regions, with research topics related to microplastics and their impact on the environment and climate.
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Applicants were to be above 18 years old, residents of the United Kingdom, and willing to participate in all phases of the project from 2024 to 2027 to ensure research continuity. We welcomed applicants from all backgrounds and were committed to creating an inclusive and diverse learning environment. We intended to keep at least 20% of places available for those who identified as coming from a low-income background. While participation in this program involved traveling to challenging regions, we understood that individuals might have varying physical abilities. Our primary concern was the safety and well-being of all participants. We encouraged all interested individuals to apply, regardless of their physical abilities. We did ask that applicants consider the physical demands of the course and expeditions, as they could be physically rigorous. However, our commitment to inclusivity meant that we were prepared to make reasonable accommodations to ensure that participants with disabilities could fully engage in the program.
If anyone had any concerns or specific needs related to physical fitness or mobility, we encouraged them to reach out to us.
Frequently Asked Questions
HOW can you apply?
Application are now closed and our participants announced
Who is sponsoring the project?
The Clean Planet Foundation (CPF) is the lead sponsor of the Clean Planet Peninsula project. CPF is a not-for-profit organization committed to educating and taking action for the sustainable use of plastics and the reduction of carbon emissions. We believe in inclusivity and diversity and welcome applicants from all backgrounds. While we require physical fitness for travel, we are committed to accommodating diverse abilities whenever possible.
To learn more about CPF, please visit here
โโโWho is responsible for the logistics?
CPF and course instructors are responsible for delivering the project and organizing all necessary logistics for the trips. We have received detailed feedback from our pilot year in 2023 and are confident in our ability to execute the project efficiently, making it a safe and enjoyable experience for all participants.
What does it cost and what am I expected to bring?
The project is run under sponsorship of the Clean Planet Foundation and all core project costs are covered by CPF. You will be required to cover the cost of transport within the UK (e.g. to get to Dartmoor in 2024), however, food, specialist equipment, and any future international travel will be covered by the project. You will be required to โbring โsuitable clothing and footwear for outdoor activities in the UK, however, any polar-related activities will be covered. Those identifying as from a low-income background do have the opportunity to have their UK travel and outdoor clothing covered if they are unable to afford the project without this support.
Where can I learn more?
To learn more about the successful pilot year of the Clean Planet Peninsula project, please visit here. To learn more about the project in general, go here.
It's been brilliant. Just being outdoors doing our expedition training in the torrential rain has been absolutely great because everyone got on as a team.
Clean Planet Foundation
Organiser & Lead Sponsor
The Clean Planet Foundation (CPF) educates and takes action for the sustainable use of plastics, and reduction of carbon emissions. A not-for-profit organisation.
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We believe that everyone deserves better, and provide community funding, sponsorship, investments and initiate flagship projects to mitigate the impact of the plastic and climate crises across the UK and beyond.
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The Clean Planet Foundation is part of the Clean Planet Group which also builds technologies and infrastructure to remove hard-to-recycle plastic waste from the environment, and convert it into circular products.
