Recycling Squad - Figthing Littering (2019)

figthing littering RECYCLING SQUAD

live from piazza maggiore, bologna, italy, where the g20 meeting opened a few hours ago.

global warming

since early in the morning, representatives from industrialized countries have been discussing global economy and energy resources issues.

colleagues, let’s be honest: I don’t believe in global warming, but if it were true, seeing those environmental activists burn would be a pleasure.

the city is red-lined. protesters are an impressive crowd, but the deployment of police troops is MASSiVE.

CAPITALISM IS DEAD

At The Moment, The Overall Situation is Peaceful And Calm

The climate issue is a hot one, but many citizens are only worried about not getting sunburned under the scorching sun of this bolognese summer.

... god, this is lame. let’s cut.

I PROPOSE increasing emissions... no need to make it public, and in any case, no one trusts science anymore.

as they say around here, what doesn’t kill you makes you fatter. waste doesn’t harm anyone, it just needs room.

in my country dumps are spacious and welcoming: let’s start talking about money.

god forbid. I was thinking of dumping everything into the sea.

lots of inexpensive space... great idea!

The “greats” of the earth... you despicable little men!

now you face the only great one of the sea... neptune, god of the waters!

my rage means earthquakes, tsunamis, storms, floods...

s-stand where you are...! special troops are on the way to our rescue.

You have one year, not a single day more. you must stop dumping waste into the sea.

Special? Special in what?

and guess what mood I am in now?

the only “speciality” of you humans is the arrogance you display in killing sealife... my subjects... laying waste to my kingdom!

if not, I will take over the surface with earthquakes and typhoons. it will be the end of your crazy civilization.

Just go and try, you half-fish! I will build a wall! my troops will surf on your tsunamis!

one year.

An ultimatum!

You heard that right, dear viewers. The God of the Sea demands that we stop dumping waste into his realm, or he will declare war on humanity. Will we be up to the challenge?

And you protesters... stop using plastic too!

I don’t think it was a collective hallucination.

Sacre Bleu!

A God! As if we poor powerful people didn’t have enough problems already.

People will forget, but that giant may return.

that’s unacceptable. We made a complete fool of ourselves on worldwide live broadcast.

Ah, the good old secret meeting! He couldn’t have flushed us out if this G20 weren’t such a damn social event. but, yes, we need to neutralise Neptune.

But I don’t think a bit of nerve gas will be enough. Any proposals?

What if we simply committed to doing what he wants? We could call on environmentalists and launch plans to fight pollution.

Environmentalists… puh! in any case, it’s a superhuman task. we’d need ecosuperheroes, like Animal Man or…

Or… of course! We do have that kind of superheroes! They will lead the operations, and in the end, we will ban pollution!

We’ve made more ridiculous decisions before. I approve italy’s proposal to rely on these “superheroes.” it’s always good to have someone to blame

just Right, esteemed colleagues: whatever happens, we’ll have a scapegoat.

What’s their name?

And should they succeed, we’ll jump on the bandwagon with them. Or without them. I just can’t stand those know-it-alls. it’s decided, then I’ll call in the Recycling Squad on the double!

But what happened to the Recycling Squad?

Three years ago, our heroes saved wasteCity from decay, Then moved on elsewhere…

This way, this way... please, make your way through the brambles… you’ll find the greenhouse, the orchard, and the vineyard… or what’s left of them.

A certain “Dr. D” proposed building beautiful townhouses here... but the city council decided to grant this space to you instead...

The city of Bologna gifted them a place to regenerate... A challenge worthy of our superheroes!

... as long as you manage to sort it OUT... gawk!

The greenhouse had been set on fire, and for fifteen years, all kinds of waste had been dumped in the area of “ai 300 scalini” Hilto and his team had found a real challenge to sink their teeth into. it took three years, but at long last The Squad has transformed this place into their new base... By the way, today is official inauguration day!

Welcome to the Recycling workshop, dear friends!

As you can see, thanks to Voda, the greenery is lush and well-kept again.

The Recycling Workshop was made possible by VEGAS’s iNVENTiVENESS and BY COLLecting the waste covering the area. like plastics.

And how do you shred and melt plastic? Let us give you a demonstration…

The newest attraction is the wood-fired oven, built by the good Maxus

Let me introduce our new companion, POLiPROPELENA...

... and our powerful Recycling Machines... they will turn waste into moldable and reusable plastic.

Hey, it works! This Recycling squad is awesome!

W H A A A T ? !

Hilto, the machines had been sabotaged… nothing I couldn’t fix, but I wanted to let you know.

We need to be more careful! I thought I saw a few familiar faces… not really the friendly type.

Wow, you really turned this place into something nice. Even though those townhouses

I didn’t think you would show up. Unfortunately, the inauguration just ended…

Councilor!

inauguration? What inauguration? I came here because of what happened this afternoon in the city... haven’t you heard?

So, do you accept the mission?

Absolutely

! We must try to save the sea!

sure, go and try… I’ll be waiting for you!

Setting fire to the greenhouse wasn’t enough... just like sabotaging those stupid recycling machines didn’t work!

… but now I have the chance to get rid of the Recycling Squad once and for all! Word of Doctor neglect!

Where is that… evil laughter coming from?!

Vegas, Maxus, and Helen... go get our recycling steed ready!

Enough talk! We must leave immediately to assess the threat we’re up against. We’ll use Ronzinante!

Voda, you’ll hold the fort and take care of the garden and the vineyard. Also, we need a boost.

Ready to go! mount up!

There are so many stories circulating about what’s happening to our planet...

we might learn more by reading scientific journals...

But seeing it firsthand is a whole different story, and it can be heartbreaking.

it’s a total mess. yeah, you can say that again. neptune is right to be so angry.

it’s only right FOR HiM TO TAKE the land too. Of course, that’s not to say it’s not polluted as well.

Look over there: that’s definitely something from a boat, dumped into the sea by some jerk.

And over there... the leftover rubbish from a city family’s DAY ON THE BEACH.

Either way, it’s human waste. So it’s our responsibility.

Sure, cleaning up the whole planet by ourselves is impossible... any idea, maxus?!

good. we’ll start here and now. Let’s grab our recycling arsenal and clean up this beautiful beach!

Alright guys, snap out of it! Does that look like a superhero pose? Get on your feet, we’ve got a job to do!

First, we need to get back to town and get some help. The kids are still at school.

Right! we must sort different materials out and put them in their own bags.

RESIDUAL WASTE

PAPER

Of course, collecting the trash is a good thing... but it must be done the right way!

That way, once we’re done, we can move on to recycling

We normally categorize waste into four groups, but we also separate plastics that can be handled by our specific recycling machines

Wow, that’s beautiful!

Look at that! This part of the beach looks almost untouched, now.

Although it’s a small step, it’s exciting to see the first FRUiTS OF OUR LABOUR.

The tide is pushing all the garbage back in. We’ll have to do this all again.

Check this out, recycling squad!

and now let’s go... even though it’s tempting to just sit back and enjoy the view of the first FRUiTS OF MY LABOUR.

So, what’s going on now?

Guys, let’s put THE strangest stuff to one side. We’ll turn it into a cool recycling totem!

The “moldbox” is ready! Do you like it like this?

Here we go, a pour of plaster and our sculpture will be fixed in place. Or rather, it will be, once the plaster sets.

We’ll parade the totem through the city streets as a reminder to everyone to respect the environment and keep the beach clean.

The waste itself will speak to people, reminding them how many years it takes to decompose in the environment... if ever!

50 years!

let me tell you, these guys are a force of nature! We’ve doubled our efforts and reduced the time. The mission doesn’t seem as hopeless anymore.

With this parade, we’ll win over the whole town, and then we’ll move on to the next one...

Hey Maxus, wait a minute.

450 YEARS!

You said we would melt down the plastic and make things from it.

Where are those recycling machines?

You wanna see the machines at work, but what do you know about plastics? PFF... I’LL LiVE FOREVER.

Celluloid, the first synthetic plastic, was invented in America in 1869. One of its many applications was in the production of motion picture film.

Apparently, nylon was invented to replace silk, which was used for parachutes during World War II and whose export from China had been blocked by Japan.

We shouldn’t forget about polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, which was largely produced by the italian company Montedison. PVC was used to make a wide range of products.

Polypropylene, or PP, is a purely italian invention, synthesized by Giulio Natta in the 1950s. it’s also called Moplen.

The early 1900s saw the rise of Bakelite. it was used to make products like telephones and old cameras, and nowadays it’s still used in car dashboards and electronic circuit boards.

The American company DuPont introduced nylon. it’s a fantastic material for clothing, such as pantyhose, swimwear, sportswear, lingerie, and umbrellas.

Last but not least, the most intimidating plastic of them all: Polyethylene terephthalate, or PET.

Polyethylene, with its high and low density variants, is much more versatile and affordable. it’s used for everything from detergent bottles and food packaging to toys, food wrap, water and gas pipes, and electrical or telephone cables.

it’s one of the most widespread plastics... and one of the hardest to recycle. polyethyl...

in short, We’ve been drowning the planet in plastic for 200 years.

We’ll go to the factories and demand they stop making it!

Discarded in the environment, they can persist for up to 1000 years.

And in the meantime, they break down into billions of microplastics, incredibly difficult to see and collect.

So, plastic islands have formed in our oceans, and microplastics have entered the food chain... right up to our dining TABLES and lungs.

it’s not realistic to stop using plastic altogether right now... it’s still pretty useful! But we could certainly use less. There are a couple of simple things we can do.

We’re not buying plastic stuff anymore!

Different plastics have different melting points, which affects how easily they can be recycled.

Higher melting points require more heat to process, leading to higher energy consumption and emissions.

The high melting point of PET makes it less compatible with our processing equipment. Polypropylene and polyethylene, with their lower melting points of 165 and 140 degrees Celsius respectively, are better suited for our machines.

reducing our plastic consumption by avoiding packaged and disposable items...

... and recycling! That way, we can give our waste a second life, and reduce the demand for new plastic.

This is a shredder... a machine that grinds and chews up plastic.

A nozzle shapes the melted plastic into a long, thin strand, or a filament. The filament can be any color, depending on the pellets’ original colors, and can be used to make all sorts of things, like sculptures or even toys, using moulds.

Color sorting is our initial step before processing. Subsequent stages are required to attain the optimal particle size and produce a pure compound.

This is an extruder. its big screw takes our plastic pellets and pushes them into a heater, where they melt.

if you don’t have a recycling machine, you can always use glue, scissors, and lots of imagination, of course!

Hey everyone, listen up!

We are the recycling squad, and we’re here to spread a message: be careful not to pollute the land and the sea!

We cleaned up our beach and we want to keep it that way, for everyone’s sake

This sculpture serves as a reminder of our recent past and how we don’t want to go back!

Mom, I really want to go with them!

RECYCLINGSQUAD

Great job, guys! it was about time someone took the issue of waste seriously!

You’re doing great! We support you!

Here, have some snacks! You’ve earned them, kids!

Perhaps

Uh, guys, we can’t stop the parade...

You can have your snack later, not now!

One thing’s for sure: the recycling squad won’t give up easily!

We’re back in Bologna, a year after the last disastrous G20.

The euphoria of the pro-Neptune protesters is palpable, as is the apprehension of the law enforcement.

The leaders are gathered at the entrance of Palazzo Re Enzo, waiting for the real stars of the day...

There was no need for that if we did our job well, neptune won’t be of any trouble.

Enough chit-chat! Ladies and gentlemen, let’s meet our superheroes! italian superheroes!

We’re not here to tell you how to do your job. You don’t tell us how to do ours.

italian superheroes first, that’s how we like it.

So, tell us... how are the beaches that this forward-thinking government has entrusted to you?

Superheroes? Please!

Our agency has conducted a thorough investigation... and an unconvenient truth has come to light.

the recycling superheroes are frauds!

They’re a bunch of actors faking superpowers! They’ve fooled you!

Those aren’t even real costumes!

but just a pile of rubbish. Look at them!

You made everyone believe you could save the world!

it’s true, we’re just actors. And we alone couldn’t fix decades of irreversible pollution.

but how would you?

But our superpowers are real... and anyone can have them!

Everyone can be a superhero!

and Together, we can turn the impossible into something real

What other lies will you spread up to cover up your lack of action this year?

Lies? What lies?

no, wait!

Let me show you this...

... what?!

thank you very much... needless to say, in our country, we have these useless people... Artists: Farmers who should be doing real work.

Uh, yeah, I gotta run now!

Well?! My kingdom is still full of plastic!

Twist of fate, folks.

The recycling squad has been arrested for fraud. it’s over for them, and it looks like iT’s over for us too. The seas are still polluted, and Neptune won’t be happy.

What’s your plan, now?

uh, well... you need to remember how previous governments neglected this issue for years...

Hey Neptune, you’re wrong!

Things are different now.

We’re doing our part to keep things clean and recycle. We’re the future!

look out for this symbol, this pin... There are tons of us out there!

He sees how the young have learned to respect his kingdom.

He sees how their attitude is starting to rub off on adults too.

He sees their willpower and determination.

He sees how they’re trying their hardest to clean up the mess from centuries of pollution.

The recycling squad’s intervention went viral.

Everyone’s hearts and minds have changed, but it’s still too soon to say the planet is healthy.

But what about the original recycling squad? We learned everything from them.

VERY WELL! it seems you Earthlings are finally learning your lesson.

We need to fight for what we believe in! Let’s get moving!

Come here, boy. You should have learned this by now.

RECYCLING SQUAD

it’s never too late to make things right!