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New podcast series on water pollution launched by the Aquatic Plastic project dives into the pressing issues of our rivers and seas, exploring innovative ways to tackle these challenges.

In the first episode, we meet Nick Thorpe – a talented journalist, author, filmmaker, and family man – who has journeyed the length of the Danube River, from the Black Sea all the way to the Black Forest. Nick Thorpe draws fascinating connections between Europe's rivers and larger bodies of water like the Atlantic Ocean or the English Channel, seeing rivers like the Danube as natural stand-ins for vast seas.

Throughout the podcast, Nick shares his deep admiration for rivers and their ecosystems, touching on the crucial role of responsible waste management. The conversation offers an insightful look at the environmental impact of rivers and the vital relationship between people and nature.

Who is Nick Thorpe?

Originally from the UK and now living in Budapest, Hungary, Nick brings a wealth of experience as a journalist and documentary filmmaker. His recent book, The Danube: Against the Flow, and his acclaimed reporting, especially his Peabody Award-winning coverage of the European migrant crisis, have earned him significant recognition.

Reflecting on his extensive travels along the Danube, Nick provides listeners with a rich blend of historical, cultural, and environmental perspectives on the river. He highlights the resilience of rivers to recover from pollution, while stressing the importance of human efforts in protecting these waterways.

Beyond his journalism, Nick Thorpe's writing brings history to life, with his book about the Danube becoming a must-read for nature lovers and travelers alike, offering a deeper understanding of the river’s lasting impact on human history.

Nick Thorpe (center) being interviewed by hosts Gary Hankó and David Attila Molnár (right) under the eyes of director Sara Bohm (left).

Chapters

Chapter 01 Introduction

“The Danube connects so many people”

00:00:00-00:12:40

Aquatic Plastic is a podcast about rivers and seas, water pollution and innovative solutions. Our first guest is Nick Thorpe who is a reporter, a writer, a filmmaker and a family man all in one. He navigated the Danube river Upstream from the Black Sea to the Black Forest. Nick Thorpe is a British journalist and documentary filmmaker, born in 1960 in Upnor, Kent, by the river Medway. He studied at Sherborne School, then came the University of Reading, followed by the university of Dakar in Senegal, then the University of Freiburg, Germany.

We talk about how he became a journalist, why he chose to go upstream the Danube and about his obsession with rivers and seas.

Chapter 02 The big journey

“Upper Tisza citizen and middle Danubian citizen” - when nationality just like the river flows through borders

00:12:40 - 00:20:30

Does a river have gender? If yes, can it have multiple at once? Why is it easier connecting to people all along a river than in a coffee shop? Why are we getting disconnected from nature even if we use it, we drink its water for example?

Chapter 03 The pollution

“the immune system, the natural immunity of a river, its ability to recover”

00:20:30 - 00:34:50

Nick Thorpe tells about how pollution changes all along the river from country to country. He tells a story about a geomancer who heals damaged landscapes, the experience of drinking the raw water of a river and about how hard it is to speak with fishermen.

Chapter 04 The power of nature

“We pollute our rivers, place plastic in it. What does the river give us in return?”
00:34:50 - 00:45:10

“The river there was consoling her, had a great sort of power of consolation and because the river is kind of eternal, it always acts in that way, it's beyond time, it's outside time. Civilizations come and go, our lives come and go on its shore. The Roman Empire came and went but it's kind of all still there.”

“A river is like a mountain in fact, which reminds people that they're just humans whatever identity they've adopted at that particular time and so. The stranger can take refuge there or get offered you at the very least a cup of tea or a glass of water.”

Chapter 05 Transcarpathia

“We're taking responsibility for what we eat, but what about taking responsibility as well for our toilet systems.”

00:45:10 - 00:57:15

Béla Franz fights against the pollution at the source of Black Tisza. The Plastic Cup Society is helping him in this battle and Nick Thorpe has also met him. It is not an easy fight as there is war going on and as there is no real waste management solution in the country.

Chapter 06 Microplastics everywhere

“The best idea is not to spend so much time measuring in water, but just to have a look at the animals, just to look at the muscles of the fish perhaps.”

00:57:15 - 01:04:50

Short spot. In two minutes, we give feedback on how we proceed: we call Gudrun Obersteiner, on the shores of river Wien and the Danube of course, to tell us about monitoring Microplastic Pollution.

Chapter 07 Writing in present

“we have no time to stand and stare”

01:04:50 - 01:17:50

This is the part where a storyteller tells beautiful stories, shares some wisdom and we could not do anything else but listen. Leave all your duties behind and listen to Nick Thorpe’s stories.

Chapter 08 Game time and saying goodbye

“The skoda car, that the guy bought from the gold piece, he found in the river Danube”

01:17:50-01:24:10

We played a quick association game. One of us said a word, the other had to say what came to mind at first.

Thank you for being with us in this memorable journey.

Next episode is coming soon.

Till then be loud and clear and keep your rivers and seas clean!

Aquatic Plastic is out!