Is that Theresa May? Is it really safe to cross the road? What
are they protesting about? Which tube station is this? Where’s my Oystercard
gone…I’m sure that bloke is Jeremy Corbyn…
They say a week lasts a long time in politics. But working in Westminster, I’ve found that even the days are often a marathon full of new experiences!
They say a week lasts a long time in politics. But working in Westminster, I’ve found that even the days are often a marathon full of new experiences!
I am just starting the third week of my 3-month internship at
the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST), which provides MPs
and policy makers with accurate, impartial evidence of all matters scientific.
My specific task is to research a briefing paper titled ‘alternatives to
plastic food packaging’ which will become a publicly available document (a
POSTnote – see previous examples here). As this will be read by members of
Parliament, there is a real chance it could help progress current proposed legislation
that would reform waste management in the UK - largely a result of the public
outcry over plastic pollution following Blue
Planet II.
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| The halls of Parliament...St Stephen's Hall |
Yes – it’s a very different topic to my PhD studying
parasitic weeds but it is exciting to work on such a timely subject. Even
though I suggested the topic to POST’s board of directors, I’ve found the issue
to be hideously more complex than I originally thought. What I envisaged to be
mainly a critique of different materials, such as glass, aluminium and
compostables, has rapidly expanded to consider kerbside collections,
deposit-return-schemes and even extended producer responsibility. I’m currently in
the research phase so no two days are the same: so far I have interviewed a
director of Veolia at their head office, toured a waste recovery facility, visited
a packaging trade show and attended the launch of a ‘plastic waste innovation hub’
at University College London. It has been eye-opening to realise the sheer
scale of the problem, yet this has inspired a phenomenal amount of innovative
research at all levels, from using novel materials (chicken feathers anyone?)
to changing consumer behaviour (for instance, via a recycling bin that makes
burping noises…). But it’s one thing to come up with brilliant-sounding
solutions and quite another to fit them into existing infrastructure. I’m sure
if we could come up with a new waste management system from scratch it would
look very different to what we currently have!
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| Visiting Pro2Pac packaging tradeshow to immerse myself in the world of all things packaging! |
Even if my subject wasn't so topical, just working in
Parliament is incredibly stimulating, particularly with the atmosphere
supercharged over Brexit. I’ve got used to passing protestors on the way to
work and nodding hello to security guards wielding very large firearms. My Parliamentary
Pass gives me access to pretty much all areas and I even managed to get into
Prime Ministers Questions in my second week. And of course, outside work there
are all the appeals of London itself – during hours off duty I am frantically
working my way through a ‘bucket list’ which has so far included various
museums, markets and art galleries, watching a live BBC recording and attending
choral evensong at St Paul’s. As the weather improves, I’m hoping to explore
some of London’s greener attractions: as a plant scientist, Kew Gardens is of
course top of the list!
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| Strong feelings during the People's Vote protest on 23rd March |
Whilst I’m certainly living in the moment, I also have an
eye on my future. So far, this placement has convinced me more than ever that
my ideal career lies in science policy rather than actual lab-based research. I
love diving into different sources of evidence, critically analysing them and
pulling out themes. For someone who was so shy at school it is amazing how much
I now enjoy meeting new people and conducting interviews. I thrive on collecting
knowledge and learning about areas I previously knew nothing about. And of
course, there is the thrill that comes with producing work that could
ultimately influence new legislation. I can only hope that this placement will
give me a stronger chance of landing the job I dream of.
Better get back to work! Until next time…
Plastic waste - a clearly growing public concern
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| St Paul's Cathedral in cherry blossom |
