Jean-Baptiste Grassin | Ocean Advocate | Nomad Plastic | France | Hong Kong
Jean-Baptiste Grassin is originally from France, now based in Hong Kong as the managing director of Nomad Plastic.
Nomad Plastic is an engineering consultancy that develops collaborative and regenerative solutions to end plastic pollution & give back to nature in high-impact areas.
When did you first start your storytelling journey?
I started rather recently, in 2021/early 2022.
What are the fondest memories from your upbringing that you feel impacted your life choices and lifestyle today?
I think it was about developing a deep curiosity and passion for exploration and problem-solving, which are deeply linked with pushing boundaries, opening your mind to other cultures, investigating new solutions and making an impact.
Specifically with all those environmental, economic, social, and political crises, thinking beyond the established system is more than ever crucial.
What are you doing in or around the ocean?
I'm on a journey to find more decentralised ways to solve plastic pollution, especially in the more affected and remote places. From community engagement to waste collection and transformation through education, infrastructures and business models.
What/who currently inspires you?
First, it was situations and gaps between different cultures and societies that stroke me the most, then more specifically people I met who shared a different vision of the world and finally entrepreneurs who launched their own initiatives before me.
What path did you choose after leaving school?
My genuine interest in the sciences led to engineering studies, learning how to build models for our complex world. After some first experiences in Southeast Asia and emerging markets, I found great interest and potential to put these skills to good use and make a difference. Since then, my entrepreneurial mindset grew stronger as it felt like the best way to make a living while solving problems I was the most passionate about.
Are there any books/documentaries that have guided your thinking, and that you'd like to recommend to other ocean lovers?
I think there is nothing more inspiring than going out and exploring with our own eyes, even if it's close to where you live. For sure, it became so easy to instantly travel far away with documentaries such as the ones I saw recently featuring the world's national parks:
What current stories/campaigns you're working on?
At Nomad Plastic, we are working on the development of a network of villages and islands to launch a program of waste collection by boats (waste that would other be burnt or dumped in the ocean).
We are also developing a pyrolysis system to transform this low-value plastic waste into fuel to power local boats and communities as well as sustainable tourism as the best transition and alternative to the current situation.
What would you most like to change in the world/environment today?
The very notion of waste, and the way we consume and utilise resources on our planet. It gives a more holistic understanding of the impact of our actions on our ecosystems.
What legacy do you hope to leave?
Being able to inspire and live by my rules - find some keys to co-invent solutions with locals to solve their waste problem, but also leverage these connections to learn from them and initiate a more sustainable development for these communities.
What advice would you give to anyone looking to follow their dreams as an Ocean Advocate?
Go out there and dive in. There are so many things to explore. Don't be afraid to take risks. Just follow your intuition and the ocean will guide you.
