serendipitous alliance

Suzette Mehler's international business, product invention, and manufacturing background, and Jim LeVine, Ph.D.'s environmental economics and scientific background were an unusual alliance that may have been necessary to forge a global producer vision to engage consumers in a way that could change the course of plastic pollution. Suzette worked on the project for seven years, beginning in the Summer of 2014, before making contact with Jim in late 2021. Suzette comes from marketing and Jim from science so they spent hours trying to understand one another--once in a 14 hours phone call! 

Their interdisciplinary and in-depth research revealed a unique perspective on plastic pollution, diverging significantly from conventional industry narratives. They concluded that effective solutions require the participation of most of the global consumer base. More specifically, they identified a "treatable" problem stemming from unsustainable social norms distributed by the marketplace, and propose using the marketplace to influence newly defined safer norms.

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The Catalyst: In June 2014, while aboard Captain Charles Moore’s plastic pollution research catamaran, Alguita O.R.V., Suzette saw as many microplastics as tiny swimming creatures in a petri dish—a clear indication of the future of plastic in the global oceans. Her instinct was that the global scale of consumers had overrun governments and NGOs, that people do not actually want plastic pollution, and that solving it was a matter of developing the right call to action to stop plastic leakage (all instincts that proved spot on). Consequently, she self-initiated a market research study to develop a more effective message. Suzette's research was distinct: a high-level, global, corporate, and interdisciplinary meta-analysis of existing efforts in the plastic pollution field. This led to the discovery of critical gaps and, more importantly, a new paradigm for solving plastic pollution through a marketplace solution.

Global Research: Her research scope grew from the U.S. to five continents, as she realized the scale of plastic pollution was not regional, but planetary. Plastic is distributed globally, used and leaked by nearly eight billion people.

So, why can't the great minds in science, economics, and academia stop it? The research indicates that leakage should be the focus and that the public must be engaged to control it. However, stakeholders currently address the issue in long-term, peripheral ways: disruption, regulation, circularity, bans, and downstream cleanup. In other words, stakeholders are pursuing work-arounds because they lack the correct marketing coordinates.

An Algorithm is Born: By synthesizing scientific studies with behavioral and attitudinal data, she found anomalies—and value in discarded data—that led to a profound discovery: a universal pattern in human behavior regarding plastic pollution. Suzette used these insights to develop a statistical algorithm of behavioral cohorts. This psychographic tool deconstructs previous public engagement efforts and informs more precise coordinates for future marketing. Her research aligned with human herd behavioral studies by Robert Cialdini, Ph.D., which is "when the magic happened." Suzette concluded that humanity must participate in the solution and identified exactly what they must do, as well as the business marketing strategy to carry it out.

Operational Background: In addition to her extensive knowledge of published plastic pollution studies, her marketing experience is vertically integrated. She is an entrepreneur, patented inventor, and offshore manufacturer-importer.

She uses her research to identify market opportunities and translate them into new product inventions, informed by a deep understanding of materials, costs, manufacturing, and import/export logistics.

Global Branding: Suzette spent four years as a supplier to Skechers USA, working directly with the Vice President of Visual Merchandising, Mr. Scott Greenberg. In this role, she was immersed in Skechers' global branding process and managed the supply of branded goods to Asian manufacturers for distribution to global markets.

The Foundation: Suzette is a Southern California native. She grew up a block from steep cliffs, thriving tide pools, and a crashing ocean. She also has a significant nautical background. The daughter of a naval architect, Suzette helped build family boats from bulkhead to finish, was an avid sailor who spent the majority of her time trimming the main for big-boat races, and, with rare access to the Navy sail loft, she even repaired sails. 

Suzette said that throughout her life, some doors disappointingly closed while others opened, ultimately creating the path to this profoundly important project.