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With the anti-straw movement spreading like wildfire, it is safe to say that the general population is at least somewhat aware of the current plastic pollution epidemic on our planet. The problem is particularly prevalent in our oceans, where wildlife regularly ingests wood and entangles with plastic, often resulting in a slow and painful death. While the elimination of single-use plastics such as straws and cutlery is certainly beneficial, the fishing industry is also to blame for this crisis: about 46% of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch would be made up of fishing nets abandoned! The epidemics of plastic and overfishing go hand in hand, and scientists predict that there will be more plastic than fish in our oceans by 2050. This massive accumulation of waste has become so serious that it is twice as big as Texas by day. However, all hope is not lost! An ambitious project known as the Ocean Cleaner was launched in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch for the purpose of sweeping away plastic debris. The mission officially started!
Ocean Cleanup has finally arrived at the Great Pacific Garbage Patch!
The system is designed to run on wind and wave power and should stay on the patch for the next six months. The design is quite simple: a 600 meter long U-shaped floating barrier is attached to a three meter skirt underwater that will collect floating debris. If this mission succeeds and funds are available, 60 more of these systems will be sent to clean up more waste in the next two years.
The beautiful picture above is inspiring and gives hope that not everything is yet condemned and that solutions can be considered to counter some of the damage that humans have inflicted on our planet.
Are you ready to do your part to help stop the plastic pollution epidemic? So, take a look at the One Green Planet #CrushPlastic campaign to find inspiration and ideas to reduce your life of single-use plastics.
Image Source: The Ocean Cleanup / Facebook
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