Warning: Every minute, one garbage truck worth of plastic is dumped into our oceans.
Plastic has revolutionized our lives, but its durability is now our planet's greatest threat. Unlike organic materials, plastic does not biodegrade; it photodegrades. This means it breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces called microplastics, but it never truly disappears.
We are moving from a linear economy (make, use, dispose) to a circular economy. Research shows that 80% of ocean plastic comes from just 1,000 rivers.
Solar-powered catamarans that extract plastic from rivers before it reaches the sea. A barrier guides waste toward a conveyor belt that lifts trash out of the water.
For plastic already in the ocean, massive floating barriers use natural currents to catch and concentrate plastic for easy removal and recycling.
Technology can clean the mess, but only people can stop creating it.
Did You Know?
Bringing your own reusable water bottle can save an average of 156 plastic bottles annually per person.