The Ocean Cleanup
| File:The Ocean Cleanup logo.jpg | |
| Formation | 2013 Delft, Netherlands |
|---|---|
| Type | Stichting |
| Purpose | Cleaning the oceans |
| Headquarters | Delft, Netherlands |
| Boyan Slat | |
|
Staff
|
25+[1] |
|
Volunteers
|
100+[1] |
| Website | www.theoceancleanup.com |
The Ocean Cleanup is a foundation that develops technologies to extract plastic pollution from the oceans and prevent more plastic debris from entering ocean waters. The organization was founded in 2013 by Boyan Slat, a Dutch inventor-entrepreneur. The Ocean Cleanup has received over $2.2 million in crowdfunding[2] and financial contributions from large sponsors including Salesforce.com chief executive Marc Benioff.[3] The foundation’s headquarters are in the city of Delft, the Netherlands.
Contents
Technology
The removal of plastic debris on the open seas is still in its infancy. Some initiatives, such as Project Kaisei, have used ships with nets to catch plastics, primarily for research purposes. The Ocean Cleanup proposes a larger-scale, passive method of removing marine debris in or near the ocean gyres by means of 100-kilometre (62 mi) long networks of floating barriers, anchored to the ocean floor. These V-shaped barrier networks are designed to interact with natural ocean currents, funneling plastic debris towards a central point where the plastic can be extracted by a platform and stored for transportation and recycling.[4] The Ocean Cleanup calls this barrier technology the Ocean Cleanup Array.[5]
Notable projects
Mega Expedition
Through a series of oceanic expeditions, The Ocean Cleanup is researching the mass and distribution of plastic debris in the oceans, and methods of recycling ocean plastic. In August 2015, The Ocean Cleanup conducted the Mega Expedition, in which a fleet of approximately 30 vessels crossed the Great Pacific garbage patch using manta trawls and carrying out aerial surveys to measure the concentration, spatial distribution and size distribution of plastic. Researchers aboard mothership R/V Ocean Starr reported sighting much more large-sized ocean debris than expected.[6] According to The Ocean Cleanup website, this expedition was conducted in preparation for a large-scale cleanup of the Great Pacific garbage patch, which it intends to start in 2020.[7]
Pilot Program
In a series of pilot tests, successive scale model deployments of increasing sizes will be installed in increasingly challenging oceanic locations. The plans include a coastal pilot to be started in 2016 using a 2,000-metre (6,600 ft) scale model cleanup array in the Tsushima Strait, off the Japanese coast.[8] According to CEO Boyan Slat, The Ocean Cleanup is currently performing controlled environment tests.[9]
Ocean Clean up Survey Mobile Application
The Ocean Cleanup launched an iOS and Android application in the later half of 2015. Through the Visual Survey app, anyone on a boat on the ocean can help contribute data. Start a survey, look at the ocean for 30 minutes (we'll keep an eye on the time for you) and log the debris you see in the app. The Ocean Cleanup will use the data to make important decisions. The data will also be open for other scientists to use. The Visual Survey app replaces the paper forms that were previously used for this purpose.
Awards and recognition
The Ocean Cleanup and its CEO/founder Boyan Slat have won numerous distinctions. The United Nations Environment Programme awarded Slat with the Champion of the Earth 2014,[10] who was previously recognized as one of the 20 Most Promising Young Entrepreneurs Worldwide by Intel EYE50.[11] In 2015, Harald V of Norway awarded Slat the maritime industry's Young Entrepreneur Award and The Ocean Cleanup Array was named as a London Design Museum Design of the Year.[12][13] The Ocean Cleanup Array won the INDEX: Award 2015[14][15] and was also the winner of the 2015 Fast Company Innovation By Design Awards in the category Social Good.[16] Foreign Policy recognized Boyan Slat as one of the 100 Global Thinkers of 2015.[17]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 About The Ocean Cleanup, Theoceancleanup.com retrieved Oct.29th 2015.
- ↑ INDEX: Design Award Aims to Solve the World’s Problems, a Few at a TimeLink text, NYtimes.com retrieved Oct.29th 2015.
- ↑ Researchers sample enormous oceanic trash vortex ahead of clean-up proposal, Reuters.com retrieved Oct.28th 2015.
- ↑ Could A 62-Mile Floating Wall Clean Up the Ocean?, Citylab.com retrieved on Oct.28th 2015.
- ↑ The Technology, Theoceancleanup.com retrieved on Oct.28th 2015.
- ↑ Garbage ‘patch’ is much worse than believed, entrepreneur says, SFgate.com retrieved Oct.29th 2015.
- ↑ The Ocean Cleanup prepares for 2020 Pacific cleanup, successfully completes Mega Expedition reconnaissance mission, Theoceancleanup.com retrieved Oct.29th 2015
- ↑ Boyan Slat to Deploy ‘Longest Floating Structure in World History’ to Clean Ocean Plastic, Ecowatch.com retrieved Oct.29th 2015.
- ↑ The Largest Ocean Cleanup In History – Boyan Slat | SDF2015, YouTube.com retrieved Oct.29th 2015.
- ↑ Boyan Slat Founder – The Ocean Cleanup 2014 Champion of the Earth INSPIRATION AND ACTION, web.unep.org retrieved Oct.29th 2015
- ↑ C2-MTL AND INTEL REVEAL TOP 20 FINALISTS, C2Montreal.com retrieved OCt.29th 2015
- ↑ Winners announced for three Nor-Shipping 2015 Awards Mynewsdesk.com retrieved Oct.29th 2015
- ↑ Designs of the Year 2015, Designmuseum.org retrieved Oct.29th
- ↑ dutch student boyan slat wins 2015 INDEX: award for ocean cleanup array, Designboom.com retrieved Oct.29th 2015
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ The 2015 Innovation By Design Awards Winners: Social Good Fastcodesign.com retrieved Nov.17th 2015
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
