Solutions

Bigger Solutions: The Aerial Mega Expedition lead by The Ocean Cleanup organization essentially maps up the amount of debris in the great pacific garbage patch. It first started with 30 boats traveling across great pacific garbage patch, and then measuring the amount of large garbage found such as ghost nets throughout. After this test the organization decided to move to a more ambitious plan by using an airplane to fly 400ft above sea level and using an abundance of sensors to go and measure the amount of garbage and find the most concentrated parts. Using this technology, The Ocean Cleanup Organization was able to come up with the ideal location to place the prototype Artificial Coastline.

The Artificial Coastline is a unique project lead by Boyan Slat and The Ocean Cleanup organization. The goal of the project is to institute a high-tech flotation device in a strategic location in the great pacific garbage patch, based off the evidence from the Mega Expedition's result. The flotation device will act like a barrier so that garbage cannot flow and further contaminate the ocean, rather it will collect garbage in one spot and make it easy to retrieve and either dispose or recycle it. A 100-meter-long prototype created in 2016 is being tested in the great pacific garbage patch. The flotation device is smart and has many sensors to detect the amount of force acting on it and its movements based off ocean currents. It also has cameras all around it. It is extremely strong and able to withstand a shark bite. The Ocean Cleanup organization has plans to create a flotation device 1,000 times bigger to cover the majority of the great pacific garbage patch in 2020. The design itself allows for it to capture majority of the garbage with it being a drifting barrier rather than a fixed. If the Artificial Coastline goes as planned it can significantly reduce the amount of garbage in the oceans, in 10 years.

Individual Solutions:

• Protect storm drains prevent garbage from entering them, as it eventually flows into rivers and lakes
• Containing spills of any kind is super important, as small leakage from your car can flow as they can enter & pollute watersheds
• Using renewable resources such as solar power or electricity, to help reduce burning of fossil fuels, and to reduce pollution from power plants
• Picking up garbage and knowing when to recycle
• Use water sparingly
• Regularly get maintenance done on your car so that oil leaks are reduced
• Not throwing medicines or household items down toilets or into water supplies
• Spreading awareness about water pollution, and its causes and effects and what they can do to help reduce it