Wonder where all the plastic and garbage ends up when dumped in the ocean? Well, we do not know where it all is for sure, but a lot of it resides afloat between California and Hawaii. This huge area of trash, named the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP), is estimated to be 1.6 million square kilometers. Not only is plastic never going to decompose out to sea, but ocean creatures are all heavily impacted by “The Garbage Island“, that only increases in size year after year.
To hopefully counteract the continuous growth, expeditions with the intention of analyzing and clean the GPGP, reaching a better understanding and hopefully start saving the millions and millions of marine animals threatened by this massive inanimate island.
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The ocean is big. Cleaning up all the plastic and trash using conventional methods – vessels and nets – would take thousands of years and tens of billions of dollars to complete. There are organisations and also private companies who trying to work on other solutions. Using their methods it is estimated to remove 50% of the Great Pacific Garbage patch in just five years, and at a fraction of the cost.
Usually the newer systems consist of a long floater that sits at the surface of the water and skirt that hangs beneath it. They rely on natural forces to navigate the patches, no human resources needed managing them. If we keep supporting these companies and organisations, and stop the sources of trash being thrown in the waters, there is still hope for a cleaner future.
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The alternative energy is not only on the land but in the water too. You can find the strength of nature that is required for producing energy under and above the water. There are huge winds out there, so why dont we use them to make energy? We actually use turbines already offshore, but wind also creates huge waves.
Waves can produce energy by moving up and down, and it's possible to convert it into useable elecrticity. There are many potential ocean-based sustainable energy technologies that produce no waste. Unfortunately most of these technologies are in early stages, but with time and work they are gonna be the futures energy resources.
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