Can we Save our Oceans?

Summary

This video explores five innovative technologies combating ocean plastic pollution. The Manta, a 56-meter boat, collects and converts waste into electricity. The 4Ocean Mobile Skimmer, a smaller vessel, efficiently removes debris in high-density areas. The Ocean Cleanup's System 002, nicknamed Jenny, aims to clean vast areas of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Seabin V5, installed in marinas, collects floating debris within a 50-meter radius. Lastly, the Pacific Garbage Screening project, now focused on rivers with CollectiX boats and HiveX platforms, prevents plastic from entering oceans, showcasing a multifaceted approach to ocean cleanup.

Takeaways

• 🌊 Millions of tonnes of plastic end up in the ocean annually, with a prediction that by 2050, there will be more plastic waste than fish in the oceans.
• 🚢 'The Manta' is a 56-meter sailing boat designed to collect and process waste at sea, equipped with four collection systems and capable of collecting up to 3 tonnes of waste per hour.
• 🔄 The Manta features a waste-to-energy conversion unit that turns collected waste into electricity, powering the boat's electrical equipment without emitting pollutants.
• 🛥️ The 4Ocean Mobile Skimmer is a smaller, 7-meter long vessel that has helped collect over 7000 tonnes of trash, using retractable arms to gather debris.
• 🏝️ 4Ocean has expanded its cleanup services to include beach cleaning with the BeBot, a robot designed to mechanically remove plastic waste and other debris from beaches.
• 🌐 The Ocean Cleanup project aims to remove 90% of floating ocean plastic by 2040, starting with the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and using a 600-meter System 002 device nicknamed Jenny.
• 🚀 The Interceptor, an automated debris extraction system by The Ocean Cleanup, operates in the world's top polluting rivers, capable of extracting up to 100 tonnes of trash per day.
• 🗑️ Seabin V5, dubbed as 'garbage cans of the ocean,' is installed in marinas and ports to collect marine debris within a 50-meter radius, with a water pump displacing 25,000 liters per hour.
• 🌍 Over 1100 Seabin units are active in 53 countries, capturing more than 3 tonnes of garbage daily, highlighting a global effort to combat ocean plastic pollution.
• 🚧 The Pacific Garbage Screening project, initially a stationary platform idea, has evolved into smaller garbage collection boats named CollectiX and a river platform named HiveX, focusing on waste collection and source tracing.

Q & A

What is the alarming prediction about plastic waste in the oceans by 2050?

By 2050, there is a prediction that there will be more plastic waste than fish in the oceans if the current rate of plastic pollution continues.

What is the Manta and how does it help in cleaning the oceans?

The Manta is a 56-meter sailing boat designed to collect and process waste at sea. It is equipped with four collection systems and can collect both floating macro-waste and smaller debris. It also has a waste-to-energy conversion unit to turn collected waste into electricity.

How much waste can the Manta collect per hour?

The Manta is capable of collecting up to 3 tonnes of waste per hour.

What is unique about the power supply of the Manta?

The Manta is powered by renewable energy sources, including two wind turbines and two hydro-generators, allowing it to operate without using fossil fuels and minimizing its environmental footprint.

What is the 4Ocean Mobile Skimmer and how does it function?

The 4Ocean Mobile Skimmer is a 7-meter long vessel with retractable arms that can extend up to 4 meters. It collects plastic and other debris, which are then brought towards the front of the skimmer by a conveyor belt into a large super sack.

How much trash has 4Ocean collected from the oceans so far?

4Ocean has helped collect more than 7000 tonnes of trash from the oceans with the help of the 4Ocean Mobile Skimmer.

What is The Ocean Cleanup project and what is its goal?

The Ocean Cleanup project aims to remove 90% of floating ocean plastic by 2040. It started with a device called System 001 in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and has since developed a scaled-up version called System 002, nicknamed Jenny.

How does the Seabin project prevent plastic waste from entering the ocean?

Seabin V5 is a device installed in marinas, ports, and yacht clubs that moves up and down with the tide, collecting marine debris within a 50-meter radius. It sucks in water from the surface, which passes through a catch bag inside the Seabin, trapping litter and debris.

What is the Pacific Garbage Screening project and what was its initial design?

The Pacific Garbage Screening project was initially designed to be a giant floating platform system that screens and extracts plastic particles from the ocean. It was a 400-meter-wide structure with teeth-like grills reaching 35 meters deep into the water.

What is the CollectiX boat and how does it contribute to waste collection?

The CollectiX boat is a smaller garbage collection boat that aims to take out waste and determine its source. Despite its small size, it can handle up to 20 tonnes of ocean garbage every day, with a conveyor ramp that brings the garbage into the boat.

What is HiveX and how does it plan to reduce plastic pollution in rivers?

HiveX is a smaller version of the original stationary platform idea for rivers, designed to discharge 80% of the plastic flowing into it and collect up to 5 tons of plastic per day without affecting shipping traffic or the marine ecosystem.