Turning a Gyre of Junk Into a Revitalized Ecosystem
Marissa Brassfield — January 4, 2009 — Eco
References: theglobeandmail & treehugger
There's a gyre in the Pacific Ocean whose converging currents have created a sea of trash and junk that is twice the size of Texas. University of British Columbia student Michael Barton proposed in his master's degree thesis to use that junk and turn it into a manmade island.
Barton met with marine biologists, Greenpeace and engineers, according to the Globe and Mail, to help research his design. Since plastic doesn't biodegrade, it's potentially the perfect material for a manmade landmass that could in turn help foster a thriving ecosystem instead of destroy it.
Barton met with marine biologists, Greenpeace and engineers, according to the Globe and Mail, to help research his design. Since plastic doesn't biodegrade, it's potentially the perfect material for a manmade landmass that could in turn help foster a thriving ecosystem instead of destroy it.
Trend Themes
1. Plastic Waste Recycling - Opportunity for companies to develop innovative technologies and processes to efficiently recycle plastic waste from the ocean.
2. Sustainable Marine Engineering - Emerging field that aims to develop eco-friendly structures and systems for creating manmade islands and revitalizing ecosystems.
3. Ecosystem Restoration - Growing demand for solutions that restore and enhance ecosystems through the utilization of recycled materials and sustainable practices.
Industry Implications
1. Waste Management - Waste management industry can explore new methods for collecting, segregating, and recycling plastic waste from the ocean to create manmade islands.
2. Marine Engineering - Marine engineering industry has the opportunity to develop innovative designs and construction techniques for building manmade islands using recycled materials.
3. Environmental Conservation - Environmental conservation organizations can collaborate with researchers and engineers to implement projects that restore ecosystems using recycled materials from the ocean.
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