Good News Notes: “Scientists estimate that four million tonnes of waste end up in the world’s oceans annually. The increase in plastic pollution can be linked to poor waste management. In an effort to solve the problem in Cameroon, the association Matanda Ecotour, or Friends of the Mangrove, has been collecting waste on the River Wouri. So far, the group…
Tag: oceans
Coca-Cola Joins The Ocean Cleanup in Tackling Ocean Plastic Pollution
Good News Notes: “As part of the effort to stem the tide of plastic pollution entering the world’s oceans, the Coca-Cola Company is joining with The Ocean Cleanup to expedite the deployment of cleanup systems in fifteen rivers around the world. The partnership is part of the Dutch non-profit foundation’s efforts to stop plastic pollution…
Scientists develop method to recycle plastic bottles into aviation fuel using less energy
Good News Notes: “Humans produce more than 6 billion tons of plastic every year, and its accumulation in landfills and oceans is considered by many to be an environmental crisis. Only 9% of plastics are recycled in the U.S., and while bans on single-use plastic bags and straws have some benefits, we’re nowhere near addressing the volume…
Blue Nature Alliance aims to restore 7 million square miles of ocean in five years
Good News Notes: “The ocean covers more than 70% of our planet, a total of 139 million square miles. An initiative launched on Tuesday aims to protect 5% of it in the next five years. That might sound like a drop, but at 7 million square miles, it’s a larger area than the entire continent…
French team designs ocean cleanup yacht that feeds on plastic trash
Good News Notes: “A French ocean adventurer and his team have designed a yacht which he says can scoop up plastic garbage to stop it blighting the world’s oceans, and converts the same waste into fuel to help power the boat. Yvan Bourgnon has spent his career racing sailing vessels around the globe as a…
Marshall University to go plastic-free by 2026
Good News Notes: “Marshall University has announced it has made a commitment to go plastic-free by 2026. The university joined the ‘zero waste’ movement. Marshall University President Jerome Gilbert recently signed the ‘Break Free from Plastic Campus Pledge.’ It’s a campus-wide commitment to eliminate all single-use disposable plastics. The pledge specifically addresses accessibility and inclusivity…
Pair upcycle plastic waste into benches for public in a Hong Kong town, showing the potential of a circular economy to reduce marine pollution | South China Morning Post
Good News Notes: “Old milk containers, juice jugs and toy cups are not the type of products usually associated with high-concept furniture, but two designers in Hong Kong have taken these and other items and upcycled them into stylish pieces of public furniture. Tasked with creating a collection of 12 benches for the town hall…
Seaweed breakthrough in east London could help save planet
Good News Notes: “Science graduate Marcos Ulloa, who did his Masters degree at Queen Mary University, aims to set up Britain’s first commercial land-based seaweed farm to mass produce the substance. The 27-year-old from Canary Wharf has found a way to use dried or fresh seaweed as wrapping for food products and other uses instead of plastics. ‘The material can reduce the waste accumulated in landfills,’ he explains….
Maersk Extends Partnership to Help Cleanup Plastic Pollution at Sea
Good News Notes: “Maersk and the Dutch non-profit The Ocean Cleanup are extending their partnership to rid the world’s ocean of plastic pollution. Founded in 2013, The Ocean Cleanup’s mission is to develop and advance technologies to cleanup plastic pollution at sea and also stop the inflow via rivers. Over the last several years the…
Suzuki’s motorboat filter gobbles up microplastics
Good News Notes: “Suzuki Motor has created an attachment for its boat motors that collects microplastics, a major source of pollution in the world’s oceans and waterways, the company said Thursday, adding that the device was the first of its kind. The Japanese company plans to launch the collector as an optional add-on next year,…