Ocean Cleanup: Count Down to Launch

Written a week before the Ocean Cleanup launch from San Francisco, California, in response to the negative comments on the Ocean Cleanup Facebook page.

How do we solve the plastic problem?

Ask anyone how to solve the plastic problem and their answer is going to be, “avoid using plastic whenever you can.” But that is only one part of the problem.

We tend to feel like taking our reusable bags to the grocery store instead of bringing home a dozen plastic bags is enough. Refilling our stainless-steel water bottles is enough. Not using plastic straws anymore is enough.

But is it enough?

The Ocean Cleanup

Boyan Slat went scuba diving, saw more plastic than fish in the ocean, and decided – enough.

Boyan was very young when he started The Ocean Cleanup, his ambitious plan to clean up the Great Garbage Patch. He should be championed and imitated and, more importantly, assisted. We should all support him in whatever way we can because he has the courage and strength to try to undo the mess we made while we were completely unaware of the damage our convenience-based lifestyle was causing to the environment.

I often advocate for recycling or avoiding single-use plastics when possible. I am very excited about the new advancements that bio-based material makers are contributing to the plastics industry.

However, I am also aware that the plastic problem affecting the environment cannot be fixed by any one institution, government, company, brand, or group of people.

I understand that not using single-use plastic today may have a positive effect tomorrow. But, using a refillable bottle instead of buying a case of individual water bottles will not remove a single piece of the plastic floating in the ocean today.

An Impressive Solution

We should be impressed by Boyan’s willingness to go out and make a solution rather than wait for someone else to do it. He didn’t point fingers. He didn’t lobby to get someone else to clean it up. He didn’t need anyone’s permission to develop his idea. He didn’t wait for someone to tell him what to do. He saw a problem and designed a solution for it. It is not just any problem but one that significantly affects the entire world.

It would be amazing if his system works flawlessly on September 8, when it launches. If it doesn’t, Boyan is not afraid to alter his plan until he gets it right. He’s already been through several prototypes of his clean-up system. If the System 001 doesn’t work as he intends, he will try repeatedly until it does.

Boyan is an inspiration for people to stop waiting for someone else to do something about the environmental problems that exist today.

The Ocean Cleanup’s 300k+ followers on Facebook and I are behind him. I wish him and the entire crew of The Ocean Cleanup good luck next Saturday.

#oceancleanup