The Revolutionary Giant Ocean Cleanup Is About To Set Sail

Last Monday was Earth Day. It also marked the 48th anniversary of the day when 20 million Americans all over the country gathered to demonstrate for increased environmental awareness and environmental protection. The impact of that day created a momentum that helped kickstart a global movement, putting the environment on the agenda for governments, corporations and individuals alike. This year, the crowd gathered more than one billion people in over 192 countries to show their willingness and commitment to take action to protect the environment.

At the forefront of our collective environmental consciousness lies our need to save the ocean and reduce plastic waste. Byon Slat is taking on this challenge and has designed an oceanic device that could collect trillions of pieces of plastic floating in the ocean. Having dropped out of university six years ago to pursue his idea, he founded a non-profit organisation called The Ocean Clean Up in 2013. Raising $2.2 million in a crowdfunding campaign and spending five years in research and development, the organisation is about to launch its device into the ocean for its first voyage to test its ability to clean up the ocean.