Technology for cleaning up ocean pollution

“19-year-old develops ocean cleanup array that could remove 7,250,000 tons of plastic from the world’s oceans.” I searched on website and wanted to find some information about technology for cleaning up ocean pollution. Apparently, this news caused my attention.

Boyan Slat is 19-year-old, whois studying in Dutch University. He created a device which “consists of an anchored network of floating booms and processing platforms that could be dispatched to garbage patches around the world” when he was doing a project about ocean’s garbage patches.

How it works?

Good questions. Plastic in the ocean would be forced in the direction of the platforms because of the angle of the booms. What’s more, after forced, plastic “would be separated from plankton, filtered and stored for recycling.”

After reading the information I can find on websites, I still have some questions about this wonderful invention. Fortunately, I find his specific website and the way for contacting him. I sent him a massage and hopefully I can get his answers back soon.

 

Singh, Timon. "19-Year-Old Student Develops Ocean Cleanup Array That Could Remove 7,250,000 Tons Of Plastic From the World's Oceans | Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building." Inhabitat Sustainable Design Innovation Eco Architecture Green Building 19YearOld Develops Ocean Cleanup Array That Could Remove 7250000 Tons Of Plastic From the Worlds Oceans Comments. Inhabitate, 26 Mar. 2013. Web. 12 Aug. 2013.

Introduction of ocean cleanup array

Glatzer, Peter. "SHFT TV." SHFT. SHFT, 26 Mar. 2013. Web. 12 Aug. 2013.

Information about ocean cleanup array

New survey analysis

After I narrowed the topic, I created a new survey about ocean pollution.

1.   Which ocean do you think is most severely polluted?

Well, most people think that Pacific Ocean is most severely polluted. Indeed, the Pacific Ocean is regarded as the “dead sea” last few years. There are three reasons can explain why. Firstly, “Trash Island” is one of the reasons. I have already mentioned the great garbage patch in my last post. Secondly, with development of some developing countries around Pacific Ocean, such as China and Thailand, the Ocean is facing triple pollution issue from industry, manufacturing, and agriculture. Thirdly, nuclear leak happened in Japan due to the earthquake in 2011. As known to us, nuclear pollution is extremely hard to completely clean up. It’s interesting that no one thinks Arctic Ocean is polluted. In my opinion, the earth is a circle and with movement of water, every ocean has pollution more or less.

2. How concerned are you about ocean pollution?

26.09 percent of people are extremely concerned and 39.13 percent of people are very concerned. I’m glad that people are concerned about ocean pollution, but it’s useless if people simply are concerned rather than taking actions like the Chinese old saying goes, all talk and no action is false.

3. What is the biggest cause of ocean pollution?

Actually, all of my options I post in the survey are factors caused pollution. Among the options, three of them are considered as big causes, which are oil spills and leak, industrial waste, and littering and dumping especially plastic. In order to develop their economy, some developing countries sacrifice the environment. When they realize how important the environment is, it’s too late to clean it up.

4. Which way do you prefer to prevent ocean pollution?

Stricter government regulations on industry and manufacturing and renewable energy sources so off-shore drilling no longer needed are two ways most people prefer to prevent ocean pollution. Well, as far as I’m concerned, the best but hardest way to prevent it is to develop human beings’ entire accomplishment. As long as people realize environment is extremely significant to their lives, we’ll get the best result.

5. What changes do you make at home to do your part by making these ocean-friendly choices?

People do something they can do in their everyday life, such as carry a reusable shopping bag, recycle, and don’t litter. I just want to say keep doing and make improvement.

6. How confident are you that we can prevent and clean up pollution?

The amount of people feel moderately confident is as many as people are slightly confident. I hope we can do best and completely clean up pollution.

What is the Great Ocean Garbage Patch

What is the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch?

It is ironic that "not all garbage ends up at the dump. As a matter of fact, "Earth’s largest landfill isn’t on land at all."

"This marine debris has sloshed into the public spotlight recently, thanks to growing media coverage as well as scientists and explorers who are increasingly visiting the North Pacific to see plastic pollution in action. "According to a website. Indeed, more and more ocean pollution has bee exposed and people are so sad to see except person who caused this issue. Particularly, a huge garbage patch floating in the Pacific Ocean! Plastic bags, bottles, and other litters consist of the massive trash “island” growing in the vast North Pacific between San Francisco and Hawaii. The area of the “island” is as big as two Texas. That is to say, the area is more than 700,000 square kilometers. How huge it is!

I can’t believe how this could happen. In my impression, ocean is nothing related to trash. It's charming and clean where is one of the  best places for summer vocation. Well, after reading some articles about ocean pollution, I've changed my mind. In scientists’ opinion, people discarded useless plastic into the ocean through sewers carelessly so that plastic is constantly moving together with the help of currents and eventually become the trash “island”.

According to the environmental organization protecting ocean, birds and marine animals are facing a serious threat because of the garbage patch. Turtles mistake plastic bags as jellyfish. Birds swallow the plastic debris which they can’t digest. All of these animals died as a result of plastic. The organization called “Green Peace” reported that they found at least 267 kinds of marine animals suffering by mistaking plastic litter and debris.

In order to clean up the garbage patch, it will cost over a billion. However, none of countries is willing to take the responsibility. Therefore, every single person should take action to protect our charming ocean. I extremely wouldn't like to see that generation after generation won't have the beautiful place to spend their summers and will never have the fantastic memory of ocean after 60 years because of pollution. Would you like to see that happen?


McLendon, Russel. "MNN - Mother Nature Network." MNN. Mother Nature Network, 24 Feb. 2013. Web. 30 July 2013.
What is the Great Pacific Ocean. Introduce the patch and the situation of ocean pollution.

Survey

I created survey couple days ago and have received some responses.

1.     Are you interested in sea expedition and exploration?

It seems that most people are interested in this topic. Sea is a big part of our planet. It’s really worth to discover sea’s resources secrets. Meanwhile, it’s also significant to history, geography, and economy.

2.     Have you read books related to sea exploration and expedition?

Even though many people are interested in this topic, yet they are just interested. Few people do the things they’ve wanted to know. After I start researching the topic, as far as I’m concerned, I pay more attention to the topic and find more information than before. Hence, my feeling is researching a topic you really desire to know is an awesome work.

3, 4, 5. How many heroes of sea voyage do you know? Can you name some heroes? How much do      you familiar with the heroes?

73.33% of people who answered the question only know one hero. Maybe the word “hero” misleads people. In my opinion, many navigators like Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama, and Ferdinand Magellan are heroes. However, only two people mentioned that Columbus was a hero. We should admire the navigators’ courage and spirit because before they started their adventures, they never knew when they would come back or even whether they could come back or not. Even though Columbus, for example, did something bad, I still think he should be called hero. Besides, people can name the heroes, but they don’t familiar with them. From the answers, I can tell some of them are from literature. It’s also an issue we should pay attention to.

6. What are some advantages of sea expedition and exploration?

I’m very happy that many people gave me valuable information which I didn’t think out and mention. People who did the survey agree with me that advantages are including finding new land, promoting communication between different cultures, and discovering ocean’s resource. They refer treasures and scientific discovers such as possible new things to help fight cancer or other diseases as well as discovering new flora and fauna, etc.

7. What reason(s) do you think that people start sea expedition and exploration?

Most people think the reason is curiosity and goods. There is an interesting answer captured my eyes which is they get bored. It’s true that when people get bored, they will figure out a way to keep them excited. Thus, it can be a motivation in some way. Benefit is always a motivation to drive people to create, discover, and invade.

8. Have you dreamed to be a sailor?

Well, the result is same as I expected. My answer could be no, as well. Sailor is a hard and dangerous job. However, if you’re a person who likes adventure, it could be an awesome job for you.

 

Factors led to sea expedition and exploration--- Religion

      As a matter of fact, history can’t make big move without impressive people and their desire at all. Sea expedition and exploration can be explained using the same way.

       People think it was a glory that they explored for the pride of their nation and religion. Their faith inspired them a lot, as well. War caused by Crusades and medieval inquisition made people form a fanatical feeling of Christian. For a long time, active missionary is very important to Christian. Moreover, in order to make those infidels or non-believers who converted to Christianity, people never hesitated to use force. Missionaries not only wanted to win victory on battlefield, but also try to occupy people’s mind. They were particularly eager to transmit their religion to every corner of the world. Therefore, Voyagers believed it was God’s mission that led them to adventure so that it set a good psychological basis for the voyages. We have to say that Christian has been spread more or less with Portuguese and Spanish’s exploration. Their desire was to make other people in the other parts of the world believe in Christ and to spread the gospel.

      I start believing that religion makes people crazy. Indeed, one’s faith is a huge motivation to drive him/her to do what him/her really want to do and make his/her dreams come true. Everyone has a holy war in the heart. In order to win every battle, humans have to do the best.



"大航海时代." _百度百科. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Aug. 2013.reasons of ocean expedition and exploration

"Why Were Europeans Eager to Find a Sea Route to Asia in the 15th Century?" Yahoo! Answers. Yahoo!, n.d. Web. 13 Aug. 2013.

reasons of why Europeans were eager to find a sea route to Asia in the 15th century

Factors led to sea expedition and exploration-- Economy

       At the end of the 13th century, Marco Polo and his travels set off a frenzy of longing for the East in Europe. In his works, China, East Asia and even the whole Asia were unprecedented prosperity with gold and spice everywhere, which made Europeans hunger for going to East. During the crusades, European nations were exposed to various types of herbs and spices.

       Before the sea expedition and exploration, there was a trade route called Silk Road connecting East and West. People from China and India trade spice and silk with Europeans through that route. However, in 1453, with Constantinople occupied by Turks, the entire Middle East was under Muslim’s control. Europeans couldn’t go through Persian Gulf and Silk Road to India and China like their predecessors did any longer. Europeans had to find another trade route so that they were able to obtain resources directly from suppliers instead of being restricted by Italian and Arabian. Since Muslim countries controlled the land route, Europeans sought new route via sea routes.

        In the other hand, Chinese and Indians weren’t interested in European at that time. As a result of that, European had to use plenty of gold and silver in order to exchange for goods such as silk and spice. With long term deficits, it led to Europeans desire for gold, silver, and precious stones. Thus, areas where produce these valuable resources became European’s hunting and competing targets.



"大航海时代." _百度百科. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Aug. 2013.

Reasons of ocean expedition and exploration

Short introduction of sea expedition and exploration.

       When looking at a world map or looking down from outer space, we will see the earth is covered by huge blue. That’s true. Land and ocean consist of our beautiful planet. Approximately 72% of the planet's surface is covered by saline water that is customarily divided into several principal oceans and smaller seas, with the ocean covering approximately 71% of the Earth's surface.

         Human beings spend a long period on understanding of ocean, especially residents living on waterfront. For many years with ocean, people raise unlimited reverie and produce strong desire of knowledge. Even though ocean gives fishermen an objective impression of vast indefinite and expanse, it inspires them to discover and understand ocean’s strong faith. After generations of efforts to explore, the mystery of sea world is finally exposed by smart and curious people.

          Why are people interested in ocean?

          Firstly, people realize that the land they live is surrounded by sea. The concept of sea and land gradually because clear. Secondly, it has been clear that ocean is greater than land area. The connection between sea and land is river. Ocean and river depend on each other tightly. Ocean holds rivers and conserves countless life. They can’t exist if one of them is missing. Thirdly, people gain benefits from ocean. Fish, shrimp, and shell are the gifts to ancient people given by natural world. In addition, people feel that there is still a vast world waiting for them to explore.



"Ocean." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 08 Sept. 2013. Web. 13 Aug. 2013.
information about ocean