The Plastiki Challenge
Why is there a team of young adventures out in the middle of the Pacific sailing a boat made of recycled materials? Why Plastiki?Because:
- It is estimated that almost all of the marine pollution in the world is comprised of plastic materials. The average proportion varied between 60% and 80% of total marine pollution.
- In many regions in the northern and southern Gyres, plastic materials constitute as much as 90 to 95% of the total amount of marine debris (see The Great Garbage Patch)
- Scientists estimate that every year at least 1 million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals and sea turtles die when they entangle themselves in plastic pollution or ingest it.
- According to Project Aware, 15 billion pounds of plastic are produces in the U.S. every year, and only 1 billion pounds are recycled. It is estimated that in excess of 38 billion plastic bottles and 25 million Styrofoam cups end up in landfill and although plastic bottles are 100% recyclable, on average only 20% are actually recycled.
"It’s about encouraging the world to reduce, reuse, recycle and rethink more of the planets natural resources. It’s about delivering a spectacular global “Message in a Bottle.”
Want to learn more about what you can do for The Great Pacific Garbage Patch and the reality of plastic waste... visit The Garbage Patch
