It all started when then 16-year-old Boyan Slat was scuba diving in Greece and was surprised to see more plastic than fish. What surprised him even more, after digging deeper into the plastic pollution problem, was no one had made serious attempts to combat this issue. The question “Why don’t we just clean it up?” lingered in his mind, and led him to devote his high school science project to understanding the problem, as well as researching why a cleanup was considered impossible.
It quickly became clear that a cleanup using vessels and nets would take thousands of years, cost tens of billions of dollars, be harmful to sea life and lead to large amounts of carbon emissions.
There are 5 major plastic accumulation zones in the world where ocean currents converge. These accumulation zones are commonly called “garbage patches”. The vast majority of ocean plastic will not go away by itself but instead slowly break down into microplastics. After a year of experimenting with ideas and simple tests, Boyan came up with the idea to develop a passive concentration system. He envisioned to use the ocean currents to his advantage, and let them be the driving force behind catching and concentrating the plastic. Instead of going after the plastic, you could let the plastic come to you.
After graduating high school, he was invited to present his initial idea at a TEDx conference in 2012:
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Boyan Slat presents his idea at TEDx conference in Delft, 2012
Initially, his idea did not gain traction. Boyan had just started studying Aerospace Engineering at TU Delft but continued working out his concept in parallel. After 6 months, he decided to quit his studies and founded The Ocean Cleanup, with just 300 euros of savings as a starting capital.
Then one night in March 2013, things changed. The TEDx video was picked up by several news sites, from which it spread to hundreds of thousands of people. The idea went viral. In a matter of days, it allowed The Ocean Cleanup to recruit an initial team, as well as raise the first USD 90,000 using crowdfunding. And so, The Ocean Cleanup project took off.
1. After the learning and testing process, who did Slat brainstorm with?
2. What are some of the things that Slat and his team learned when they first did research to understand the problem?
1. After the learning and testing process, Boyan Slat brainstormed with his team at The Ocean Cleanup.
2. Some of the things that Slat and his team learned when they first did research to understand the problem include:
- A cleanup using vessels and nets would take thousands of years, cost tens of billions of dollars, be harmful to sea life, and lead to large amounts of carbon emissions.
- The majority of ocean plastic does not go away by itself but instead slowly breaks down into microplastics.
- There are 5 major plastic accumulation zones in the world where ocean currents converge, commonly known as "garbage patches".
- Instead of going after the plastic, they could let the plastic come to them by using passive concentration systems driven by ocean currents.
What are some important steps that Slat has had to take in trying to solve one of the world’s biggest problems? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.
Some important steps that Boyan Slat has had to take in trying to solve one of the world's biggest problems include:
1. Conducting thorough research and understanding the problem: Boyan Slat devoted his high school science project to understanding the plastic pollution problem and researching why a cleanup was considered impossible. He learned about the challenges of traditional cleanup methods and the impact of plastic pollution on marine life. This research led him to develop a new approach that leveraged ocean currents to catch and concentrate plastic waste.
2. Presenting his idea and gaining support: After coming up with his concept, Boyan Slat presented his idea at a TEDx conference, which helped to spread the idea to a larger audience. The TEDx video went viral, allowing The Ocean Cleanup to recruit an initial team and raise funds through crowdfunding. This support was crucial in getting the project off the ground.
3. Taking a risk and founding The Ocean Cleanup: Despite being a student at TU Delft studying Aerospace Engineering, Boyan Slat decided to quit his studies and found The Ocean Cleanup with just 300 euros of savings as a starting capital. This bold move showed his commitment to solving the plastic pollution problem and pursuing his vision.
4. Continuously adapting and iterating on the concept: Boyan Slat and his team at The Ocean Cleanup have been continuously learning and testing new ideas to improve their cleanup technology. They have conducted experiments, prototype testing, and feasibility studies to refine their passive concentration system and address any challenges that arise. This iterative process is essential for developing an effective solution to such a complex problem.
Overall, Boyan Slat has demonstrated the importance of research, innovation, perseverance, and collaboration in tackling one of the world's biggest environmental challenges.