9 replies to this topic

[SoulBreath]

I'm not actually selling any products, but I have to do this for my entrepreneurship class. We are trying to create a solution for the Great Pacific Garbage Patch; either finding a way to clean it up, prevent pollution or find a way to dispose of the garbage. Right now we're trying to gauge if any one would even be interested in our product/service. My questions are:
Would you live in a house made of trash? eg something like Plastica (from the Unreasonable Institute).
Do you know any other uses for masses of trash?
Would you sponsor a company to clean up The Patch? Would you pay to have a cleaned up section of ocean named after you? Would you like monthly updates on the progress of the clean up? What other incentives interest you?

[Shortpoet-GTD]

California has made a step in the right direction by banning one use plastic bags (or they charge you).
Even if every human was neat and tidy and never littered, the drag trucks used in landfills break them
apart, sending them flying and they end up airborne.

 landfill plastic.jpg   10.99K   0 downloads

The second part of the equation (although there are numerous parts beyond two) is the size of the litter
once it hit's the water.
Waves and sunlight break it down to very small pieces and although it takes up a massive area; Pacific Gyres,
upon closer inspection, people that have tried to clean it up realize the minuteness of the pieces.
(So far, 5 gyres have been counted)

 gyres.jpg   17.05K   0 downloads
Changing our mindset is the "pushing an elephant up a muddy hill" but we have to move away from one use-
toss it mentality. That's what we're mired in.

Convenience for us has trashed our home; our one and only planet.
When I go to the recycling center, I'm often the only one dropping off plastics, paper, cans.........
On the other hand, I always see folks at the stores buying bottled water. Idiots. And they probably don't recycle either.

See also-
http://www.altenergy...__+ocean +trash

http://www.altenergy...__+ocean +trash

http://www.altenergy...rash#entry23751

And welcome to the forums. Good post.

[eds]

Let me ask you a question.
. . . When was the last time you went for a walk around your neighborhood,
. . . seen the litter that people throw down, every single day, and
. . . picked it up.

I do it every single day, for years.  And every day there is new trash that needs to be picked up.
. . . What incentives would interest you, to do the same thing in your neighborhood?
. . . You won't get paid for doing it, you won't get recognition or social approval,
. . . you won't make friends, but you might lose friends for doing it, and
. . . it won't get you a passing grade in class.
But if we all picked up, there might not be so much trash in the ocean, or our neighborhoods.

Have you ever seen the movie "Pay It Forward?"

[eds]

SoulBreath, on 03 October 2014 - 03:24 PM, said:

Thanks for your input. Bump for people to answer questions.

But . . . . When was the last time you went for a walk around your neighborhood,
. . . seen the litter that people throw down, every single day, and . . . picked it up?

[eds]

Oh! you mean an opinion piece, that is something you could write and use,  
. . . to manipulate people, that really did care about stuff like that, for a class assignment,
Not something, you personally have an opinion on.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

Here's an opinion; take your class out to pick up trash for a day. Recycle as much as you can.
If every school in America did that at least once a week, we could make a substantial dent in the ocean that get's blown
into our waters.
Btw-when you become sarcastic in these forums; it is not well received.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

This makes me ill.

 human stupidity.jpg   180.18K   0 downloads


http://www.huffingto..._n_5923868.html

[still learning]

SoulBreath, on 02 October 2014 - 01:57 PM, said:

..... Right now we're trying to gauge if any one would even be interested in our product/service. My questions are:
Would you live in a house made of trash? eg something like Plastica (from the Unreasonable Institute).
Do you know any other uses for masses of trash?
Would you sponsor a company to clean up The Patch? Would you pay to have a cleaned up section of ocean named after you? Would you like monthly updates on the progress of the clean up? What other incentives interest you?

   Regarding your first question:  Would I buy a house made of trash?  No.  Would I buy a house made of material that was once trash?  Maybe.  You'd have to show that the material was durable and safe though.  Use for masses of trash?  Of the kind of stuff I understand accumulated trash to be? (Assorted types of plastics of all sizes, along with the varied marine organisms that grow on the surfaces of the trash pieces.)  Nope.  Regarding actually cleaning up of the "garbage patch," I wouldn't support any effort without seeing some of the numbers involved, estimates of numbers that would include the area and volume of ocean involved, estimates of the amount of trash in the ocean and the amount to be removed, an estimate of the costs too.  Too many clearly impractical ideas for ocean cleanup have already been written about, don't really need another impractical idea.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

"Earthship" houses use a lot of "trash" in their foundations and walls; tires, bottles, etc.
Depending on the builder; they can be stunning.
(This one incorporates old wine bottles)

 earthship.jpg   14.45K   0 downloads

[Shortpoet-GTD]

NOAA is working to pick up ocean trash (57 tons worth) around the Hawaiian islands. Bravo!!

http://www.noaanews....ris_hawaii.html