The Next Chapter in Ocean Plastics: The Birth of a New Green Industry
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Green Career Tip of the Week
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"The ocean covers 72% of our planet. The health of the ocean is
vital to the health of the planet and our own health.
Trash in the ocean is a significant threat globally and one of the
most widespread pollution problems facing us today."
~~Project Kaisei Blog, Capturing the Plastic Vortex, Sept 1, 2010
Thanks for all the invitation to connect on LinkedIn after last week's Tip of the Week! Loved all of your personalized introductions. Thank you for introducing yourself.
An email exchange that grew out of one of these introductions was the inspiration for today's article. As I read about his work and the work of another organization tackling the issues of plastics in the ocean, I realized that it's possible we are witnessing the birth of a new industry. Whether plastic waste in the ocean is one of your hot-button issues or not, you can learn how to identify clues that help you spot opportunities within your target industry.
Join me for Tonight's virtual Open House where I'll answer your questions about your green career journey...Join me.
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Tip of the Week: The Next Chapter in Ocean Plastics: The Birth of a New Green Industry
In late July the Plastiki completed its voyage from San Francisco to Sydney, Australia to draw attention to the abundance of plastic waste that is floating, suspended in several areas of the ocean. I wrote about this voyage in a previous Tip of the Week - Plastiki Eco-Expedition: Raising Awareness about Waste and Illustrating Green Careers.
This week I heard about two other organizations that are taking the next steps to address and combat this issue. I thought you might be interested in these developments too.
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As I read about these organizations I realized that we are likely witnessing the birth of a new green industry. Or perhaps several green industries.
As you track developments in your own hot-button topics, pay attention to trends and first-time actions.
- If you have a pioneering spirit and feel strongly about the issue, reach out to find out how you can become involved. Get creative. Find a way to leverage your skills, experience, and passion to contribute in meaningful ways.
- If you are looking for a job in the field, you'll need to wait for the industry to develop. Continue to track news on the topic to uncover future directions and opportunities.
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Project Kaisei
A member of the Plastiki project, Douglas Woodring, has started Project Kaisei, a non-profit, which is a "global collaborative solution to the plastic vortex." According to the founder, "Kaisei" means "ocean planet" in Japanese.
Founded in 2009, the first phase of the project was to research the North Pacific Gyre to understand the make up of the vortex. Using systematic measurement tactics, the team determined that plastics - both recognizable items and small bits - could be found at the surface as well as 200 meters deep. Think of a soup with bits of plastic hanging suspended in the liquid. Unfortunately these bits look like food to marine animals and birds, which means they are filling their stomachs with indigestible meals.
The next phase of the project includes:
- Returning to the ocean's to test various methods to harvest and remove plastic from the ocean.
- Use the most effective techniques to harvest plastics.
- Find ways to use the recovered plastics as an input to create something of value. If a use can be found, then other companies and countries will be motivated to join the effort to clean up the ocean waters.
- (HINT: If harvested plastics can be converted into something that makes money with a good return on investment and viable methods are found to remove plastics, a new industry will be the result.)
Woodring recently announced the Plastic Disclosure Project (PDP). Just as companies are tracking their carbon emissions and water usage, the intention is to encourage and require companies to track the plastics they use. By being aware of the issues and of the way plastics are used in house, the hope is companies will redesign products, manufacturing processes, and packaging to minimize and eliminate plastics. This project is backed by $5 Trillion and is being shared with companies and countries worldwide. (HINT: This is something to follow to see how it evolved.)
For more information
STOP (Science & Technology against Ocean Plastics)
After my Tip of the Week article last week about LinkedIn, I received a number of invitations to connect. One from subscriber Oliver Harris, Co-Founder & Chief Executive of STOP (Science & Technology against Ocean Plastics), a UK based non-for-profit organization founded earlier this year to tackle the issue of plastics in the oceans.
Here's their mission:
- To lobby governments around the world to bring in coordinated legislation to help phase out non-biodegradable plastics
- To influence industry and greatly reduce the amount of non-biodegradable plastics that are produced and used around the world
- To raise awareness of this issue in the global media and thereby change consumer behavior
- To find practical ways to clean up the millions of tonnes of plastic waste already in our oceans and on our beaches
(HINT: An industry that may benefit from these efforts is bio-degradable products and reusable projects.)
For more information
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Trying to Figure Out Your Place in the Green Economy? Ask me questions at tonight's Open House
- Have questions about your green career journey?
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TODAY: Wednesday, Nov 3, 2010
1 PM to 3 PM - Pacific
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This is an entirely free service, thanks to the sponsor: Dharma Merchant Services, winner of the prestigious Green Business Leader award by Green America.
Need for Carbon Accounting Software and the Promise of Green Jobs
Signs of a new industry and new jobs - software for carbon accounting.
New trends this week include: urban mining, biofuels in the military and electric vehicles in the San Francisco Bay Area.
What's New for Green Career Central Members
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