Plastic in the ocean, the environment, and our lives is reaching a crisis level that must be addressed with every gadget, system, or innovative idea we can come up with. It is going to take an army of solutions to solve the problem and everyone needs to be a soldier in the fight because, literally, the fate of life on this planet as we know it may depend on what we do in the very near future.
So....do you think you have what it takes to develop the next big idea to help curb the ocean plastic pollution problem? Or do you think you already have it in mind?
Well then, this is your shot! National Geographic and Sky Ocean Ventures launched a global competition on February 11, 2019, that will support new and innovative solutions tackling the problem of ocean plastic pollution. They're asking anyone who may have a solution to enter. It's called the Ocean Plastic Innovation Challenge and we've got the inside scoop.
The competition is a year-long challenge open to teams or individuals that focuses on three separate but equally needed tracks to help curb ocean plastic pollution.
- Design: This track challenges teams to "...identify pragmatic investable solutions to improve food and beverage packaging and containers."
- Circular Economy: This track asks teams to, "...develop scalable business models and technology solutions, applicable across industries, to reduce plastic packaging waste and encourage the reuse and repurposing of plastic alternatives instead of discarding them after one use."
- Data Visualization: This track looks at the use of data to "...represent a relevant, credible data set related to the global challenge of plastic waste."
What's the prize, you ask? Well, besides ridding the world of the crushing effects of plastic (as if that wasn't enough), teams will compete for purses of up to $500,000 and some teams may qualify to have a shot at a minimum of $1 million in investments from Sky Ocean Ventures! The deadline to enter is June 11, 2019, so if you are interested in helping us change the world, you can enter the competition here.
"The Ocean Plastic Innovation Challenge is a tremendous opportunity to create a global community of problem solvers — innovators, scientists, researchers, storytellers, and other creative minds — who are passionate about bringing their ideas to life in order to stem the tide of plastic pollution," said Dr. Jonathan Baillie, National Geographic Society Executive Vice President.
Frederic Michel, Group Director of Impact at Sky Ocean Ventures added, "Sky and National Geographic have the very unique opportunity and resources to help reverse the damage that is being done and help accelerate and scale up ideas."
We are so excited that these two organizations have decided to join forces and challenge the world to come up with more solutions to the global ocean plastic pollution crisis.
We encourage everyone out there to gather their gizmos, plans, and best ideas and just go for it! Apply now because we don't have any time to lose.
Make sure you follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to stay up on all things 4ocean. Also, make sure to leave a comment below and let us know your big idea as well as go over to our new Discover 4ocean Facebook Group to join the conversation. We have some really amazing things lined up for this year so make sure to check back often!
Sources: National Geographic Society and Gibraltar Chronicle