Strategizing Ocean Conservation Through ‘Nationhood’
Banning the use of plastic coupled with organized debris clean ups will conserve marine ecosystems.
The article was originally published on WeNaturalists, as a part of the curated section by the editorial team. For similar stories, head to our Explore section.
As ocean pollution continues to aggravate, garbage patches take a heavier toll on our ecosystems. Ocean Cleanup’s 2018 study indicates that the most popular swirling collection of trash, the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” (GPGP) has manifested itself 16 times bigger than its previous size. First noticed in 1945, GPGP spans 1.6 million square kilometers across the North Pacific Gyre, and is filled with debris including abandoned fishing equipment, plastic bottles and other forms of microplastics.
This Great Pacific Garbage Patch which is equivalent to thrice the size of France and doubles that of Texas in the US, has severe repercussions for the human health, marine ecosystems, navigation of ships, and the economy in general.
Taking the plight of these garbage patch-affected oceans into account, finding a sustainable solution is imperative.
Trash Isles — Creative Campaign for Tackling the Patch Problem!
To overcome the plastic crises that has heaped the world’s oceans with toxicity, a satire website LADbible teamed up with the nonprofit Plastic Oceans Foundation and drafted the Declaration of Independence for the “Trash Isles” (Great Pacific Garbage Patch). On World Oceans Day, the creative collaborators Michael Hughes and Dalatando Almeida ideated on transforming this country-sized garbage patch into the “world’s 196th nation”.
The Trash Isles campaign was formulated with the basic mission of lobbying the United Nations (UN) to address the plastic issue. By bringing attention to the magnanimity of the issue, the UN Member States under the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, 1992 can, thus, collectively participate in cleaning up this mess.
However, achieving nationhood for a trash pile on the ocean is a herculean task.
According to “Article 1 of the 1933 Montevideo Convention, a country must be able to define its borders (tricky when it continues to accumulate waste on a daily basis); form a government; interact with other states, and have a permanent established population.”
Fortunately enough for the campaigners, this lighthearted awareness movement resonated with 250 million-plus people across the globe — through social media, websites and coverage by various print and electronic media — within 60 days. Moreover, the noble cause of the campaign attracted the attention of celebrities like Sir David Attenborough, former US Vice President Al Gore, Mo Farah, and UN spokesman for the UN’s Secretary-General Stéphane Dujarric, etc., thereby strengthening the global outreach.
Most importantly, Trash Isles could fulfill the basic tenets for gaining the recognition as a Nation:
- The plastic debris in the North Pacific Ocean was claimed by the campaign as the ‘territory’
- A monarchy was established in Trash Isles with Dame Judi Dench as its queen, Dwayne ‘Rock’ Johnson as the Defence Minister, etc. thereby leading to the formation of a ‘Government’
- The ideators of the campaign hope to communicate this problem with other states
- People across the globe became ‘citizens’ by signing on Change.org. Al Gore and London-based designer Mario Kerkstra were among the first ones
With so many individuals joining the cause as signatories indicate that the plastic problem is real. The campaign, therefore, has the capability to foster ocean cleanups, initiate steps for recycling plastic and modify our choices to use eco-friendly plastic alternatives. Now is the time when these conscious changes require to be made. Now is the time when we can reverse the plastic mess we have created!
Global Initiatives Taking a Similar Stance: Coca-Cola Cleanup!
The overwhelming success of the Trash Isles has inspired other corporations to join the fight against conventional plastic. According to recent research by UNEP, “a fifth of the world’s river basins are experiencing dramatic fluctuations in water availability, and 2.3 billion people are living in countries categorized as ‘water-stressed’, including 721 million in areas where the water situation is ‘critical’.” Hence, countries worldwide have invested time, money and efforts in ideating innovative solutions to solve this major crisis.
A great example is the global collaborative effort between Coca-Cola and the Dutch NGO, The Ocean Cleanup for trash collection from Can Tho River (one of the 15 major rivers where solar-powered cleansing solutions will be applied) in Vietnam.
Considering Break Free From Plastic’s 2019 report on plastic trash around the world where Coca-Cola was accorded the largest plastic polluter with 11,732 of their items collected from 37 countries, it is only fitting for them to initiate projects to clean up the oceans.
The Ocean Cleanup’s technology involves a solar-powered barge-like Interceptor, which is estimated to remove nearly 50 tonnes of plastic waste per day. The main structure of the Interceptor is attached to a barrier at a particular angle across the Can Tho river to direct the drifting plastic into this barge. Next, the plastic travels through a conveyor belt — to the belly of the Interceptor for sorting and recycling. Coca-Cola and The Ocean Cleanup are jointly also deploying this technology in Santo Domingo and the Dominican Republic.
Launching New Waves in Ocean Conservation
Nations across the globe are acknowledging the magnitude of the harm caused to the oceans and are taking stern steps to restore the health of marine ecosystems.
For instance, the Kenyan government has put a ban on all forms of plastic bags. Similarly, the usage of styrofoam-like containers has been prohibited in Zimbabwe. Also, France has rejected the use of plastic plates, cups, and cutlery.
With environmentally-motivated groups, campaigners and organizations vouching for eco-friendly alternatives to plastic, engaging in cleanups and trash removal, and emphasizing recycling, it is safe to infer that the tides have turned against plastic use. If we implement these efforts on a global scale, together we can stop the oceans from being choked by plastic pollution.
