Meet Mr Trash Wheel – and the other new devices that eat river plastic

Good News Notes: “The Great Bubble Barrier is just that – a wall of bubbles. It gurgles across the water in a diagonal screen, pushing plastic to one side while allowing fish and other wildlife to pass unharmed. The technology, created by a Dutch firm and already being used in Amsterdam, is being trialled in the Douro…

Progress for Pacific Ocean cleanup

Good News Notes: “The Ocean Cleanup, the non-profit developing and scaling technologies to rid the oceans of plastic, have shared their proof of technology upon returning to Victoria Harbour with trash collected from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. With this confirmation, the organization will immediately return to the infamous gyre to start cleaning the ocean’s…

Ford Takes Giant Baby Step On Recycled Plastic

Good News Notes: “Ford has just introduced a new car part made from recovered fishing nets, or “ghost gear,” and the company is billing it as the first ever use of recycled plastic from the ocean by the auto industry. That’s sure to catch the attention of other automakers eager to make an impression on…

This ‘floating continent’ could collect and recycle plastic from the ocean in future

Good News Notes: “‘The 8th continent’ is an award-winning design that recycles ocean plastic and is completely self-sustainable. Its five-part structure contains everything from greenhouses and living quarters to biodegradable waste collectors. Senior designer at Zaha Hadid Architects in London, Lenka Petráková, developed the idea for her student master thesis a few years ago in Vienna,…

Oregon Business – Can the Plastic

Good News Notes: “Portlanders Marcelle and Edward Abel are an active couple who enjoy traveling and hiking with their 11-year-old twins. Like many eco-conscious couples, they fill reusable bottles with water to take with them on trips. But — as is often the case with many of us — when their reusable containers run dry,…