As you can see, I’m on a roll of exploring global projects that inspire, call attention to specific issues, AND create something beautiful. Here…Plastiki, a work of modern art!
The Plastiki is the name of the sailing vessel which adventurer and environmentalist David de Rothschild and a four-man/one-woman crew
will sail across the Pacific Ocean. On March 20th, after nearly 4 years of development the Plastiki (a 60-foot catamaran made from post consumer plastic water and soda bottles) finally sailed off on its big adventure!
Taking inspiration from Thor Heyerdahl’s Kon-Tiki expedition in 1947, The Plastiki will navigate over 11,000 nautical miles for an estimated 3 months, sailing from San Francisco to Australia’s world famous Sydney Harbour. They plan to visit several sites of ecological importance or which are susceptible to environmental issues along the way.
Engineered by a number of experts in the field of sustainable design, boat building, architecture, materials and innovative design technology, the Plastiki is built almost entirely from 12,500 reclaimed plastic bottles that provide 68% of the boat’s buoyancy. Plus reclaimed items such as the mast (an aluminium irrigation pipe) and a uniquely recyclable and relatively unexplored material that has never been developed to make anything like a boat before. This has the potential to revolutionize the future of boat-building and beyond. It includes thin-film solar panels and wind turbines, rain catchment system, edible garden for on-boat food production. For more information about details of the boat itself, check out Michelle Kaufmann’s blog!
On a journey that will last up to 100 days the crew will battle with the elements of the Pacific, the challenges of a one of a kind boat and witness some of the most devastating waste accumulation on our planet. Its been a long time coming, and for the crew and supporting team this is a very special mission, one which will rethink waste as a resource and bring attention to global warming and the rising oceans in the Pacific.
David noted, “So many things come wrapped in plastic. We’re practically wrapping the world in plastic.” He would like to reverse the current rate at which the world consumes and throws away 80% of all plastic bottles, while recyclying only 20%. “What if we could recycle 80%?”
To see them set sail check out abc’s clip, and to hear about their inspiration and their mission, check out the clip below! And…you can follow their progress through Facebook, Twitter and their blog.
Bon Voyage Plastiki!
