Something I stumbled across that is making me feel better about the world:
The Flipflopi Project, which has built the first ever sailing dhow made from recycled plastic, which was at the time probably the biggest item made from recycled plastic at 9m long. Now they are almost done with the second boat, which is 24m long.
This project:
- pays locals to collect plastic waste from beaches, out of sensitive and CO2-storing mangrove forests and from households
- uses this waste and recycles it to make new materials for the boats
- experiments with using solar cookers to heat up plastic for processing
- is saving trees from having to be cut down for the boats
- works with traditional dhow builders, keeping this craft alive
- teaches students about the different stages of the project, how to sort, recycle, use plastic as well as weaving, carpentry (with wood and plastic), metalwork, traditional and high-tech machines and boat building
- sailed along the coast of east Africa and around Lake Victoria, connecting communities around the region
- raises awareness about plastic pollution, recycling, and spreads joy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mT2dQ8Og18