RiverUP
The Problem
Each year, 1.15-2.41 million tons of plastic waste enter oceans through rivers. This project intends to mitigate the problem of plastic pollution in our waterways in both rivers and oceans.
Our Proposal
We hope to increase awareness of river, and subsequently ocean, pollution by creating a tangible platform through which students can engage not only in trash collection but also proactive outreach, both social and political, through an extensive but user-friendly phone application. This is a two part project, which involves the implementation of surface nets along small streams and rivers which will be used to skim plastic and other large pollutants from the river. Once the net is full, students would remove the trash from the river, weigh it, and if possible, sort and classify said trash. The app will feature several options including a data entry tab for weight and type of trash collected, a map to assist in the selection of location for net implementation and to track where these nets have been implemented, a social media tab where pictures of trash collection can be shared as well as options to tweet or contact local officials with pictures, and several other educational and motivational tabs with information about recycling and what to do with the trash collected, progress reports, and a "point" system to motivate students through competition.
We Assume that...
1. We are assuming that rivers, particularly those near schools willing to participate, will be polluted, but this may not be true for all locations as some locations may be more polluted than others.
2. We are assuming that interactions with pollution and education about their sources will result in behavioral changes among students.
Constraints to Overcome
Major problems involve safety concerns with setting up and retrieving the nets as well as handling the trash. Additionally, this project requires widespread participation to produce important and reliable data on pollution sources and consistent participation for long-term impacts.
Current Work
Developing a functioning app, determining the most effective net/trash collection system, identify schools willing to participate, develop a website, find funding and partners.
Current Needs
We primarily need experienced app developers and prototypes for the net system.