Plastic In our Oceans
How can we best track physical pollution to improve the quality of waterways?
Our Project
Plastic pollution is a steadily growing problem in our society and poses a great threat to the health of the ecosystem as well as the quality of the water (17). Numerous international and local laws have been passed in an effort to decrease this leakage of plastics into waterways, and technology has been put to work to collect the existing plastic pollution (13, 34). These efforts, while commendable, would be far more effective if strategically implemented. A task that will require the tracking and study of plastic pollution to identify and put a stop to sources of this pollution. In order to aid in this cause and promote cleaner water globally, our project attempts to address the question of: How can we best track physical pollution to improve the quality of waterways?
Goals
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Identify the best tracking technology/combination of systems for monitoring plastic pollution
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Identify more efficient and effective waste collection and management practices to reduce physical pollution leakage into waterways
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Propose the implementation of our findings to improve Water Quality
Connections to the Green New Deal
The Green New Deal makes mentions of the collective effort that is needed in order to clean up our water systems and implement systems that act proactive to natural disasters. In Jermey Rifkin’s twenty-three initiatives, he specifically mentions in initiative thirteen, “the federal government, states, municipalities and counties should prioritize and finance the upgrading of all water systems, sewage systems, and stormwater drains by 2030 to be resilient to the climate change-induced hurricanes, storms, and floods,” (35). By implementing policy changes relating to water clean up, we are able to provide systems that can cleanse our bodies of water and not pollute other aspects of the environment at the same time. In the document describing Congress’ meeting about the Government’s involvement in the Green New Deal, congress mentions that public water has to be protected and taken care of (45). This ensures access to clean water is available to everyone and nature can be preserved. Understanding spatial analyses and patterns is crucial to understanding the world in which we live. Tracking the changes in deforestation, air and water quality, and urban development are crucial in understanding the environmental impacts of our actions; things the Green New Deal is trying to track and address.
Research Method
To explore the interconnected components of our project, we conducted literature reviews using the Virginia Tech Library and Google Scholar search systems. By using strategic search terms we found information on existing plastic detection methods for comparison, waste management practices, and the influence of plastics on waterways and life.
Honors-UAP: SuperStudio
This project was part of the SuperStudio Honors course within the Department of Urban Affairs and Planning at Virginia Tech. This course was a combined studio that focused on all facets of research, including innovation for public good, future employment, data analytics and healthcare, education, and environmental policy.
Our Team
Get to Know Us
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