Like many people, I have gone on my fair share of trips to the beach growing up, and every time I go it seems the beaches are dirtier then they were before. The biggest problem is when I try to find a spot to lay down, the sand is filled with little pieces of garbage, mainly plastic, which is not only uncomfortable but also not natural in the environment. This got me looking into why beaches are so dirty and new technologies to clean them up. During this process, I found a lot of images online of garbage and plastic build up that showed the issue was even worse in certain parts out on the water. The issue really caught my attention when I saw images of the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch," which is a spot in the ocean that has accumulated so much trash in one spot that I actually couldn't believe it was real. The image shown above, shows the scale of how big this "garbage patch" truly is. Seeing the image of all the garbage buildup had me thinking about two things; this surely couldn't just be the only existent of a "garbage patch", and that there has to be someway to put all this garbage to use. Today, with the push towards more recycling, many new research and development teams have found various new uses for discarded plastics. As a typical college student, YouTube, is like the new TV, that has an algorithm which suggests videos you never knew you needed to watch or had an interest in until you actually watch them, and find yourself contemplating why you are still awake watching a video about recycled plastics at 3am instead of sleeping. Anyways at one point a video on YouTube popped up about using recycled plastics to construct new roads. I learned that recycled plastic roads would actually be strong and durable with a lifespan longer than current roadways. This was shocking, somehow, plastics could actually be strong enough to support the load of cars, yet I still can't get a disposable fork to make it through one meal without breaking. But what was really interesting was when the video mentioned a potential modular design for plastic roads, this would allow for road work to be completed much faster, comparing the concept to the idea of stick built versus prefabricated homes. Current road construction is almost entirely built on site much like a stick built house, yet with modular roads, sections could be built off site at scale lowering both the cost and time to install. This had me hooked, and got me thinking why can't the plastic being used to build these new roads, not be the same plastics that pour into the ocean. Not to mention how much nicer it would be to drive without having to experience all the long excruciating roadwork anymore. While what the future holds, is unknown, we can all hope it includes plastic roads.
Image Credit: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48948237422_8dcf089777_b.jpg