The speaker discusses a garbage collection competition, where he and his team aim to collect 13 million kilos of garbage from a beach using a robot. The robot is equipped with a barrier that guides garbage towards its mouth, where it is channeled through a conveyor belt and released into floating containers. These containers are then emptied and disposed of. The speaker also emphasizes the importance of cutting pollution at its source, as 80% of the plastic that flows into the ocean from rivers comes from just 1% of the rivers. The goal is to place garbage-eating robots in these most polluted rivers to solve the problem at its source.
The speaker shares his personal connection to the issue, having witnessed the overwhelming amount of plastic in Greek waters as a teenager. This experience led him to found the Bojan non-profit organization, which aims to rid the ocean of trash and plastic. His team's efforts during the competition serve as a demonstration of the potential impact of such robots.
Despite the team's initial advantage, the robot was able to surpass the human team in terms of garbage collected. The speaker attributes this to the robot's consistency and ability to work autonomously. He also highlights the benefits of using robots for this task, such as the ability to work continuously without fatigue and the potential to provide employment opportunities.
The speaker concludes by appealing to the audience to donate to their cause, which aims to raise millions of dollars to further the development and deployment of these robots. He emphasizes that everyone can contribute, from donating money to sharing the campaign on social media. The goal is not only to remove trash from the ocean but also to cut off its sources in rivers and beaches.
1. The speaker intends to collect 13 million kilos of garbage from a river using a 50-ton floating robot.
2. The speaker is participating in a garbage collection competition with a teammate, Mr. Bis.
3. The speaker's teammate is a 50-ton floating robot that eats garbage.
4. The speaker and Mr. Bis have started the competition.
5. The speaker's robot is designed to wait for the wind to blow the garbage towards it.
6. The speaker's robot is able to cut the advantage of early garbage collection by Mr. Bis.
7. The speaker's robot is part of a larger strategy to remove trash from the ocean and cut pollution at the source.
8. The speaker's robot works by anchoring near the river bank, channeling floating garbage towards its mouth, and releasing it into floating containers.
9. The waste management facility also has solar panels and a rainwater collection system.
10. The Bojan non-profit organization provides the interceptor, while the local government and communities implement and maintain it.
11. The speaker has encountered fish while collecting garbage, which can swim under the garbage barriers.
12. The speaker has been able to surpass Mr. Bis in the amount of garbage collected.
13. The speaker has taken opportunities to enjoy the natural beauty of the Dominican beaches while collecting garbage.
14. The garbage collected often comes from rainwater canals and makeshift garbage dumps.
15. In the Dominican Republic, poor remote communities often lack places to deposit their waste, leading to accumulation in their own towns.
16. The Dominican government, together with the UN, is working on long-term solutions.
17. The speaker has pledged to personally remove more than 45,000 kilos of garbage from the ocean by donating 100,000 dollars.
18. The speaker has challenged viewers to donate to the cause and share the campaign on social media.