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Win a vac - new deadline!

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:20:23 GMT

It's Christmas time after all so we have decided to be a bit understanding with your busy schedules. New deadline for our competiotion is 21/12!

So for those of you who don't have all your Christmas gifts ready - this is your chance to get an UltraSilencer Green for someone you like!

To enter the competion tell us:
- how do you think plastic waste can be minimized in everyday life?
- or do you have a great idea for how plastic can be reused?
- or have you seen an inspiring example of plastic reuse lately?

Send your reply to electrolux@vacfromthesea.com

Inspiration

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:34:04 GMT

We are amazed by all the creativity that has arosen around Vac from the Sea. This is one of our favorites... An artwork made with sand that tells the VFTS-story. Amazing.

Want to win an UltraSilencer Green?

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 10:06:11 GMT

On the 11th of December we will send an UltraSilencer Green vac to someone who shares ideas with us on one of the topics below - could be you!

This is what we would like to know (you only need to answer ONE question):
- How do you think plastic could/should be reused?
- How can we minimize plastic waste in our everyday life?
- In which product or category have you seen the most innovative recycling of plastic?

Send your reply (text, image or film) to electrolux@vacfromthesea.com before December 10th 2011!

Miss E's trip is over

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 16:28:07 GMT

Last update from Julian!

Day 6
Almost 500km yesterday!!!!! Second week of the tour started off in Nelson, top of the South Island. All suited up, Miss E Lux on my back and a quick hitch to Tahunanui school saw us present to the all 350 students. The kids of Tahunanui school we’re overjoyed to receive the UltraOne Green and More FM cheque, after which the Enviro Group students showed us their gardening project that feeds the entire school. Following a quick bite of lunch wewere on state highway 6 looking for a ride to Blenheim. More FM broadcasted our position and 20 minutes later we were away. There was plenty of traffic coming in and out of Marlborough country so getting a ride from Blenheim to Christchurch was much easier than I’d thought, and featured some of the most spectacular scenery I’ve ever seen in my life. Today’s haul of almost 500 km was the longest we’ve come in one day, but we made it in time to visit the next school, and then push on to Dunedin.

Day 7
Day 7 began with a short trip up to Woodend, just north of Christchurch to visit the winning school for the region. About 200 kids from Woodend School came to see our presentation and receive their UltraOne Green and winners cheque, which the kids collectively decided to use the help extend their school gardening project. In passing through Christchurch city one truly earns an appreciation of what this city has been through since the devastating earthquakes in February, however the spirit of the city remains strong as the clean up continues.
The run from Christchurch to Dunedin was a 360 km haul, at 1pm Miss E Lux and I hit state highway 1 and got working on a ride. After 20 minutes a passing insurance salesman got us to Timaru, about half way to Dunedin. From here a series of 4 other drivers including Dutch travelers and a massive milk tanker eventually safely delivered us to Dunedin early that evening. Another massive day of hitch hiking complete, only one day to go!

Day 8
Starting off in Dunedin, today would most likely be the day this massive
hitch hiking journey reaches its conclusion in Invercargill! A brisk
morning ride with More FM got Miss E Lux and myself to the Dunedin Rudolf
Steiner School, presenting the UltraOne Green and $500 cheque to the entire
school of 38 kids, who were very engaged with what we are trying to achieve
with plastics. At Midday we set off for Invercargill, with the weather
looking nasty, but plenty of traffic on the roads. One thing I’ve learnt
about hitching is that it’s totally unpredictable when you will get a ride.
After an hour we finally got picked up but moved only 10 minutes down where
we jumped out, at which point the heavens opened. Sheltering under some
pine trees by the road, some 30 minutes later a massive Kenworth truck
pulled over and we jumped in, the driver had heard about our journey on
More FM and offered us a ride which got us to the enormous Fontera milk
factory in Edenvale some 120 km down the road, very cool to ride in this
massive truck! From here a passing tradesman got us quickly to
Invercargill, where upon our arrival the clouds parted and the sun came
out, perfect timing for reaching the final stop – We made it! One more
school to visit tomorrow and our mission will be complete!

Day 9
This is it, the last day and the last hitch in this massive trek across this beautiful country. Invercargill is not a large town so getting to the Otatara School did not look like a difficult task. Standing by highway 1 for the last time, Miss E Lux and I we’re pleasantly surprised to see a car pull up, driven by a local retailer that knew we were in town. The word of the tour had spread! Over 300 students at Otatara School attended our presentation, and had already worked out exactly what they would spend their prize money on; a new worm farm to make compost for their organic gardening project. Again, it amazes me to see how these children are already thinking long term about how they can reduce, re-use and recycle, extremely encouraging! A quick trip to the local More FM radio station for a final interview and the tour was finished! The last 8 days on the road had covered over 2300 km, visiting ten schools to present the Vac from the Sea initiative to over 4000 students. Mission complete!

Competition time!

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 12:29:29 GMT

How do you think plastic can be reused? And what are your ideas on the challenge to generally minimize plastic waste? In which product or category have you seen the most innovative recycling of plastic? Send us an e-mail to electrolux@vacfromthesea.com with your idea described in text, picture or any other creative way. One of you will win an UltraSilencer Green. The competition is open until December 10th. Don´t forget to provide your contact information!

Update from New Zealand

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 12:09:21 GMT

Wondering how Julian and Miss E (yep, the Vac has a name now) are doing with their hitch hiking adventure across New Zealand?

Here is Julian's diary and some pics! If you want to know more about Julians journey then please write to us at electrolux@vacfromthesea.com

Day 2
After a radio announcement to help the Vac and myself get a ride, we hitched a ride to Rhode Street School to award them with their $500 cheque and UltraOne Green in recognition of their work in the area of environmental sustainability. My word, what an unbelievable school this is, where they grow their own food, construct their own structures and even have their own radio station, seriously impressive stuff. From here we hit the road and hitched to Cambridge, then to the blue waters of Taupo, then after some more help from our radio partner, hitched a ride through the roads to the art deco capitol of Napier. Another successful day of travel with four friendly drivers, its' time to relax for a few hours before another day of hitching south.

Day 3

A short hop from the art deco capital of Napier to Havelock North first thing in the morning got the NZ Vac from the Sea and myself to Iona Collage thanks to the help of More FM. There we showcased the Vac from the Sea to a group of school girls and discussed recycling initiatives, before presenting them with their winning cheque and UltraOne Green for the fantastic work they are doing in the area of environmental responsibility. Always great to see school kids thinking of how they can contribute to a cleaner, green future. That afternoon we swung by a handful of local retailers who are really excelling with their sales of the Electrolux Green range, specifically Havelock North Harvey Norman. In this very Green land, there’s some brilliant activity to support a cleaner tomorrow.

Day 4
Thursday began with a real race against the clock, to get from Hastings to Palmerston North by 11am for our presentation to Ross Intermediate school. Things were looking tough when the Vac and I began hitching at 7.30am, with little traffic around. Thankfully a passing sales rep who had heard about the tour picked us up, 90 minutes later we were at the Ross Intermediate school, where the Vac from the Sea presentation was held to over 400 students, and the UltraOne and $500 prize presented to the school for their winning entry on how they recycle. After a quick visit to Harvey Norman in Palmerston North, the crew at More FM did a live cross announcing that I was in need of a ride to the final destination for the day, Wellington. After about 20 minutes a passerby spotted the Vac on my back and we were off to windy Wellington.

Day 5
Kicking off in the heartof Wellington, Miss E (NZ Vac from the Sea) and I made our way to Te Aro School, trying to hitch a ride but without success, fortunately it was a 30minute walk from the starting point. All the students at Te Aro attended our presentation, greeting us with a Maori welcoming song and taking a very active part in a fun filled half hour discussion on recycling. From here it was a rough ride across the Cook Straight, where Miss E and myself were lucky enough to visit the ships bridge, where the ship’s Captain explained how he had recently sailed across the pacific, and was shocked by the amount of junk floating in the ocean. Needless to say he was very enthusiastic for our cause.

(All photos Erica Ahnfeldt)

Vac from the Sea hitch hikes across New Zealand

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 17:03:26 GMT

The New Zealand Vac from the Sea is about to hit the road to help spread awareness about the worlds bad plastic karma, how we can address this imbalance by improving recycling habits, and what Electrolux is doing in this space. In a two week tour Green ambassador, Julian Huitfeldt and the New Zealand Vac from the Sea will travel to schools and retailers across New Zealand, all the while raising money for Allergy NZ. This is however a tour with an interesting twist; Huitfeldt is only allowed to travel via hitchhiking. With the Vac in a specially made harness, mounted on Huitfeldt’s back, the two are preparing for one epic journey. The journey starts today Monday 31st October 2011.

- We are beginning in Whangarie near the top of the north island of travelling all the way to Invercargill in the bottom of the south Island; we have two weeks to make this journey which covers over 2000km. We’re planning to showcase the Vac from the Sea to ten schools along the way, to help spread awareness with the future of NZ on environmental responsibility with plastics. It’s a little quirky, but I’m confident that the good people of NZ will be keen to help me along the way! We’ve had a specially made harness for the Vac so I can wear it on my back when hitch hiking, so there’s no way anyone is going to miss me. Also, under no circumstances can I be picked up by an Electrolux employee, which helps add to the challenge, says Julian Huitfeldt.

New Zealand’s only national broadcaster, More FM will be following the journey on a daily basis, not only helping encourage drivers to give Julian a lift to the next destination, but promoting the journey on their website. You can follow Julian’s journey to help spread to work on environmental responsibility and Electrolux on www.morefm.co.nz Today however, Julian has kindly provided us with his first update on this epic journey:

First day, October 31st. A massive trip today with six drivers kind enough to help the NZ Vac from the Sea and me make our 284 KM trip from Whangarei to Hamilton. After presenting the $500 winning cheque and UltraOne Green to the winners at Whangarie Girls High School in appreciation of their great recycling efforts, we hit the road headed south. Several times we thought we'd be stuck by the road for hours so a massive thanks to the drivers, especially for the pick up in the Auckland CBD that somehow got us back on the motorway headed to Hamilton. From the sub tropics of the roads north of Auckland to the rolling hills of Hamilton, one big first day is behind us now. Tomorrow, destination Napier! Regards! Julian Huitfeldt, Product Marketing Manager, Electrolux Floor Care & Small Appliances

TED Talk on plastic

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:37:57 GMT

This week Cecilia Nord, Vice President Floor Care Environmental and Sustainability Affairs shares one of her favorite TED Talks with us as well as her reflections around it.

"Less than 10% of plastic waste is recycled on this planet. This is a sad truth, and one of the most importantfactors behind our ocean waste problem. In Electrolux' work to introduce recycled plastics into our products, we have come across companies that are trying to change this - by solving the problem of catching discarded plastics and turning it back into its original different types. This makes it possible to give discarded plastics another useful life-time in a product, and helps turn plastic waste into a desired raw material. This is the best ,most efficient and quickest way of minimizing the amount of plastics that is not taken care of, and which finds its way to our oceans.

Join me in watching this TED-talk on recycling of plastics. Through innovative technologies such as this one, we can make sure that going forwards, we take better care of the STUFF of this planet."

(TED is a non profit platform devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It was started in 1984 and has now grown into a true global movement designed to inspire, educate and bring people experiences on a multitude of subjects.)

What can you do?

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 16:59:11 GMT

We recently got an e-mail from New Zealand telling us about a great local initiative with the aim to take care of a beautiful beach, Waihi.

Every now and then we get an e-mail from someone expressing interest in Vac from the Sea and collaborating with us. These e-mails are always very welcome. It is inspiring to read about all the amazing projects and initiatives that are going on in different places all over the world. And of course, we feel happy and proud that Vac from the Sea is so appreciated.

At the moment we are not looking for new partnerships. But we are always interested in sharing thoughts on sustainability and the state of our oceans, and in making new acquaintances for possible future collaborations. So please keep writing to us. We regularly adress these topics in our different communication channels and gladly share information about inspiring projects, organization and initiatives!

Some of you have been wondering what one can do as an individual to get involved in the preservation of marine habitats, or specifically what to do with plastic debris found on beaches or when sailing. The answer to the first question is that our best suggestion is that you research what organizations there are in your town or area that are engaged in the issues you are interested in. There are so many organizations all over the world dedicated to various sustainability challenges and they always welcome support! Some good examples of marine organizations/projects are Save Our Baltic Sea, Plastiki, 5Gyres and Algalita. When it comes to plastic debris, we suggest that you contact your municipality and ask them for advice. Perhaps they have a recycling plant or designated places for plastic debris.

Sustainability in stores

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:31:40 GMT

Providing millions of homes all over the world with appliances means that we have an opportunity to help a lot of people to make environmentally conscious decisions. We also have possibilities to talk about the importance of a sustainable business ¨and lifestyle. Vac from the Sea is one of many ways in which we try to raise awareness about sustainability issues.

However, our talk about sustainability would not be worth much if these values were not incorporated in our product range and product development. We are determined in our ambition to constantly supply homes with better sustainable products. Electrolux Green Range is our way of pushing ourselves towards new goals and making sure that there are sustainable choices available on storeshelves. Every person who chooses to buy an appliance that is recyclable, energy-efficient and produced in a responsible way makes a significant contribution to a more sustainable world. And letħ be concrete ¨the higher the demand for products like this ¨the more shelf space will be made available to them by retailers!

The Electrolux Green Range is constantly developed and new products are added. The vacuum cleaners in the range are green version of our best-sellers and of course there are green S-bags for them! Electrolux Green range vacuum cleaners are made from 70% recycled material and save up to 50% energy compared with an average 2000W cleaner. Wattage is reduced without significant loss of suction and pickup. If a consumer uses a green Electrolux cleaner for ten years, he or she would save enough energy to reduce CO2 emissions by 320 kg ¨which is enough to drive a car 1,918 kilometers. The use of recycled plastics saves on average 90% of the water and 80-90% of the energy used when producing virgin plastics.

20 % of energy consumption in the home is directly related to appliances. Therefore, choosing energy-efficient appliances can really make a difference.

Dow Jones Sustainability World Index names Electrolux Durable Household Products sector leader

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:11:05 GMT

In the prestigious Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) for 2011, Electrolux remains Durable Household Products sector leader. Our score has improved compared to 2010. DJSI World includes the 10% best-in-class economic, environmental and social performers among the world’s 2,500 largest companies. We are proud to be included in the DJSI World for the fifth consecutive year.

The Electrolux Sustainability Strategy focuses on three areas:
• Integrating sustainability goals throughout the operations.
• Driving innovation and building the market for efficient appliances.
• Engaging stakeholders in dialog and building partnerships throughout the Group’s value chain to achieve these sustainability goals.

If you want to know more about how Electrolux works with sustainability please click here

Join us in the fight for cleaner oceans!

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 15:50:34 GMT

For every new Like we get on our Facebook-page during September and October 2011, Electrolux donates 1 Euro to Algalita Marine Research Foundation and 5 Gyres. These two organizations do extra-ordinary work for the protection of the marine environment through research, education and restoration. They have played an essential role in our sustainability project Vac from the Sea. We are very proud to collaborate with them in our shared task to increase awareness about plastic waste in our oceans and to learn from their experiences.

The contributions that result from the Facebook-campaign are on top of the 1.5% that Electrolux donates from the sales of our “green range” vacuums.

About Algalita and 5 Gyres

Algalita Marine Research Foundation is a California-based non-profit organization. It is dedicated to the protection of the marine environment and its watersheds through research, education, and restoration. Research and collaborative studies ar e conducted on marine plastic pollution and potential harmful effects of plastics in the marine environment, including transference of toxins and their impact on human health.

5 Gyres is a non-profit organization based in Los Angeles. The organization’s mission is to conduct research and communicate about the global impact of plastic pollution in the world’s oceans and employ strategies to eliminate the accumulation of plastic pollution in the 5 subtropical gyres. To understand the impact of plastic pollution the organizations studies the 5 subtropical gyres by sailing through them. Findings are shared through print and television, websites and blogs, lectures and school outreach, and a traveling exhibition about plastic pollution to museums, science centers and aquariums.

Algalita and 5 Gyres organize research expeditions together, inviting scientists, journalists and other sailors to join the crew. Someone who can tell you more about that is Brit Liggett whose story you can read on this blog here.

Thoughts on our Plastic Addiction

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:22:06 GMT

Though the Sea Dragon is quite an amazing vessel and I've had an absolutely incredible time, it was quite nice to step foot on dry land this morning! We docked in the harbor at Valdivia at about 9 a.m. and made it to a hotel by about 11 a.m. A regular shower was quite the luxury, let me tell you.

Our last night on the boat was simply magnificent. The ocean was calm and the moon was like a spotlight in the sky. We were actually able to navigate the boat by the stars and spent a little time imagining how early explorers felt in this part of the world. We've come a long way from exploring the oceans in order to find out how to get from point A to point B to exploring the oceans to see how our society might be destroying them.

While we stargazed and reminisced on our voyage I took some time to help Anna take her last water sample. A night sample at 3 a.m.! Our head lamps came in handy as we threw her bucket overboard and carefully filled her water sampling jars.

She has promised to report back on all of her findings as soon as she gets back to Sweden. I'm curious to see what she'll discover. It's been quite the learning experience, being in this completely pristine environment, while all the time trying to remember that our plastic addiction and environmental carelessness reaches even places like this where so few humans have been.

As Clive -- our skipper -- told me yesterday when I interviewed him, "we all think our oceans are infinite," but their vastness doesn't make them immune to our destruction. Their currents carry our thoughtless disposal of waste into their every nook and cranny. The, "not in my back yard" point of view just doesn't work with this problem. The ocean is forever circulating, the whole thing is all of our back yards.

So, as I go to sleep in a real bed in Valdivia, Chile, I'm reflecting on how we can all solve a part of this issue. There are problems in the waste stream, in the recycling cycle, in our habits and behaviors, in our thoughts and actions. The plastic problem is inherent to the way we live, as Clive said about plastic, "we couldn't hardly survive without it." So, now I think it is time for all of us to look to the future, to new kinds of materials that won't contaminate our oceans, to new mindsets that won't lead to thoughtless pollution. It is about innovation and education.

Every plastic bag, plastic bottle and plastic net has a likelihood of ending up in the environment and if it does, it will eventually make its way back into our food chain. As Charles Moore of the Algalita Marine Research Foundation says, "the ocean is downhill from everywhere."

The plastic research has ended and I've regretfully said goodbye to the rest of the crew. Now in the morning I'm off to New York. I promise to return home and take the memory of this research with me. A new mantra for us all, single use plastic is not a singular problem. It is a far reaching and destructive force that we've got to work together to eliminate.

Nurdle from the Sea

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:49:52 GMT

One great thing about being in the open water is having all of the sails on the Sea Dragon out in full force. Today the weather in the South Pacific is perfect, sunny and a little warmer than it has been with manageable swells. The sailing is just magnificent and being on the open ocean is unlike anything I've ever experienced, we are many miles off of the coast and can see no land at all. Just wide open sea -- and what a blue sea it is!

We just brought the trawl out for the first time -- now that the weather allows -- to see what we can grab. As Jeff -- the Sea Dragon's semi-permanent deck hand -- told me, we won't find anything like what we would find if we were out in an accumulation zone, but it will be interesting to see what is there.

The trawl is about 3 feet long and floats just on the surface of the water. It is held out over the side of the Sea Dragon with a long pole that keeps it a safe distance from the hull. The mechanism on the trawl for catching debris looks a lot like a tail. It starts off with a 6" wide metal tube, that lets out into a similarly shaped cloth tube, which ends with a 300 micron net -- anything the trawl catches ends up in the net.

We threw it overboard around noon and trawled for an hour before pulling it back in again. The trawl itself on the water looks a bit like a stingray skipping along on the surface beside the boat. When we pulled it back up we were all eager to see if there was anything there. Jeff -- who has a degree in marine biology and has worked with the Algalita Marine Research Foundation for three years, studying plastic pollution in the gyres -- was the one to analyze our catch.

As we expected there wasn't much to see, some small sea animals and one tiny piece of plastic -- called a nurdle, the basic component of most plastics -- which was very small and very white. Jeff noted that he was surprised that we had even found anything and that one piece of plastic was a perfect example of how far things travel. "We just trawled for a mile, in a six inch diameter, in a very secluded place and we found one piece of plastic," he said, emphasizing that we were far from any civilization and nowhere near an accumulation zone. Finding even one piece of plastic means that one piece must have traveled a long way to get here.

Jeff noted that in a similar trawl in a gyre you would find hundreds of pieces of plastic and that this one piece that we found would probably have ended up in a gyre eventually if we hadn't pulled it out of the water.

For now, we're happy that the Chilean coast remains relatively safe from accumulating plastic and are eager to see what the last day of our trip brings. On towards Valdivia!

The Lost Blue Oil Drum

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:37:54 GMT

Our final mysterious debris discovery in the Caleta Lamento del Indio...

The other day while anchored in the Caleta Lamento del Indio, Clive the skipper, Anna the scientist and I decided to take a little ride in the dingy right before dinner. The secluded cove that we were anchored in opens up into a larger inlet behind and we went exploring. Clive took us around the shoreline which was steep and covered in the most dense vegetation that you could imagine.

Clive decided we should at least try to step on land here, since so few people had probably been here before. So we found a little rock pile that looked promising, tied the dingy to a very thick tree stump and went ashore. We started mucking through the mud toward the brush and Clive thought he saw something strange in the woods.

Sure enough after scrambling over some rocks and stumps and through some trees we found that somehow through a tiny water way on the other side of this tiny piece of land a bright blue plastic oil drum had found itself washed ashore here. The drum only had a bit of algae growth on it, so probably found itself here after the last bit of heavy storms in the area, but here it was in the middle of nowhere in the fjords of Chile, full of fuel.

As Anna said later in the evening, if a blue plastic oil drum can find its way here to this place so far from civilization, "it could find its way anywhere."

Rocking the Boat in Gulfo de Penas

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:27:25 GMT

Yesterday was a doozy. I thought I was a pretty tough seafaring lady but put any strong sailor up against the Gulfo de Penas -- the 50 mile-wide gulf that you need to cross to exit the southern chilean fjords -- and you might just find them cowering at the sight. The guide book for sailing in Patagonia actually says that the body of water is, "widely respected by sailors of all times [and] must not be underestimated." You get used to the movement after about a day of it but for the first 24 hours the entire crew was either on deck getting fresh air -- and a lot of ocean spray -- or horizontal in bed. Though the boat is still moving like a lopsided rocking horse I woke up this morning -- as did the rest of the crew -- with my feet back underneath me.

Due to the unpredictable rocking of the Sea Dragon, writing yesterday was out of the question. Things and people were flying around in the cabin without logic and the thought of removing my computer from its safe place near my bunk not only frightened me but made me a little queasy as well. So here's what I should have reported to you yesterday but that the seas wouldn't allow.

After sailing all the way up through the southern Chilean fjords we decided to stop the boat in the middle of the night in order to wait for good weather to cross the Gulfo de Penas. We anchored and sent ropes to shore to secure the boat just before the angry gulf opens to the sea. We chose to stop in Caleta Lamento del Indio, which we awoke in the morning to see was a wonderland of vegetation and steep mountains. The little inlet is totally protected from the wind and has a larger inlet set behind it.

In the afternoon Anna decided to take some water samples from this lovely little place and let me have a hand at helping. Her system of sampling is so simple it seems impossible but as she explained to me she needs to take every precaution not to contaminate the water samples and so the simpler the better. What simpler way to sample than with a stainless steel bucket and some non-leeching storage bottles. Anna simply throws the bucket over board after sanitizing it -- she washes the bucket and the sampling bottles in the water that we are anchored in, fills the bucket with fresh sea water and then fills the bottles with the water. The samples will get filtered when we are back in dry land -- and near a high voltage outlet -- and the filters will be sent to Sweden to be analyzed.

Today we're expecting to be able to get the trawl out in the open water, which will be exciting. Due to the unreliability of the ocean and the crew yesterday, we didn't get a chance. Today seems more promising and I'll report back quickly on what we find -- and also about our final mysterious debris discovery in the Caleta Lamento del Indio.

On The Road Again

Sun, 13 Mar 2011 21:28:56 GMT

On the road again. I awoke yesterday morning at about 7:30 and realized that not only had no one come to get me for my watch at 4 a.m., but we hadn't moved from our safe spot in the bay at Puerto Eden. We thought the Chilean tsunami warning ended two hours after the wave was expected to hit but it actually lasted through the morning. We were still being kept it safe waters by the local armada - the wave once it reached us at around 1 a.m. was barely perceptible.

We were on our way by about 9 a.m. and though far behind schedule by now, we decided to make a little detour for some epic scenery. We took a hard right into Seno Iceberg - yes, that is the inlet's real name - to get up close to the Campo de Hielo glacier and almost immediately on entering the inlet a group of dolphins joined our trek.

The trip into the glacier took about an hour and for the entire time the dolphins were playing with the wake of the boat. An incredible way to enter an incredible place. When we got inside the glacier was all ours and in full force - what a powerful thing - we could hear it cracking and saw bits fall into the jade colored water.

Clive and Jeff - skipper and boat hand, or "monkey" as Jeff likes to say, respectively - took us in for a closer look on the dingy.

For the rest of the afternoon I passed my time interviewing the crew on video and while I go through those tapes in the next day, I'll be posting pieces of what they've told me about the plastic epidemic here.

For now we are chugging on through the night - under the stars! - toward the Gulfo de Penas, our first time in truly open water. Wish us luck!

Waiting Out the Tsunami Warning

Sun, 13 Mar 2011 09:20:56 GMT

The adventure continues. With word of the devastating earthquake in Japan today and the global tsunami warning we have been tucked into a bay by the Chilean government. They have things really well ordered and asked us to pull into the bay at around 6 p.m.. We are now anchored safely in deep water in Puerto Eden to wait out the warning which goes through about 2 a.m. local time.

The good news is that we got to see this amazing, tiny town up close. We got a chance to go ashore and walk around and it is really quite an incredible, colorful place.

We'll all be awake when the wave comes - which is expected to be less than 1/3 of a meter when it gets here - and our skipper is very confident that everything will be fine. None the less, precautions have been taken and we are in the perfect spot for taking a bit of a swell.

We'll hopefully be on the road again at about 3 a.m. local time and off again for the rest of our adventure.

Fishy Business

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 18:43:44 GMT

We are currently still tied and tethered, because of some pretty intense wind, in Punto Mayne, just off of the Smythe Channel. We've been here for about 24 hours and expect not to leave for another 6 or so, so we've been passing the time by going ashore to explore this amazing terrain. The rocky ground is covered in what seems like hundreds of kinds of moss and lichen.

Alfred, one of our crew members is our resident fisherman and just snagged lunch, but before he could serve it up Anna Rotander - our resident scientist from the MTM Research Center at Örebro University, Sweden - grabbed a sample from the fish.

Anna said the fish would be sent back to her lab in Sweden and "it will be prepared in our lab and will be analyzed. The muscle will be analyzed for POPs and the liver for fluorinated chemicals. POPs tend to accumulate in fatty tissue whereas fluorinated chemicals are mainly found in blood and liver tissue."

When I asked her what she thought they would find she said, "these chemicals are everywhere and we can analyze them at very low levels, because we have very sensitive instruments. We will probably find most classes of POPs [in fish in a Gyre] but I would assume you would find them at lower levels here because we are far from point sources." In the research her lab does they've taken samples from many places around the world and she noted that, "you may find high levels of chemicals, for example downstream from sewage treatment plants [sic] or in relatively polluted areas, like the Baltic Sea. Really you never know... if you knew exactly what you would find you wouldn't have to do anything."

The fish sample is now sitting in Anna's very sophisticated sample refrigerator awaiting it's moment in the scientific spotlight. As for us, we are waiting to get back underway.

Rollerblade Wheels, Shotgun Shells and Plastic Bottle Tops

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 08:06:41 GMT

It's about the time in the trip where we've started to lose track of the days. We are holed up in a cove just off of the Smythe Channel for the night because there are hurricane force winds ripping through to where we were sailing from the ocean. So to pass some time in this tiny cove after taking a walk ashore, I had a chat with Clive who works with 5 Gyres and is the skipper for this expedition.

The boat that we are on was involved in a race called the Global Challenge where 12 identical boats raced around the world. Clive skippered one of these boats in the Challenge. When one was sold and chartered by Pangaea Explorations - a group dedicated to making the oceans available to scientific research - he was asked to skipper some of the expeditions. Pangaea and 5 Gyres work hand in hand to survey the world's oceans.

1. How did you get involved with 5 Gyres?

It has more to do with the boat, that's the connection. I live in a town called Lymington in the southeast of England where all of these boats were sold. The owner of this boat, Ron Ritter - who is the founder of Pangaea Explorations - bought this boat and I worked with him on the boat. He got me to skipper it after he had taken the boat and crossed the Atlantic with his family. I was on the first 5 Gyres expedition from St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands to the Azures in January and Feburary of last year.

2. What is your experience going from racing to working with this boat?

I've sailed and raced around the world, from the Arctic to the south ocean. I was always very much racing, looking to the next current and weather system. This is my first time stopping and looking to see what is in the water, dragging for samples and I was shocked by what is there. We used to see bits of trash and thought they were a one-off. Being aware of the size and quantity of the problem, it was quite a revelation. I've gone along to do my own work with companies and plastic use. This is a big issue, the scale of it is not so relevant, quantifying it is very difficult. It is about raising people's awareness that plastic made from a finite resource, it is single use but it lasts forever. It is discarded into the environment, it is a waste of resource. It ends up polluting the environment. There's got to be a more sustainable model for plastic.

3. What is a plastic accumulation zone and how does it form?

Anything can end up in the ocean and that’s where it stays. There is a central vortex, a current and weather system that draws it into the central zone. We start sampling 200 miles from land outside the economic zone and trawl all the way across to 200 miles from the opposite shore. If you were to draw it on a rough graph you'd see it increasing towards the middle and decreasing on the other side.

It is affected by so many factors and the work that we are doing is baseline data, it is not as comprehensive as it could be. It is a first study, it is a first stab at trying to quantify the amount of plastic in all oceans in the world.

4. Since you started this work, do you think awareness has increased?

The last couple of years have been eye opening, for me as a person. I think more people are talking about it, there has been some TV interest and a lot of articles. It is really about making people think about plastic use and reducing their plastic use. Even then, you're hard pressed to go to into a super market and not buy plastic. Even if you don't want to, you have to. That's the thing, it is so cheap. It is flexible, colorable and comes in so many strengths. We couldn't hardly survive without it, yet so often we are not aware of its legacy -- it lasts forever.

5. What was the craziest thing you ever pulled out of the ocean?

One that always sticks in my mind is when I was a young kid in England we used to do a beach cleanup every year, once a year. Once we found this guy's dentures and they actually knew whose they were. This river meandered around before it went out to the ocean and there was a spit in it. Anything that this guy lost in the river would end up on that spit. But in the ocean? Rollerblade wheels, shotgun shells and hundreds of plastic bottle tops.

Hello from the Magellan Strait!

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 14:36:54 GMT

The crew L to R: Teresa (from TN), Chris (from MN), Tasha (from MN), Jeff (boat crew), Me (from NYC), Robert (from TN), Anna (from Sweden), Dale (first mate from Australia), Clive (Skipper from England), Alfred (from NM).

The crew of the Sea Dragon has been joking for the past two days that there's a postcard worthy photo around every corner. It is hard not to take pictures the entire time, one has to consciously put down their camera and take in this amazing place without technology.

We're coming up upon the Sarmiento Glacier and will anchor there for a bit before continuing on into the night. It is supposed to be the most spectacular glacier in this area of Chile - hard to beat the one we slept next to the other night, but we'll see. I've been chatting more with Anna Rotander, our on-board scientist, about her work - while we wait for the seas to calm so that she can take some samples. She works at the MTM Research Center at Örebro University in Örebro, Sweden where she is part of a laboratory that studies human and environmental exposure to fluorinated, chlorinated and brominated chemicals. Her lab does research on where these chemicals are found, in what quantities and also documents methodologies on how to record them accurately.

The chemicals we are looking for are, "extremely strong, they don't break down and it gives them these unique properties. They are used in gortex clothing, teflon pans, ski wax products, surfers use them. They're also found in cleaning products and firefighting foam," Anna said. " We want to see if we can find them in the plastic accumulation zones." These persistent organic pollutants - or POPs - are everywhere but in larger density in the Northern Hemisphere where there is a larger human population and more industry. Anna noted that because of the ocean's currents these chemicals could be found anywhere in the world - even in a place like the Magellan Strait in Chile, where the population is tiny. By studying the presence of the chemicals in different areas the lab can help to map the plastic, where it comes from and how the ocean's currents distribute it around the world.

Anna has been on the Sea Dragon since it was docked in Periapolis in Uruguay, will continue with us to Valdivia, Chile and then return to Sweden with her refrigerator of plastic samples to analyze. Anna and I are on the same "watch" - there are two watches that switch off crewing the boat and we've been talking quite a bit. I'm excited for our upcoming sampling extravaganza.

The End of the World

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 22:20:59 GMT

And we're off! The end of the world is more extreme than one could imagine. We set out sailing from Puerto Williams this morning and headed out into the Beagle Channel toward the Pacific. The sailing was rough so we didn't go full tilt, the gusts were drastic and the views were spectacular.

Today was a sailing day so there's not much science to report but I did get a chance to have a chat with Anna, our on-board scientist about her goals and thoughts about our mission. Anna works at MTM Research Center at Orebro University in Sweden and is on our boat taking samples to test for persistent organic compounds - or POPs - which are found in many man-made substances and don't break down. I asked Anna if she thought we'd find any in the water here and she said, "yes, they are everywhere."

Even in these pristine waters, seemingly untouched by man, our addiction to plastic seeps into the natural balance. Anna's group is entering a world that is previously uncharted. They are trying to figure out where POPs can be found, in what levels they exist and if they are harmful to the environment and to humans. Our trip through this amazing part of the world will help to further their mission.

For now we're going to sleep in the Seno Pia inlet at the Caleta Beaulieu anchorage. We took a walk just at sunset to the top of the ridge behind the Sea Dragon (you can see the view in this photo) to take in our breathtaking surroundings. We'll be getting up before the sunrise tomorrow, so we had to say goodbye to this magnificent glacier before we went to sleep.

I've Made It to the Boat!

Sat, 05 Mar 2011 20:18:46 GMT

The adventure continues. I've made it to the boat! I am in Puerto Williams, Chile, at the bottom of the world. We ended up spending an extra day in Punta Arenas until the weather allowed us to fly.

We arrived yesterday at the airport - a tiny airstrip with a tiny white building at the foot of it - after taking the most incredible flight of my life. The plane took off from Punta Arenas and flew up into the clouds. About halfway through the hour-long trip the cloud cover broke and the Andes mountains rose up to meet the sky. They are every bit as fierce as you would imagine them and this far south in Chile they are surrounded in some places by a lot of water.

We flew over the Strait of Magellan to the town of Puerto Williams on the Beagle Channel where the rest of the crew of the Sea Dragon was very glad to see us. The boat is incredible. Every bit of its 72 foot length serves purpose, without an inch of space spared. There are ten of us on board and our beds are stacked atop each other in the stern of the cabin. One bunk is dedicated to the ship's laboratory where our on-board scientist, Anna from Sweden, takes water samples and tests them for plastic-derived chemicals.

We haven't delved into the science yet, but I'm guessing that will come soon. For now we are preparing the boat for the journey (we actually swabbed the deck!) and watching the weather carefully to plan our Beagle Channel escape. We've been delayed a bit by a number of different things - the boat was late to Puerto Williams and needed to be serviced here - but will ship out "at ridiculous o'clock" in the morning tomorrow (which I can only take to mean very, very early) according to our skipper, Clive.

We'll be huffing our way toward the Pacific, navigating through the fjords and unknown waters as we attempt to survey the environmental situation. We hope to make up a bit of time in the first few days and then slow down a bit after we've made up some ground to really jump into things.

I'll be talking to Anna, our on-board scientist, Clive the skipper and Dale the boat manager in the next few days about their previous plastic expeditions - they've all logged a lot of 5 Gyres trips. So stay tuned for some interesting chats with the experts on board.

Hasta luego!

The Adventure Starts Here

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 21:08:00 GMT

Landing in Punta Arenas.

The adventure has already begun and I haven't even made it to the Sea Dragon yet. Apparently getting to the southernmost town in the world is difficult. So far I've logged three cars, three airports, two planes and a lot of walking. The expedition starts in Puerto Williams, Chile - which is technically the southernmost town in the world - the Sea Dragon and the rest of the crew have already arrived there. Three of us are stuck in a town called Punta Arenas, Chile, about 200 miles north of Puerto Williams and we are being held up by some stubborn icy cumulus clouds over the mountains between the two towns. As soon as the clouds disappear a little plane will pick us up and bring us to the boat.

Me and Magellan.

For now we are waiting in the airport, patiently anticipating a call from the crew that says the clouds have dissipated and the plane is safe to fly. So while I've got some time on my hands I'll fill in some blanks on what our mission will be.

The 5 Gyres organization is a non-profit with a mission to study plastic pollution around the world and seeks to find solutions to the problem. The organization sails around the world on different missions studying plastic pollution in the waters and on the beaches of every continent. The 5 Gyres crews use the Sea Dragon which is chartered by Pangea Explorations. Our specific task on this specific mission is to explore the southern coast of Chile.

Plastic on the beach and birds in Punta Arenas.

The southern coast of Chile looks a bit like it got stuck in a lawnmower. The coastline is jagged and varied and is dotted with bays, rivers and fjords that run out to the Pacific Ocean in one direction and up to the mountains on the other. This is where the famous Magellan Strait is - the passage that commercial vessels used to navigate from the Atlantic to the Pacific before the Panama Canal was finished - and was the start of many famous expeditions to Antarctica, including Ernest Shackleton's famous Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914–17 where his boat, the Endurance, and its crew got stuck in the ice in January of 1915 and managed to survive until they were rescued in August of 1916.

Me in front of the house where Ernest Shackleton stayed while planning to rescue his crew in 1915.

It is summer down here, so we've no danger of getting stuck in the ice - thank goodness - which will make our exploration of the coasts enjoyable if somewhat cold, probably around 45 degrees Fahrenheit. There is a giant Gyre full of plastic in the South Pacific - a slightly smaller one than the giant North Pacific Gyre which is twice the size of the United States - that is a resting place for much of the discarded plastic of the world. The ocean's currents cause a kind of a magnet affect that brings plastic from around the world to these Gyres. The winds sweep across the South Pacific and a large amount of plastic ends its journey on the Southern Coast of Chile. We'll be navigating the coastline, trolling for pollution and taking fish samples to study the damage done.

For now, we're still in the Punta Arenas airport. Waiting for a phone call about cumulus clouds.

Ciao from Chile!

Brit Liggett from New York is Electrolux’ New Crew Member

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 16:39:40 GMT

Brit Liggett, a 26 year old blogger from Brooklyn, New York, wins the Electrolux and 5 Gyres competition, where first prize is becoming a crew member on the coming 5 Gyres research expedition through the Beagle Channel in March.

Electrolux and 5 Gyres want to thank all devotees from around the world that competed with fantastic presentations and applications to become the crew member. Thank you for showing such an interest and dedication.

Within the framework of the Vac from the Sea-project, Electrolux and renowned research organization 5 Gyres have invited one person to join the 5 Gyres research expedition through the Beagle Channel, Chile. The expedition sets off from Puerto Williams on March 3rd and will be at sea for eleven days before reaching final destination Valdivia, Chile, on March 14th.

Brit – The Environmental Journalist and Sailing Enthusiast
In hard competition, the jury, consisting of representatives from Electrolux and 5 Gyres, chose Brit Liggett as the winner. Brit is a blogger, writing about the environment from a green design perspective. She has a history of covering the issue of marine debris and wants to show the direct consequences of not taking better care of the plastic to the public.

Brit is also quite the sailing enthusiast. She has spent a lot of time on the water, on sailing trips and restoring sailing boats as a child. These days she lives in Brooklyn, New York, but still has navigational maps on her walls

Life on Board
The crew stands a 24‐hour watch, normally in teams. On duty Brit will be on deck working the sails, helm and other boat functions. Watch teams also help navigate, communicate with other vessels, and readying the next watch crew.

When research is underway, nets may be in the water, cameras may be filming or the small inflatable boats may be on an away mission. Brit’s watch role will also include important supporting roles like monitoring the boat systems, cleaning and cooking meals for the crew.

You will be able to follow Brit’s journey here on the blog as Brit will continuously report from the expedition as of March 1st.

You’ve Got Three More Days!

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 00:04:59 GMT

The deadline for applying to become the new crew member on the 5 Gyres expedition in March is coming up.

The expedition will leave Puerto Williams, Chile, on March 3rd and reach Valdivia, Chile, on March 14th.

Do you want to join the research expedition?
The last day to apply is Monday January 31st.

To enter, create a short film in which you explain why we should pick you to become the new crew member. A jury from 5 Gyres and Electrolux will decide upon the winner.

The crew member must…

* Have a genuine interest in environmental issues, particularly in plastic marine pollution

* Be an experienced writer and photographer

* Be a team player, who’s willing to do his or her share of crew duties (helping with shifts, cooking, cleaning and assisting researches when needed)

* Not get seasick easily

* Able to swim 200 m

* Able to lift 1/3 their body weight

* Prepared to work odd hours

* Speak functional English

How to apply
Apply to become a crew member on the expedition by recording a short film in which you motivate:

* Why you are best suited for the mission

* How your presence will contribute to the journey

Please include your name and place of living in the video.
Applicants must be 18 years or older.

Upload your video to YouTube and mail the link to electrolux@vacfromthesea.com

Time schedule of expedition
The crew member is expected to arrive at Beagle Channel on March 1st for training. The expedition leaves Beagle Channel on March 3rd and arrives at Valdivia, Chile, on March 14th. Since there will be no docking any applicant must be able to participate in the expedition during these dates. Electrolux will pay for your return journey to Chile as well as accommodation. No other financial compensation will be included.

Read more on how to apply and about your mission here.

Environmental Award to Vac from the Sea

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 11:54:09 GMT

Cecilia Nord, Electrolux, (middle) accepting the award from Erik Solheim, Norway's Environment Minister (right). Photo: Linda Bay, LOOP

The "Keep Norway Clean" organization's "Gullklypa" is an annual prize awarded to a company or an organization that has shown outstanding commitment to improving the local environment.

We are proud to announce that this year's prize goes to Electrolux and the Vac from the Sea project. The award was presented today in Oslo and was handed over by the Norwegian Environment Minister Erik Solheim to Cecilia Nord, Head of Floor Care Environmental and Sustainability Affairs at Electrolux.*

Motivation:

"Electrolux has strongly distinguished itself by putting the marine plastic debris on the agenda, increased awareness of the problem, stimulated the physical redevelopment of oceans and coasts. They have also lifted the relationship between marine plastic waste and use of recycled plastics. Awarding Electrolux is a good signal and inspiration – it shows that business can and will participate in this work and that marine plastic waste is a global challenge!"

- I am of course happy about the award, but the real victory is that Vac from the Sea has raised awareness around the scarcity of recycled plastic. Not just in green communities but in the broad masses. So far over 100 million people have been reached by the campaign. This had not been possible without our partners in environmental- and research organizations, volunteers and experts. So Electrolux does not stand alone on the prize pedestal, says Cecilia Nord.

*Other nominated initiatives, apart from Electrolux, were the Norsk fiskeriretur, Hamar Naturskole and Gangstø Transport.

Wanted: Crew Member to Sea Expedition

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 13:07:54 GMT

The 5 Gyres is a renowned research organization on a mission to conduct research and communicate the global impact of plastic pollution in the world’s oceans.

In March, 5 Gyres is leaving on the Sea Dragon expedition for further research on plastic pollution. The expedition will go through Beagle Channel to Valdivia, Chile.

Electrolux will recruit one of the crew members. Maybe you are the one?

Are you the new 5 Gyres crew member?
If you are chosen as a crew member, you will not only embark on an adventure, but you will write blog posts for the Vac from the Sea-blog during the expedition, report on location, provide testimonials of what the plastic patches look like and what kind of plastic is discovered. It is therefore necessary that you are good at writing and have an interest in becoming an ambassador for the issue, sharing your experience back on land.

There are also other requirements for being a crew member, regarding that this is a real expedition, on a small vessel. You must therefore be a good team player, willing to do your share of crew duties on the boat (helping with shifts, cooking, cleaning and assisting the researchers). Relevant skills will of course make you a better team member. We want you to be a full part of the team and to be part of the full duties of the boat. In this, we are all working and learning together.

In return for your dedication, you will be part of an important marine conservation adventure and join an elite team that go to sea on board the Sea Dragon expedition. Your participation will be a tremendous personal experience and will give you a direct role in protecting the world’s oceans by spreading the word together with 5 Gyres and Electrolux. You will build skills, friendships and bring home an earned satisfaction of working on the front lines!

A brief description of life on board
The crew stands a 24‐hour watch, normally in teams. On duty you will be on deck working the sails, helm and other boat functions. Watch teams also help navigate, communicate with other vessels, and readying the next watch crew.

When research is underway, nets may be in the water, cameras may be filming or the small inflatable boats may be on an “away” mission. Your watch role will also include important supporting roles like monitoring the boat systems, cleaning and cooking meals for the crew.

Near shore the routine varies with diving, shore work and even sub‐teams that go on away missions, sometimes for days.

The crew member must…

* Have a genuine interest in environmental issues, particularly in plastic marine pollution

* Be a experienced writer and photographer

* Be a team player who’s willing to do his share of crew duties (helping with shifts, cooking, cleaning and assisting researches when needed)

* Not get seasick easily

* Able to swim 200m

* Able to lift 1/3 their body weight

* Prepared to work odd hours

* Speak functional English

Read more about specific voyage details here.

How to apply
You can apply to become a crew member on the expedition by recording a short film in which you motivate:

* Why you are best suited for the mission
* How your presence will contribute to the journey.

Please include your name and place of living in the video.
Applicants must be 18 years or older.

Uplaod your video to YouTube and mail the link to electrolux@vacfromthesea.com

Time schedule of expedition
The crew member is expected to arrive at Beagle Channel on March 1st for training.

The expedition leaves Beagle Channel on March 3rd and arrives at Valdivia, Chile on March 14th.

Since there will be no docking any applicant must be able to participate in the expedition during these dates.

If you have any questions, please mail us on electrolux@vacfromthesea.com

Application deadline: January 31st.

The winner will be announced on February 8th.

Good luck!

Let’s bring it in, Electrolux is trawling for plastic

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 12:31:52 GMT

On January 5^th, the 5 Gyres are leaving on an expedition, from Walvis Bay in Namibia to reach Montevideo in Uruguay (February 4^th), crossing the South Atlantic. Electrolux is contributing to the expedition by trawling the water for plastic during the 30 day expedition.

The 5 Gyres mission is to conduct research and communicate about the global impact of plastic pollution in the world’s oceans. It’s their intention to employ strategies that will eliminate the accumulation of plastic pollution in the five subtropical gyres. Their research and education projects aim to create international awareness and effective solutions to stop the flow of plastic pollution into the world’s oceans.

On each expedition, the 5 Gyres team employs a data-collection device called the Manta Trawl. Shaped like a manta ray with aluminum flotation wings, the trawl sieves the ocean’s surface through a fine meshed net, gathering plastic particles and marine organisms. The samples are brought to the Sea Lab in Redondo Beach, CA for analysis. After the expedition and analysis, the plastic is going to be sent to Electrolux to become a part of the Vac from the Sea-exhibition, either as a vacuum cleaner or as display in the exhibition.

You will be able to follow the expedition and trawling here on the blog, where crew members on the expedition will give us updates about their journey and discoveries.

Making of: Vac from the Sea – Baltic Sea Edition

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 11:17:48 GMT

Collection sites: Sandhamn, Sweden. Gdansk, Poland.

Ragaciems, Klapkalnciems, Latvia.

Method: Coastal cleanups with locals.

Partners: Islanders, Sandhamn, Sweden. The Hel Marine

Station, Słupsk Elementary School, Poland. Pedas, Latvia.

The Baltic Sea Plastic

The plastic litter from three countries covers the vacuum cleaner. Different objects range from plastic bottles filled with non-identifiable liquids to flipflops to numerous bottle caps and beach toys.

The Collection

For the Baltic Sea Edition concept vacuum cleaner, plastic was collected from three different sites in Poland, Sweden and Latvia.

In Sweden, special Vac from the Sea-envelopes were distributed to people in the small harbor of Sandhamn in the Stockholm archipelago. The envelopes were filled with beach litter and then sent to Electrolux.

In Poland, the collection was organized in cooperation with the Hel Marine Station, a field station part of the Institute of Oceanography at the University of Gdańsk. Beach cleaning is part of its educational program and a group of school children from a Słupsk elementary school helped to collect plastic on the Hel peninsula beaches.

In Latvia, there was an organized beach cleanup at Ragaciems, Klapkalnciems, about 40 kilometers west of Riga.

Making the Vac

The found objects were mounted on a hood made of industrially recycled plastic and then heated up with hot air to follow the sleek contour of the Ultra One.

Making of: Vac from the Sea – North Sea Edition

Wed, 15 Dec 2010 07:06:24 GMT

Collection site: Skagerrak, Sweden

Method: Coastal cleanup

Partners: Sotenäs Municipality

The North Sea Plastic

About 20 000 tons of garbage is dumped in the North Sea every year. The Bohuslän archipelago, with its thousands of islands and reefs, acts as a filter for the water masses on their way North. Most of the debris sinks to the sea floor, and around 5000 cubic meters of debris floats ashore on the beaches of Bohuslän.

The plastic that was collected on the Bohuslän beaches in Sweden consisted largely of various rinse aid and detergent bottles, cans, plastic buckets, and all kinds of plastic packaging. The plastic has not been bleached in the same way as in the great oceans. It is still loud and strong in color. A lot of the found plastic was also drenched in spill oil.

The Collection

Electrolux cooperated with the beach cleaning team in Sotenäs Municipality operated by Produktionsskolan. The team makes daily trips along the coast to clean the most vulnerable beaches. The debris used for the concept vac was collected in one of the hidden coves of Ramsvik.

Making the Vac

The plastic was washed clean and cut in pieces. The bright colored pieces were then punched into circular tokens. These tokens were then applied onto a fiberglass weave and moulded to follow the shape of the vacuum cleaner.

Making of: Vac from the Sea – Mediterranean Edition

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 21:38:43 GMT

Collection site: St Cyr-sur-Mer, France
Method: Beach cleanup
Partner: Surfrider Foundation

The Mediterranean Plastic
Most of the plastic from St Cyr-sur-Mer was composed of plastic objects thrown or washed out to sea from the great beaches. PET-bottles, food containers, beverage cans and beach toys. Tourism provides the Mediterranean Sea with tons of plastic on a daily basis. Plastic litter is a well known problem along the Mediterranean coasts. Sometimes the debris lays visible on the beach. Sometimes it is hidden from the human eye, between the stones or under the sand.

The Collection
Electrolux employees teamed up with the Surfrider Foundation to collect plastic debris. The collection site was set for the beaches and piers of les Leques at St Cyr-sur-Mer, in the South of France. In just one day, several bags of plastic were retrieved from the rocks and sand beds by the shore.

Making the Vac
The plastic from the Mediterranean was cut into heart shaped pieces and then attached to a thin shell of industrially recycled plastic. In order to form the plastic close to the vacuum cleaner the designers used hot air.

Making of: Vac from the Sea – Indian Ocean Edition

Sun, 21 Nov 2010 16:02:22 GMT

Collection site: Phi Phi Islands, Thailand

Method: Coral reef diving

Partners: Blue View Divers

The Indian Ocean Plastic

The majority of rubbish gathered off the beaches and coral reefs consisted of discarded empty beer bottles, broken glass, plastic straws, spoons and uncountable chunks of Styrofoam. The divers had to cut nets and plastic bags loose from the coral reef. The total rubbish collected over the two day cleanup event amounted to 962 kilos.

The Collection
Blue View Divers in Thailand coordinated a cleanup on Loh Dalum Bay, a two kilometer stretch of beach on Koh Phi Phi Don. There were a total of around 40 volunteers participating in the cleanup. Even tourists got involved and helped out by filling bags with rubbish off the beach. The next day seven members of the Blue View Divers team took part in a dive and beach cleanup around the marine park islands of Koh Phi Phi Ley. At one site, Pileh Wall, the divers found several fish nets that had become entangled in the staghorn corals.

Making the Vac
The collected plastics intended for the concept vac were split in a shredder into small square pieces. The white and colored plastic squares were then mounted in a pattern that covers the entire top and the hub caps on the vacuum cleaner. Pieces of plastic bottles with brighter colors were used as accents.

Making of: Vac from the Sea – Pacific Edition

Wed, 03 Nov 2010 13:20:32 GMT

Collection site: Kahuku and Kamilo beaches, Hawaii, USA

Method: Beach cleanup

Local partner: Beach Environmental Awareness Campaign Hawaii (B.E.A.C.H.)

Plastic particles collected by B.E.A.C.H.

The Pacific Plastic
The plastic from the Pacific Ocean was different in shape and color than the debris from the other collection sites. It was bleached by the sun and corroded by salt water. Many of the found objects found on Hawaii for the Pacific Edition were covered with barnacles and annelid worms. Other objects had traces of bite marks from sharks.

Plastic being sorted by B.E.A.C.H. volunteers.

The Collection
The organization Beach Environmental Awareness Campaign Hawaii (B.E.A.C.H.) sorted the plastic manually and separated the tiniest pieces from organic debris – bit by bit. The drifting plastic grain that fills our oceans consists of minute particles, some only a few millimeters or less in width. This plastic debris is highly dangerous. One of the reasons to this is because of the chemicals that the plastic was made with in the first place. The chemicals can easily be swallowed by fish and make its way through the entire food chain – to both animals and humans. The plastic for the Pacific Vac was collected on the shoreline using rakes, sand sifters and buckets. Natural debris, such as coral and shells, was returned to the beach.

Plastic has arrived at the Electrolux Design Studio.

Making the Vac
The plastic gravel was poured onto fiberglass moulds that covers the entire hood of the vac and its hub caps. A plastic rope was turned into a handle. By studying how small these plastic particles are one understands how hard it is to remove the plastic once it got into the oceans. It is a wake-up call and the concept Vac from the Pacific Sea serves as a reminder of one of our most important environmental issues.

Introducing the Vacs from the Sea

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 16:07:12 GMT

From left to right: North Sea Edition, Indian Ocean Edition, Mediterranean Sea Edition,

Pacific Ocean Edition, Baltic Sea Edition.

After several months of plastic hunting in the world’s major oceans and seas – in coral reefs, coast lines, sandy beaches and rocky crevices – five Vacs from the Sea from five oceans have finally been designed, constructed and are ready to be displayed to the world.

Each of the five unique vacuum cleaners represents the ocean from which the plastic originates. All the models are fully functional and have been built using the same core structure (chassis, engine, and bag compartment) as the new Electrolux Ultra One Green-model. The plastic debris has been collected in partnership with organizations and people that already are engaged in the issue.

The vacuum cleaners embody the plastic paradox: oceans are full of plastic waste, yet on land there is a shortage of recycled plastic for producing sustainable vacuum cleaners. Electrolux makes Green Range vacuum cleaners from 70% recycled plastic, but wants to reach 100%.

A word from Hans Stråberg, CEO and President, Electrolux:

- I would like to thank everyone that has brought attention to the issue and express my deepest gratitude to our partners, for providing us with knowledge and working with us in gathering plastic from the world’s oceans.

A word from Cecilia Nord, Vice President – Floor Care Sustainability and Environmental Affairs, Electrolux:

- Our intention is to bring awareness to the situation and the need for better plastic karma. So far, over 60 million people have been reached and we are continuing the initiative following the great response.

Electrolux is now looking into auctioning out one vacuum cleaner, where the revenue goes to research. A next step is also to get the official tour schedule for the Vacs from the Sea ready, in order to display them in consumer and industry forums.

During the following week, we will post more information about each Vac from the Sea.

Mission: Gather plastic for the Baltic Sea Edition

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 17:20:38 GMT

In connection with the Vac from the Sea-initiative, plastic debris has been gathered in many different ways. For the concept vacuum cleaner called The Baltic Sea Edition, plastic was collected from three different sites in Poland, Sweden and Latvia. In Sweden, the collection site was Sandhamn, a small island in the Stockholm archipelago. Special Vac from the Sea-envelopes were distributed to people in the small harbor. Sandhamn is known for its sailing and on this particular day, there were not only one, but two sailing races taking place. Needless to say, the harbor was packed. And so were the envelopes. More about the event in this blog post.

In Poland, the collection was organized in cooperation with the Hel Marine Station, a field station part of the Institute of Oceanography at the University of Gdańsk. Beach cleaning is part of its educational program, where the aim is to sensitize children regarding Baltic sea issues. A group of school children from Słupsk, elementary school helped to collect plastic on the Hel peninsula beaches.

In Latvia there was a beach cleanup at Ragaciems, Klapkalnciems, about 40 kilometers west of Riga. The NGO Pedas helped to organize the cleanup together with Electrolux employees. Found objects ranged from plastic bottles filled with non-identifyable liquids to flipflops to numerous bottle caps and beach toys.

100% Recycled Plastic

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 17:29:02 GMT

Plastic waste obtained from electronic devices, toys, drink trays and stadium seats is seldom used in end products due to the complexity of separating the various categories of plastics. The Chilean designer Rodrigo Alonso Schramm and his Happy Ideas Lab has developed a special rotomoulding technique to create furniture out of plastic waste. With this technique the material can be re-crushed and re-rotomoulded to form a new object. His 100 %-recycled concept was designed for Fahneu, an urban equipment company in Santiago de Chile. The innovative technique results in dynamic forms and eye catchy color tones in a set of stackable stools. The moulds were designed to use less energy, materials and eventual costs, coupled with ease of its construction.

”We worked at the time of the designing of the moulds with the concept of building volumes with flat faces only. That is, irregular polygons forming a three dimensional structure. This was made possible by straight cuts made in a sphere with flat surfaces. Result: an irregular polyhedron built with irregular polygons.” says Rodrigo Alonso Schramm.

Rodrigo Alonso Schramm has won numerous prizes worldwide for his innovative green design and his creations have appeared in magazines in all major design and lifestyle magazines.

Check out his other recycling design experiments here.

Companies Must Lead the Way

Fri, 08 Oct 2010 17:05:57 GMT

Väderöarna is a previously inhabited archipelago consisting of hundreds of rocky islets in the Skagerrak. Much of the plastic debris from the North Sea floats ashore on the islands' beaches.

With the majority of industries using plastic in products wherever possible, the plastics industry works closely with many different customer groups. In plastics recycling, this cooperation can definitely be intensified in areas such as:

• Development of products to make them simpler and safer to recycle

• Development of better return systems, particularly with regard to recycling plastic in electric and electronic products (there are certain limitations in this area, but opportunities too)

• Communication with end customers and consumers about returning and recycling, including labelling, guidelines on return systems etc.

• Development of products increasingly based on recycled plastic

• Making the recycling market more transparent and clear, so that companies like Electrolux are more easily able to access the plastic they need, preferably according to specific quality criteria

• Development of plastic based on renewable natural resources which are also recyclable

• Joint promotion of the collection and recycling concept by means of tangible products made of recycled plastic: "Look, it works!"

We at EPRO, European Association of Plastics Recycling and Recovery Organisations, have played an active role in the establishment of EPBP, the European PET Bottle Platform. This is a cooperation initiative supported by the plastics industry, recycling organisations and, last but not least, PET bottle users. The initiative is aimed at ensuring new technology and product improvements, i.e. new PET bottles, are always recyclable prior to their market launch. In this way we avoid the sale of ultra-new bottles that are not recyclable and also undermine the recycling process for other bottles.

EPRO organises the Best Recycled Product award, which is presented to the year's best product made of recycled plastic. This enables us to promote a specific product and – particularly important – the concept of collecting and recycling, i.e. an ecocycle society.

In Europe, there is a tendency for organisations to talk to other organisations. It is my belief that it is also possible to intensify direct dialogue between organisations and companies, whatever sector they operate in. This will help generate more creativity and dynamics. It is important to find a balance between what is developed collectively and what may happen individually. Either way, there is a need for companies that are able to lead the way and pay for projects. A typical project could involve opening up the market, i.e. adding transparency to the recycling market, because at the moment people either have to be experts or buy an expensive database in order to keep up. One starting point could be plastics fractions in which Electrolux might be interested!

The plastics industry is made up of many sectors and organisations. There is certainly scope for better team play. On the other hand, it is often the case that different organisations have different roles and diverging interests.

The plastics industry and its sectors have a constant stream of new directives and legislation to comply with. But that is not enough. It can be even more important to listen to initiatives from their customers. New consumer demands have often proved a more effective catalyst for a better environment than new rules and regulations alone. The world needs Electrolux and other global companies that are able to place concrete items on the agenda and demand improvements in order to create a better environment. And dialogue can be an effective working practice on the road to improvement.

Peter Sundt, Secretary General EPRO

The Ocean Initiatives

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 07:54:44 GMT

Surfrider Foundation Europe is a Non-Governmental Organisation (Association under the Law of 1901) dedicated to the protection and enhancement of the coastal environment. Its aim is the “defence, preservation, enhancement and sustainable management of the sea, the beaches, the waves and the population that enjoys it”.

Thanks to its paid Co-ordinators throughout Europe, its network of volunteer outposts (of which there are nearly 50) and more than 1000 volunteers, Surfrider has been able to implement various environmental protection initiatives.

These include the “Ocean Initiatives”, a worldwide campaign of raising awareness of the existence of macro-waste (waste of human origin present in the environment) accompanied by a clean-up campaign for the beaches and shores that is held annually. Local residents, clubs and other associations are invited to run their own clean-ups and consciousness-raising initiatives, with help of Surfrider hardware and software. With more than 800 “Ocean Initiatives” operations being held simultaneously in 2010, this means that several hundreds of cubic metres of macro-waste has been removed from beaches, thus serving to maintain awareness of the issue for the whole of society.

The awareness-raising campaigns led by Surfrider are also held on a more local scale, for instance, running environmental awareness operations with employees of companies such as Electrolux. The litter collection operation, in connection with the Vac from the Sea project, lasted for about two hours and nearly a cubic metre of macro-waste was removed. Seventy per cent of it consisted of plastic.

Benjamin van Hoorebeke, responsible for education at Surfrider Foundation Europe, explains the aim of this type of operation:

“Bringing the employees of a company such as Electrolux out into the field is vital for sensitizing them to the problem of macro-waste. They are thus able to see for themselves the extent of the pollution, encouraging them to improve the way they behave every day in their personal and working lives. This action, which is more than curative, finds its real usefulness in teaching ecologically responsible behaviour, so as to reduce pollution before it happens, rather than deal with the consequences thereafter.”

Robot Uses Lasers to Sort Plastic

Sun, 12 Sep 2010 18:42:24 GMT

Earlier this year, Osaka University unveiled a recycling robot that uses lasers to sort different types of plastics. Most plastics are recyclable, but only 6 % end up in recycling bins. PET and PS are recycled but their production rates are low – 5 and 7.6% of the total plastic production, respectively. PE and PP have not been recycled as they are not distinguishable by eye, though their production rates are the highest; 23 and 22%, respectively. The recycling robot has laser “eyes” and sensors that can distinguish between six different types of plastics for easier recycling.

It is expected to reduce CO2 emission greatly by paving the way for recycling many kinds of plastics. The recycling robot won’t be in a home soon (it costs $55,000), but Osaka University researchers hope to produce a smaller version that would fit into an ordinary kitchen, close to the recycling and compost bins. The robot is designed by IDEC, the Photonics Advanced Research Center, and Mitsubishi Electric Engineering and the whole project is supported by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan.

Source: Osaka University, Japan.

The Majestic Plastic Bag

Sat, 04 Sep 2010 11:54:02 GMT

Narrated by Academy Award-winner Jeremy Irons, this "mockumentary" video, stresses the reality of California's plastic bag pollution situation. The video were released by the Heal the Bay organization in Santa Monica, California. as promo in support of California bill AB 1998 to help put an end to plastic pollution. Heal the Bay’s efforts are focused on Santa Monica Bay and surrounding Southern California coastal waters. Their work, however, often impacts water quality for the entire state of California and even the whole U.S.

Making a People’s Vac

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 23:25:07 GMT

Plastic debris in the ocean concerns us all. Up until now, we have worked together with different kinds of organizations to collect plastic from the Pacific, the Atlantic, the Indian Ocean and the North Sea. For the Baltic Sea – why not involve the man or woman on the street? Or more precisely – the man or woman on the sea.

This weekend, on Saturday August 27^th, we set off for Sandhamn, a small half-island in the Stockholm archipelago. The aim of the trip: encourage people that live close to the water and travel across it to collect pieces of plastic they come across when out at sea, and send the plastic to us. Out of the plastic collected, a Vac from the Baltic Sea, co-created by people, will be produced.

Sandhamn is known for its sailing and on this particular day, there were not only one, but two sailing races taking place. Needless to say, the harbor was packed. A great number of people wanted to help the cause and do the Baltic Sea a favor.

Start Collecting!

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 11:20:44 GMT

“Sometimes beauty can be a call to action. Here, the call to action is to follow some simple rules of planetary housekeeping, but in a larger sense the call to action is to follow the strange voices of inspiration, of compulsion, for the real opposite of beauty is indifference.”

For the past decade Judith Selby Lang and Richard Lang have collected over two tons of plastic trash from a single beach along Point Reyes National Seashore. By transforming plastic debris into works of art, the artists raise awareness of the sheer variety and ubiquity of plastic trash and its impact on delicate marine ecosystems.

More information about the Langs' work can be found on their website Beach Plastic and blog Plastic Forever.

Eternal Debris

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 10:48:59 GMT

Toothbrush from the Sea. Photo: Thomas Engström

When we go through the bags from the various collection sites, we find many everyday objects. In addition to all plastic packaging, bottles and plastic cutlery, we also find many toothbrushes, combs and toys. Sun-bleached and worn out after decades at sea. Polished by sand, crushed against the rocks. Sure, there is a beauty in these patinated objects, but also something that frightens us. Many of these objects are very old. The plastic is eternal. If nothing is done soon it will survive us all.

Debris on a beach in Hawaii. Photo: Thomas Engström

One Word

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 10:01:52 GMT

Home: the SSV Corwith Cramer.

I just want to say one word to all of you. Just one word.

Are you listening?

Plastics.

Forty-three years ago this sage advice was given to Benjamin Braddock, played by 29-year-old Dustin Hoffman, at a cocktail party in the 1967 film The Graduate. At the time, plastics were a booming industry for a young college graduate to be involved with.

A net tow in action.

No more than five years after The Graduate hit theaters, in 1972, the first studies regarding plastic accumulation in the North Atlantic were published in the journal Science. Edward Carpenter, a scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, conducted eleven surface net tows and found that an increased prevalence of plastic in everyday use will “undoubtedly lead to increases in the concentration of these particles.”

Plastic in the open ocean is not a new phenomenon. We’ve known about it for years.

So far we've found over 40 000 pieces of plastic in our nets.

This summer, thirty-three volunteer deckhands and professional crewmen from Sea Education Association (SEA). set sail on the 134 ft. SSV Corwith Cramer to further investigate the problem. We conducted more than 128 surface net tows and found more than 40,000 pieces of plastic in our nets. From the deck, we saw hiking boots, loofahs, toilet seats, nutrition fact labels, you name it. At one point, we caught a five-gallon bucket in our one-meter wide surface tow net. It just floated right in (along with thousands of other pieces of plastic and a few coastal-dwelling triggerfish that happened to follow the bucket out to sea.) You can’t make this stuff up.

In the lab.

Although we scooped a good amount of plastic from the surface, our aim was not to clean up the ocean. Instead, we sought to study plastics from a scientific perspective. Where is the plastic coming from? Where can we find the highest concentration? Where is it going? Is there any microbial life attached to plastic? Plastic in the open ocean is a modern day sea-monster: no head, no arms, no legs, but an endless body. Cleaning up the problem is a task beyond the scope of our imagination. Aside from the occasional loofah or hiking boot, the plastic we saw was infinitesimal and indistinguishable. Open ocean plastic does not form “islands”. It breaks down into millions of tiny pieces that either float on the surface or get mixed into the water column. Learning from our bad habits, asking questions about plastic’s nature – and conversely, our nature – seems a better use of resources.

Setting sails.

Like Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate, I too am a recent college graduate. This summer I teach sailing in Newport, Rhode Island. Everyday I sail Narragansett Bay and watch as plastic bags, milk gallon jugs and plastic bottles float by. No one seems to notice. I must admit, I never did either. Only when I was confronted with where this plastic goes, where it drifts off to, did I realize the environmental quandary we have on our hands, in our oceans.

So, regarding plastics. Are you listening? I have three words for you.

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

Tyson Bottenus,

Volunteer on the Plastic at SEA Expedition 2010

Date Set for Dive Clean Up in Thailand

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 18:27:50 GMT

Photo from stock.xchng

On the 20^th and 21^st of August we’re off to the Phi Phi Islands in Thailand. Together with the Blue View Divers we’ll do a dive clean up and gather plastic debris that has gotten stuck in coral reefs.

The Blue View Divers group was formed in 2006, and has since been involved in a number of environmental projects. A long term goal for the group is to educate more locals about preserving and protecting the coral reefs in the waters where they dive.

5 Gyres: Crossing the Gyres

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:19:39 GMT

In January 2010, the 5 Gyres team crossed the North Atlantic Gyre - also called the Sargasso Sea, aboard our partner Pangaea Exploration's 72-foot, steel hulled Sea Dragon. We sailed through mats of Sargassum filled with plastic trash, and found plastic particles in every one of our surface samples. On the Islands – Bermuda and the Azores – we found beaches awash in plastic trash. With few resources to deal with waste recovery and disposal, islands are in great need of innovative solutions.

Shortly after, we were invited to cross the Indian Ocean Gyre, from Perth Australia to Mauritius, off the coast of Madagascar. Again, not a single one of our samples were free of plastic – shredded plastic packaging, bottle caps, ice cream containers, and plastic pellets served to remind us of where this problem begins – in our own backyards.

We’re now planning 8 expeditions to the South Atlantic and Pacific Gyres, completing our global survey. We invite scientists, journalists, filmmakers, and interested citizens on board, to experience this issue directly, and serve as global ambassadors when they return. Our goal is to bring plastic marine pollution to an International audience, and encourage companies, governments, and citizens to get involved in realistic solutions. We applaud Electrolux for helping to raise awareness, and look forward to supporting one another’s efforts. For more information, visit 5gyres.org.

5 Gyres: Plastic in the World’s Oceans

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:19:40 GMT

Many have by now heard about plastic in the North Pacific Gyre, a massive, slow-rotating oceanic system formed by opposing currents, winds, and the earth’s rotation. Plastic trash from land – the water bottles, bags, toys, cups, packaging, and other disposable objects we use and toss daily – make their way out to sea through rivers, storm drains, and our own carelessness. Swept up into the currents of the gyre, these durable petroleum products can travel thousands of miles, ensnaring untold thousands of marine animals, fouling remote beaches, and breaking into microscopic fragments that enter the marine food web.

But what few people realize is that the problem expands far beyond the North Pacific. There are in fact 5 subtropical gyres where plastic trash may accumulate – The North and South Pacific, North and South Atlantic, and the Indian Ocean. The 5 Gyres Project has now been to three of the five, and found “garbage patches” throughout.

Over the past 5 years, we’ve crossed the North Pacific Gyre 3 times with the Algalita Marine Research Foundation, including once on a JUNK raft built from 15,000 plastic bottles.

With Algalita, we saw a rapid increase in the amount of plastic floating on the oceans surface, and new evidence of plastic in the stomachs of fish. This image below of a Rainbow Runner, caught by our JUNK sailors 500 miles off the coast of Hawaii, illustrates the potential human health issue – 17 pieces of plastic in the stomach of a single fish.

This prompted the launch of 5 Gyres, to study plastic pollution at a global level, and begin investigating some of the unanswered questions. Namely - what is the global distribution of plastic waste? And do toxins from plastic accumulate in the tissues of animals, including the fish we eat?

Tomorrow we’ll write more about what we’ve seen on our expeditions and conclusions we’ve made. We’ll also tell you about our future plans.

Mainly Blue and White Plastic on Hawaiian Beaches

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:19:40 GMT

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Suzanne Frazer from B.E.A.C.H. talks about the different pieces of plastic that get washed ashore on Hawaii. To watch the clip, click on the image above.

Understanding the Nature of Plastic Accumulation

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:19:41 GMT

Since the mid 70's SEA Education Association has been sampling plastics from the North Atlantic, the 10th of June they set sailed again. SEA is an educational institution dedicated to exploration, understanding and stewardship of the oceans, and to the study of humanity's relationship with the oceans.

During the 34 days at sea they traveled over 3800 nautical miles and gathered more than 48 000 pieces of plastic. The plastic samples are now taken back to their lab to be analyzed, and the results will give us further understanding about the plastic patches in the oceans.

To watch SEA's clip from the last day of the expedition click on the play-button above.

Collecting Debris from the Pacific Ocean

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:19:42 GMT

Photo by Thomas Engström

This weekend we joined B.E.A.C.H. and local volunteers on Hawaii to collect debris from the Pacific Ocean. These are the first images from the expedition, which was set north of Honolulu and took of about 5:30 in the morning to avoid the strong heat from the mid day sun. More pictures and film to come.

Photo by Thomas Engström

Swedish News Channel Raises the Plastic Debris Issue

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:19:42 GMT

Swedish news channel Tv4 Väst showed a three minute long feature on collecting plastic litter in Sotenäs in the Swedish archipelago. Per-Joel Andersson, leader for the team in Sotenäs, pointed out the problem with the small parts of degraded plastic littering the archipelago.

- If you take a closer look on the beach there are small parts that we can’t take care of. What to do with these, I don’t know, Per-Joel said showing a handful of plastic litter.

Collecting the plastic litter for Vac from the Sea, Cecilia Nord, Vice President, Floor Care Environmental and Sustainability Affairs, at Electrolux, talked about the importance of taking the plastic debris issue seriously.

- The usage of plastic is increasing each year, if we can’t create sustainable systems for taking care of and recycle plastic, the debris problem will become unmanageable, said Cecilia Nord.

Se the whole clip here:
Skräp blir dammsugare

What is Plastic?

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:19:43 GMT

Photo from stock.xchng

PLASTIC(S) from the latin word plasticus, (“plastic”, “malleable”), is a synthetic material made from one or more polymers combined with a variety of additives. Polymers are natural or synthetic substances that are formed of chain molecules. Polymers are what give plastics its special characteristics. All plastic are malleable at some point during the manufacturing process.

There are two main types of plastic – Thermosetting plastics and Thermoplastics. Thermosetting plastics do not melt when heated. Instead they turn to ash and therefore cannot be used to make new objects. Thermoplastics, on the other hand, softens when heated and can be reshaped and therefore used to make new objects. Here are some of the most common plastics, and plastic varieties that have been important in the history of plastics.

Celluoid. The first plastic. Semi synthetic, based on cellulose (the material that cell walls in plants are made of).

Bakelite. Thermosetting plastic. Hard and dark. The first synthetic plastic.

Carbamide plastics. Thermosetting plastic. Slightly grainy surface. The first plastic suitable for household goods.

Melamine plastic. Thermosetting plastic. Smooth surface. Hard and resistant to light and heat.

Polystyrene. Thermoplastic. Hard but fragile. One the first thermoplastics. Later improved – heat resistant and robust.

Polyethylene. Thermoplastic. Waxy surface. Very common in household goods.

PVC. Thermoplastic. PVC means Polyvinyl chloride. Used in, for example, rain coats and toys.

Nylon. Thermoplastic. A synthetic polyamide fiber that can be used for textiles and other items.

Plastiki Just Arrived in Sydney

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:19:43 GMT

Photo from Plastiki website

After 130 days at sea Plastiki, the catamaran made out of 12 500 plastic bottles, just arrived in Sydney. The voyage started in San Francisco the 22 of march and in total the catamaran have traveled 8393 nautical miles. The aim with the project is to raise awareness of the over usage of plastic bottles and to make people re-think waste as a resource. Everyday you’ve been able to track not only Plastiki itself, but also how many plastic bottles that have been used in USA since the departure.

Sustainable Futures - Can Design Make a Difference?

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:19:44 GMT

Both Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter and environmental site Treehugger have written about the exhibition Sustainable Futures at the Design Museum in London. The exhibition is open until September 5th and asks the intriguing question: can design make a difference?

Sustainability and design are explored through five themes; cities, energy and economics, food, materiality and creative citizens. Each theme in the exhibition shows different ongoing projects that aim to raise awareness about the impact one makes on the world, and how to change it.

One of the projects shown is Plastiki, the catamaran made out of 12 500 recycled plastic bottles that just arrived in Sydney after 126 days at sea. Plastiki is a project aiming to raise awareness about re-thinking waste as a resource instead of just waste, and through smart design decrease our impact on the environment.

Creating Art out of Plastic Debris

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:19:45 GMT

If you look around, there are many creative and artistic ways to approach recycling. One example we came across is artist Steve McPherson. For over 15 years Steve has been collecting objects from beaches on the North Kent Coast of the UK, and turning them into pieces of art. It started when he was a teenager running around the beaches with his friends looking for objects to burn. But as he grew older he started collecting pieces, turning them in to art and using them in his diaries and journals.

In his most recent work, Steve combines found objects from his local coast, with a summary that gives the object a potential identity and history. He is inspired by the fact that the objects are lost and then found, fills them with a story and an interconnectedness. However, he enjoys the fact that he doesn’t know the truth to why they are lost.

- The truth of these objects now becomes a matter for questioning and is itself filled with countless possible beautiful alternatives, Steve says.

The environmental issue is improtant for Steve. He is aware of that the mark he makes on the actual environment, by cleaning the beaches, is small compared to the actual problem. The art is his way of raising awareness to the problem.

- Plastic pollution is a growing problem, not a diminishing one, and we have yet to begin to understand its true impact or the long term cost to the environment and ourselves.

Steve’s art is not only a way to remind us that there’s more than one way to recycle, but he also reminds us that we’re all connected through the sea. He talks about the sea's way of being local and global at the same time.

- When someone throws something overboard on the coast of the USA it may end up in the Azores or Portugal or on the West coast of the UK. Connecting me, the finder, who is local, with the sea that brought it and the person who discarded it, which are or may be global. The world oceans are vast yet finite; they have no borders.

More info about Steve:
Steve McPherson
Steve McPherson - News and Events
MarinePlastic.org

Recycling Plastics – a Challenge

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:19:47 GMT

Computers, refrigerators and vacuum cleaners all have one thing in common. When they are no longer functional it is often less expensive to throw them away rather than repair them. Every year millions of tons of plastics-rich waste are generated. Most of these mixed plastics are difficult to recycle and reuse due to the fact that it is hard to identify and separate the different plastics from each other.

Electrolux is working together with MBA Polymers that has developed a process where it is possible to economically recover distinct types and even grades of plastics from mixed plastics-rich waste. The mixed plastic is first separated from non-plastics and then sorted by type and grade using a fully automated process that converts the material to high value new materials.

Date Set for Hawaii

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:19:47 GMT

Things are moving forward! On July 25th we'll team up with organization B.E.A.C.H. on Hawaii and head for Kahuku beach North of Honolulu. Here, plastic debris from the Pacific Ocean continuously gets carried to the beach by the waves. Suzanne Frazer at B.E.A.C.H. describes it as "if the ocean is throwing up to get the debris out of its system". From tiny grains to larger items - the cocktail of plastic debris in the water is complex. More info and documentation to come.

At the Design Studio

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:19:48 GMT

The first collected plastic is starting to arrive at the Electrolux design studio. Soon a first prototype will be made to test how the sea plastic behaves when it is molded into a finished vacuum cleaner.

The challenges are many;

Which parts can be made with plastic from the sea?

How do you solve the problem with casting together different types of plastic?

And what will the final vacs look like with plastic from different oceans?

It is exciting work.

Collecting Debris in Skagerrak, the North Sea

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:19:48 GMT

The plastic is hidden in the grass among seaweed and driftwood. Sometimes you have to dig deep in the sand to release fishing nets and long plastic ropes. Sometimes it feels like the sand dunes hide more plastic than we can ever remove.

The rocks are slippery and the terrain is difficult to cross with your hands full. The operation to load the heavy sacks into the boat takes a long time.

A day's work results in a huge pile of plastic, collected from just a few square meters of coastline. It is a good day's work, but cleaning up the whole coast is close to a sisyphean task.

Back in the harbor after a whole day at just one narrow cove of the Bohuslän archipelago. A great amount of plastic debris, nearly 40 sacks, has been loaded from the boat. One of the sacks is now on its way to the Electrolux design studio. The first Vac from the Sea is soon to be created.

Fragile Coast

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:19:49 GMT

Debris in the Bohuslän archipelago

As we reported before, we have collected plastic on the West Coast of Sweden, outside of Bohuslän. The plastic is now on its way to the Electrolux design studio.

No other coastline in Sweden is so severely impacted by sea debris than that of Bohuslän. This specific coast, due to its geographical location, is exposed to the complex system of currents that runs through the North Sea and Skagerrak. Practically all surface waters in the North Sea sooner or later meet the Bohuslän coast, including the Jutland current.

Most of the debris that reaches the country consists of plastic products such as fish boxes, fishing gear and plastic bottles. Before, man-made products such as fishing gear and ropes which were washed up decomposed after some years on the beaches, but when plastic was introduced to society after World War II, the piles of debris have grown on the beaches and become one of the biggest problems in the marine environment.

Source: ”Strandskräp i Bohuslän en internationell miljöfråga” by Roland Olin, Västkuststiftelsen (West Coast Foundation)

Making the Vacs

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:19:50 GMT

A sketch by the design team of what the vacs might look like.

Here is a short update for you. We are now starting to get the first batches of plastic and are in the middle of preparations to collect on Hawaii together with B.E.A.C.H. In the coming days we will be posting more documentation.

The people in our modeling studio are ready to face the obvious challenges of making functioning vacs out of the collected debris. Discovery News correctly points out some of the things to consider. The size of the plastic material will vary – from microscopic grains to identifiable items. Separating and classifying the different kind of plastic will be a challenge. We hope to be able to share this as we get further into this endeavor.

But, as they say: if you don’t succeed at first, try, try again.

Collecting Plastic in the South of France

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:19:50 GMT

Electrolux employees team up with the Surfrider Foundation to collect plastic debris for the Vac from the Sea-project. Where? The beaches and piers of les Leques at St Cyr-sur-Mer, in the South of France.

Plastic litter is a well known problem along the Mediterranean coasts. Sometimes the debris lays visible on the beach. Sometimes it is hidden from the human eye, between the stones or under the sand.

The plastic is shoveled into garbage bags. Some of it will be used to produce the vacuum cleaner from the sea.

Plastics can be wedged in between rocks and stones for years, because of the slow degradation process.

Some of the found debris has been flushed out from the beaches. Other debris has been dumped directly into the sea from boats.

The wrong thing in the wrong place.

Some debris is difficult to reach.

A full day's work results in many garbage bags.

Mission accomplished. The collected plastic is ready to be sent to the Electrolux design studio to finally become a Vac from the Sea.

What is the Pacific Garbage Patch?

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:19:52 GMT

Image via Wikimedia.

Jaymi Heimbuch of Planet Green works to improve the environmental status of our planet. She was one of the first people to write about Vac from the Sea on Treehugger. Here, she tells us about the Pacific Garbage Patch, and what we can do about it:

What is the Pacific Garbage Patch? Simply put, it's a swirling mass of plastic in the middle of the Pacific Ocean that is big enough to qualify as the planet's largest landfill. That's a huge amount of marine litter, and a huge problem. Learn everything about the Pacific Garbage Patch, from its impact on ocean life, to how that plastic is ending up back on our dinner plates, to what our options are for fixing the problem over on Planet Green.

Jaymi Heimbuch
Follow Jaymi on Twitter.

Plastic Recycling

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:19:54 GMT

There are no exact figures on how much plastic is being recycled. According to the report “The Compelling facts About Plastics 2009, an analysis of European plastics production, demand and recovery for 2008”, in 2008 the total recycling rate of post consumer plastics in Europe was about 20 percent. The rates within in this region of the world vary greatly.

Previous Posts:
Welcome to Vac from the Sea

Ramsvik

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:19:55 GMT

Ramsvik, near Smögen and Kungshamn, is one of the first sites where Electrolux has started to collect plastic debris for the Vac from the Sea project. Last week we joined the local community cleaning initiative and went out in the Skagerrak archipelago to gather ocean garbage.

Each year, large amounts of debris drift ashore along the Bohuslän coast in Sweden. Streams from the North Sea and Baltic Sea shove the floating debris to Skagerrak, where it is collected and blown ashore on our coast. The bulk of the material is not biodegradable and made up to 80% of plastic, but also oil, chemical and medical waste and military items occur. It is stored in banks mixed with seaweed and grass in the coves and in rock crevices.

More info and images to come!

Welcome to Vac from the Sea

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:20:10 GMT

Welcome to Vac from the Sea,

Our oceans are filled with plastic waste. Yet on land, there is a shortage of recycled plastic.

The supply of sustainable raw material, such as recycled plastic, is crucial for making sustainable appliances, and assisting consumers in making their homes greener.

I therefore hope you will join us in raising awareness about the threat plastic poses to marine habitats, and the urgent need for taking better care of the plastic that already exists.

Hans Stråberg President and CEO, Electrolux