Reference no: EM133366275

Question: Describe the solution presented in the article and the problem it solves. Does the solution seem like a good way to solve the problem? Use evidence from the article and your own reasoning. What is one other problem the article mentions that the solution does not fix?

Article

Some volunteers were cleaning up along the coast in the Netherlands. They noticed a surprising pattern in the pollution. Most of the plastic trash was near where the river emptied into the sea. The river had carried the litter there from inland.

From that discovery bubbled up an idea: the Great Bubble Barrier. This feat of environmental engineering can catch a lot of plastic garbage before it trashes the sea. And the barrier does this without bottling up boat traffic or wildlife. The world's oceans are already choking on plastic pollution. The Great Bubble Barrier might be part of a solution to that problem.

The Promise and the Problem of Plastic

Plastic is an amazing material with millions of uses. It is cheap, durable, and easy to mold into any shape. You can find it in packaging, toys, furniture-most anywhere you look. The United Nations reports that humans produce millions of tons of plastic waste every year.

That's a big problem because plastic lasts and LASTS. That makes it very difficult to get rid of. Unlike materials such as wood, clay, or even iron, plastic doesn't break down in nature. In fact, most plastic products ever manufactured are still around. And plastic is not easy to recycle.

That means most plastic ends up in landfills. A lot of it litters the landscape, too. Rain and wind push this trash into streams and rivers. These waterways then carry it to the sea. There, it harms ecosystems and wildlife. Marine animals often mistake plastic for food. Some get tangled in plastic netting. In addition, toxic chemicals in plastic slowly poison the water.

The Bubble Solution

A group of environmentalists in the Netherlands wanted to find a way to keep plastic out of the North Sea. Research indicates that most plastic in the ocean comes from rivers. But the big challenge? How to catch it without blocking boat traffic and wildlife. One day, some friends were thinking about the problem over fizzy drinks. The bubbles in their glasses inspired a possible solution. They joined with others to form a company: the Great Bubble Barrier.

This is how the Great Bubble Barrier works. A tube with holes is placed on the bottom of the river. Air is pumped through the tube. This creates air bubbles that rise and push plastic trash to the water's surface. On the surface, the flow of water forces the plastic to one side. There, the plastic is trapped and removed.

The group installed a 120-meter (393-foot) bubble barrier across the Oude Rijn River. A learning center is being planned, too. There, visitors will find out what they can do to reduce plastic pollution. Other coastal countries are studying the bubble barrier with the idea of installing their own.

Bubble barriers alone won't solve the world's plastic crisis, experts say. The problem is too big for that. However, the Dutch project may be one step toward protecting the marine environment. It also shows creativity in addressing the challenge of plastic trash.