As far as a PR stunts for saving the planet go, it has to be said that building a boat made from plastic bottles is a pretty interesting one. When I say 'boat' I'm not talking about a model boat, a dingy, or a canoe but a fully functioning 60ft catamaran made from 12,500 recycled plastic bottles.
Today The Plastiki completed its expedition after 128 days at sea, arriving in Sydney Harbor having sailed 8,000 nautical miles.
"If there's waste, it's badly designed in the first place, and we need to start taking a serious look at the way we produce and design every product we use in our lives" explains David de Rothschild who, after discovering the damage that plastic waste was causing to the world's oceans, decided to become part of the change he talks about and The Plastiki was born.
As well as the several thousand recycled bottles, the rest of the boat's design lives up to its eco-friendly ethic with materials chosen because they are organic, recycled or recyclable. Even the glue that holds the whole thing together made organically from cashew nut husks and sugarcane.
The boat was designed to be fully sustainable, and includes electricity bikes, wind turbines, and even generates its own drinkable water for the crew.
If you want to find out more there is a lot of fascinating information about the boat, the voyage and the aims of the project on The Plastiki's website. Just click HERE
See the video below for the Plastiki story so far:
