Race for Water Odyssey – The environmental expedition is back with a solution against pollution

       
More plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050

After more than 9 months across the oceans of our planet, the expedition of the Swiss foundation Race for Water is back and presents its conclusions today. This project allowed the team to extend knowledge about plastic pollution and to come back with a concrete solution to fight against it.

The Race for Water Odyssey, a unique environmental expedition to assess global plastic pollution, is back to Switzerland. Today, the team presents the highlights of the expedition, as well as their environmental and scientific conclusions in the form of an exclusive 18-minute documentary. "The Plastic Odyssey" illustrates the alarming state of our oceans, as the crew of the adventure could observe it.

"It is clear that an efficient grand-scale clean-up of the ocean is unrealistic," says Marco Simeoni, president of the foundation. "The so-called 7th continent doesn't exist. Accumulation zones are more similar to gigantic plastic soups. It is almost impossible to retrieve debris, as an important part of them also sink or break up into micro particles."

The solution: Giving plastic waste a value

In light of these observations, Race for Water Foundation now focuses on one unique and ambitious objective: act on land to preserve the ocean and the future of humanity. Today, the organization works with an unprecedented approach to implement a solution inspired from social entrepreneurship to reduce this pollution: the transformation of plastic into energy. 

Several isolated islands and coastal megacities, which suffers daily from this pollution, are already interested in implementing the model. Marco Simeoni develops: "Thanks to this innovative solution, we can prevent plastic waste to enter in the water by turning it into clean energy. This model will generate tangible environmental, economic and social benefits. This is a unique opportunity to decrease environmental pollution and to improve life conditions of underprivileged communities."

An exhibition to raise awareness in Lausanne

In parallel, the foundation takes pride of place at the Hôtel de Ville in Lausanne from March 16 to April 2 2016 with a unique photo and video exhibition about the Odyssey. Playful activities around plastic pollution will not fail to captivate adults as well as children. Moreover, it organizes a charity event on Wednesday March 16 at the Olympic Museum of Lausanne, in the presence of two ambassadors, Tony Estanguet, triple Olympic gold medalist and member of the sustainability and legacy commission of the IOC, and Mama Piru, leader of the fight against plastic pollution on Easter Island.

For more information about the foundation and its solution please go to: http://www.raceforwater.com/the-program/solutions

For more information about the exhibition and the charity event: http://www.raceforwater.com/news

About Race for Water Foundation 
Race for Water Foundation is an organisation dedicated to the preservation of water. This indispensable resource is under massive threat from plastic pollution and must be protected. The Foundation aims to identify, promote and implement solutions that will give end-of-life plastic a value and to create new sources of income for the people most affected by pollution. Using an innovative approach inspired by the principles of a circular economy and social entrepreneurship, Race for Water Foundation seeks to give an economic value to plastic waste and prevent plastic pollution of our waterways. Within this framework, the Foundation works closely with UNESCO, UNEP, IUCN and the WBCSD. 

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