Anteneh Gashaw
Executive Summary
Innovation
This project is about solving the Sargassum problem which is found in the Caribbean countries negatively impacting the tourism industry big time and hurting the natural ecosystem on its settlement in the oceans all over the world which will play big role on climate change big time. The best solution for such kind of problem is a long term solution but the Caribbean economy depends upon tourism big time that it needs an urgent solution other than cleaning up the algae on a normal or standard method. Since the basic problem is the fact that the algae float, pile up and decay on the shore: we will give it no time to pile up and decay by using a smart device to cleanly and effectively collect the Sargassum within few hours if not minutes at very lower cost and least effort with no human interaction. After the collection of the Sargassum has taken place we will use the Sargassum as an input for other purposes like construction of brick and other purposes. This will create a circular economy in the Caribbean by creating new economy that creates harmful waste in to a value input for other industries. This will transform the Sargassum from being a major problem to become a very advantageous or profiting raw material that helps create new industry.
The main goals of the project are
- Solving the Caribbean Sargassum problem by smart collection method,
- Providing the Sargassum for input for local industries creating circular economy,
- Creating jobs for local communities,
- Creating a self powered collection mechanism or at least running the mechanism in very efficient way that does not require or do on depend up on nonrenewable power sources that generate carbon emission,
- No negative effect on plants and animals on the oceans near the shore,
- Promote sustainable technologies and promote innovation,
The outcomes from the implementation of this project are
- Restoration of the Caribbean economy from tourism which the Sargassum has been hurting,
- Restoration of the beautiful Caribbean shore’s beauty we all know, free from the Sargassum becoming major health risk,
- Better management of effect of climate change; transforming the effect from being a major problem to become a great benefit to have,
- Increased employment from the project implementation and creation of new industry that utilize Sargassum,
- New electric power source if the mechanism is made successful to be self sustained using wave energy for local beach industries to generate electric power and utilize it,
- Protection and preservation of the ecosystem; plants and animals near the shore which the Sargassum has been the reason for damage and even create a better environment for the plants and animals
- Inspiration for the young generation that imprints the idea that a major problem can be turned in to a major advantage with just a right attitude and innovative mind.
The Problem
Record-breaking amount of Sargassum is in the Caribbean resulting in the highest problem ever gotten. The major problems it has brought are it piles up on beaches, sometimes many feet thick and begins to decay. The hydrogen sulphide that gets released smells like rotting eggs and many resorts had to close their doors. Since the species are Sargassum natans and Sargassum fluitans float they block sunlight creating dead zone beneath them because plants under need sunlight to survive and the cleanup and removal of sargassum is an expensive task.
Sargassum is a natural, even essential, part of the Caribbean's ecosystems but these recent blooms are having a devastating impact on the region, both ecologically and economically. Many tourist areas and islands were inundated this year. It piles up on beaches, sometimes many feet thick and begins to decay. The hydrogen...
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