Geovation: Plastic Coastal Pollution Challenge
Overview
Geovation is launching a challenge in search for a sustainable solution to the problem of Plastic Coastal Pollution.
Plastic Coastal Pollution
Macro plastic pollution causes harm to both wildlife and humans. Two-thirds of macro-plastic pollutants, such as water bottles and plastic, come straight from land-based sources through a variety of means.
Plastics account for 60 – 80% of marine litter, and are ubiquitous across the entire ocean, even in remote areas. A single litre plastic bottle can break down into enough small fragments to put one tiny piece of plastic on every mile of beach in the world.
Using the Best Data
The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) is a world-leading centre for hydrography, specialising in marine geospatial data that helps others to unlock a deeper understanding of the world’s oceans. UKHO share this data with governments, defence users and academia, as well as make it available through their portfolio of ADMIRALTY Maritime Data Solutions.
Ordnance Survey‘s full range of APIs are available for use in the challenge under a trial arrangement along with a set of premium datasets which can be made available.
The Met Office have also provided access and support for range of Climate and meteorological data from a range of publicly accessible data catalogues.
The British Geological Survey have provided access to three sample datasets GeoSure, GeoCivil’s and a Groundwater Vulnerability dataset.
The Challenge
They’re currently seeking partners and sponsors for this challenge. During the challenge, they will do a 360 deep dive research into the problem space. Following this they will issue a call for solutions from both innovators and start-ups alike that can be developed, launched, and scaled sustainably.
How the challenge works
They aim to study, dissect and understand the problem through collaboration as they leverage their expertise in business, data, and start-ups. Ultimately, they are guided by the philosophy = Problem x Solution x Execution.
Their approach is:
- Deep Dive
- Explore the problem space through a combination of primary and secondary research with 360 stakeholders.
- Call Out to Startups
- Leverage their extensive network to get the best minds working together.
- Selection and Bootcamp
- Working with selected start-ups to refine and challenge proposed solutions.
- Pitch and Final Selection
- Finalists will pitch to industry experts before winners are selected.
Past Challenges
Planet Patrol
Challenge: How can we make greener, smarter communities in Britain?
Solution: Combine litter picking and community action as well as data collection; They are at the intersection between environment and wellbeing.
Some of their many achievements include:
– They created an app
– Collected 365,353 pieces of litter recorded on an app,
– Added up to 440 tonnes of litter.
Refill
Challenge: How can we better manage water use in Britain, sustainably?
Solution: Create a network which provides members with unlimited access to cold, filtered tap water on the go. Using the Refill app, members find the nearest station, conveniently located around town in local businesses like coffee shops and bakeries, activate it with their phone, and fill their reusable bottle in seconds.
Their achievements to date include:
– Created 274,000 Refill stations globally
– 300,000 refill app downloads
– 100,000,000 plastic bottle saved
– 426 refill schemes throughout the world
GlobalTrust
Challenge: Diffuse Coastal Pollution Challenge
Solution: Their solution is based on using satellite data and a geo-temporal platform based on datacube architecture to identify environmental degradation and pollution in coastal areas connected to diffusive pollution factors. They will develop a machine learning algorithm, to identify the presence of anomalous activities, issuing subsequent alerts.
They will use the prize money to further refine their existing client facing dashboard and promote the activity using an interactive webinar and blog.
Satsense Solutions
Challenge: Diffuse Coastal Pollution Challenge
Solution: The proposed solution makes use of two key concepts, namely, Satellite-based Water Quality Assessment and a Watershed Approach; to identify problematic watersheds that contribute excessive amounts of sediment, nutrient and pollutant loads and suggests best land management practices to mitigate these discharges. Thereby helping to solve some of the major problems of diffuse coastal pollution in a targeted and cost-effective way.