Read the article. What is the problem Boyan Slat is trying to solve? What is his solution?
There are very few people who come up with a world- changing idea during their lifetime - but to come up with it while you are still a student is even more unusual. But that is exactly what Dutch teenager Boyan Slat has done. Environmental Impact magazine interviewed him.
EIM: What is the problem that you identified?
BS: Every year, millions of tonnes of plastic end up in the oceans, where the waves break it up into tiny pieces. This pollution kills millions of sea creatures every year.
EIM: Hasn't there been any action to stop it?
BS: Very little, even though campaigners have been calling for it for years.
EIM: And you've worked out a way to tackle the problem.
BS: Yes. My invention would float on the surface of the ocean and gradually clean it up by collecting around 20 billion tonnes of plastic from the water.
EIM: What would you do with all that plastic?
BS: Rather than throwing this away, it could be recycled and sold for about $500 million a year.
EIM: And how would your floating invention be powered?
BS: It would take energy from the waves and sun, so it would never run out of it!