As part of their Turning The Tide initiative, Joco Cups has teamed up with the Seabin Project to launch the first of its Joco x Seabin Fleet in the Marina of the Royal Geelong Yacht Club (RGYC).
Committed to the belief that responsible collaboration is one of the most effective approaches to stemming the flow of plastic pollution into the environment, the Joco x Seabin Fleet partnership with RGYC focuses on combining the power of individual Joco purchases with the innovative expertise of Seabin’s proven plastic waste reduction technology.
The initiative’s inaugural Seabin, which acts as a floating garbage bin, operates 24 hours a day to harvest plastic debris from the waters around RGYC, as well as collect valuable data to help turn the tide on the plastic pollution crisis.
Globally, 79 percent of plastic waste ends up in landfills, dumps or in the environment. Only nine percent of plastic waste is recycled. Eight million metric tons of plastic end up in our oceans every year — or one full garbage truck every minute. The average human ingests some thirty to fifty thousand microplastic particles a year.
At this rate, there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish by 2050.
Clearly, the recycling and repurposing status quo is not working to stop the flow of plastics into our environment — or ourselves. Much of the recent proposed “solutions,” like so-called bio or plant-based plastics actually worsen the issue, because they’re simply adding to the pollution feedback loop.
“You can’t fight plastic with more plastic,” Joco Cups founder Matt Colegate said. “We need to end the flow and then recover the waste.”
Already, RGYC has been implementing policies that prioritise water quality and sustainability, from installing recycled marina fenders and decking products to their involvement in the Clean Regattas program – focusing on reducing single-use plastics at major regattas around the world.
“We want to maintain a pristine water environment for our members, the community and future generations,” said RGYC Commodore, John Kint. “By installing Seabin technology here at the club, we are further aligning ourselves with Joco, a local business that shares our environmental values and vision.”
In 2008, Joco was born out of personal protest to the mounting threat of plastic and single-use waste. Their eco-innovative reusable drinking vessels developed through leading knowledge and materials are designed for a lifetime of use. Since 2017, Joco’s environmental initiatives have been funded through proceeds from every purchase. The result has been the removal of over 120,000 pieces of plastic for the land, oceans and waterways.
To date, there are already over 700 Seabin devices deployed globally, which capture a staggering 1,952 kilograms of plastic trash daily.
The inaugural Joco x Seabin Fleet deployment at RGYC will only strengthen Joco and RGYC’s shared mission of promoting environmental stewardship at the individual level.
“Partnerships between companies and clubs like RGYC present a great opportunity for collaboration to engage with and influence our members and the public,” John Kint said. “Aligning with Joco and Seabin empowers us to achieve our common goal: turn the tide on the plastic waste crisis.”
“The Joco x Seabin Project Fleet aims to grow year by year,” Matt Colegate said. “The Joco community can feel proud of the fact that they are helping to stop the flow of plastic pollution and contributing to cleaning up the crisis.”