W2: "My Invention to Save the Earth"

"My Invention to Save the Earth"

According to Parker (2025), most of the plastic pollution in the oceans originates from land. Major rivers carry trash to the ocean like giant conveyor belts, collecting more and more waste as they flow downstream. So, it shows that even a small or careless act in our daily life can lead to serious pollution of the ocean and harm to sea animals. 

Alright, my invention to save the ocean is a robot called SolarSeaBot. This robot is a floating, solar-powered robot designed to clean up the ocean's surface, collect plastic waste, and purify seawater. It uses clean energy to fight plastic pollution and climate change, especially in oceans, rivers and lakes. 

This will be a rough draft of mock advertisement of SolarSeaBot. The slogan is "Let the Sun Clean the Ocean & Protect Sea Animals" which is a simple and straightforward. This robot is made of a lightweight, waterproof, and inexpensive material. On the top of the machine is a solar panel, and inside it a small lithium battery to store the solar energy, so it can continue to operate at night or on rainy days. It also has a trash sensor that can automatically return to the shore or a waste collection and recycling station. Additionally, it includes a small filter and UV sterilization and can be remotely controlled. It has a sensor and GPS function, so that the user can track the robot.

The solar panels can capture sunlight and convert it into electrical energy. This means it can operate autonomously without needing fuel or any external power. This can make it eco-friendly, cost-effective and suitable for long-duration missions on the water. This robot is equipped with a trash sensor that detects when its storage is full and triggers an automatic return to the shore or a waste collection and recycling station to unload the garbage. It also has a small filter and UV sterilization to help clean the water while it operates. SolarSeaBot can be remotely controlled and includes GPS and other sensors, so users can track its location and monitor its status in real time. 

SolarSeaBot's target audience includes government departments such as the Department of Environment, marine conservation organizations dedicated to protecting ocean ecosystems, universities or colleges and some environmental NGOs. Some tourist spots and fish farms can also use it to keep the water clean. Universities and colleges can use this robot for their educational purposes. Tourist spots where clean and safe water is essential for visitor experience and ecological health can also benefit. Fish farms can use the robot to monitor and improve water quality.

The impact on the environment includes reducing plastic pollution, protecting marine ecosystems, using clean energy, and improving water quality. This robot helps remove floating plastic from oceans, rivers and lakes. By cleaning up trash and improving the water quality, it creates a safer and healthier habitat for sea animals. Since it runs with solar energy, it doesn't burn fossil fuels, helping to fight climate change. With its small filter and UV sterilization, it helps remove some pollutants and bacteria, making the water cleaner for wildlife.

The problem it's solving is plastic pollution, ocean acidification, marine life in danger and high cost and low efficiency of traditional cleanup. Every year, millions of tons of plastic waste enter the oceans, causing severe harm to the ocean. Plastic floats on the water surface and pollutes the ecosystem, making it difficult to remove and can enter the food chain. While not directly addressing acidification, cleaning up pollution and reducing environmental stress can support healthier ecosystems. Plastic waste is a threat to sea animals, turtles, seabirds, and fish often mistake plastic for food. Traditional cleanup is often expensive and labor-intensive; they use a lot of fuels to remove and require significant manpower to maintain. 

Innovation plays an important role in addressing solving climate change. As environmental challenges become more complex, traditional methods are not enough to protect the environment. New technologies like SolarSeaBot that have solar energy cleaning function and sustainable energy alternatives offer more efficient, low cost, and sustainable ways to clean the environment and protect the ecosystems. The collaboration between technologies and nature is not a trend but the future of protecting our environment. Innovation helps us find new solutions to protect our planet from growing challenges. Most importantly, it inspires action and hope by showing that human creativity can lead to meaningful change.  

Reference

Parker, L. (2025, May 28). The world’s plastic pollution crisis, explained. Environment. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/plastic-pollution