Plastics damaged oceans. Plastics damaged Rivers: Rocks are Up-Coming Things Plastics are Damaging

Plastic rocks, Credit, NBC News

In 2016, a marine ecologist, Ignacio Gestoso, first noticed a new type of rock formation on the Portuguese island of Madeira, the object sprouted on the wave-like trashed rocks like barnacles, in a thin coating of plastic, a formation later known as plasticrust.

A year later, Gestoso came back to the site of the rocks and found them not only still there, but also growing into a large area in a blue veneer, showing that the phenomenon was expanding.

Two years later, Gestoso continued his observations on the plasticrust, only it had expanded from a single sighting to encompass 10 percent of the rocks in the location, materializing in different colors, made up largely of polyethylene, one of the most commonly used plastic.

Today, the rocks Gestoso first noticed in Madeira can be found within the coast and inland in 11 countries across five continents, given myriad of names such as "plastisandstone," "plastiglomerate," "plasticrust," "plastistone," and "anthropoquinas."

Every year, countries produce over 380 million tons of plastic, 50 percent of it for single-use purposes, 10 million tons of it dumped into oceans, even with the lifespan on plastic products ranging around ten years and the decomposition taking at least 500 years.

Apart from dumping ten million tons of plastic every year as a means of getting rid of plastics, 50 percent of the product gets thrown into landfills, nine percent recycled, 20 percent disposed of in uncontrolled dumps, and about 19 percent incinerated.

Out of the 22 percent disposed of in uncontrolled dumpsites, humans dispose  an inestimable amount on beaches, which act as dumpsites, with 187,000 pieces of plastic trash witnessed in 236 beach cleanups in 42 countries in 2017.

According to scientists, when humans dump and incinerate plastics on many of the world's beaches, they melt into the surrounding environment, becoming one of the myriad types of objects formed from the combination of rocks and plastics, causing environmental concerns.

Emissions from  producing and incinerating plastics will not only amount to 56 gigatons of carbon between now and 2050, greenhouse gasses such as methane and ethylene will also emerge from the decomposition of plastics, with the methane warming the planet at up to 86 times of carbon dioxide, while ethylene provides another source of pollution.

Methane and ethylene pour out of plastic rocks, when exposed to sunlight, especially with common plastics such as polycarbonate, acrylic, polypropylene, and high- and low- density polyethylene forming the basis of the plastic rocks.

Methane and ethylene leak out of plastic rocks when the latter generates nanoplastics and microplastics, which scientists estimate to possess 50 to 75 trillion pieces to today's oceans, a number expected to quadruple by 2050.

Methane and ethylene from plastics may not directly affect sea creatures such as turtles, birds, and other, but microplastics and nanoplastics from rock plastics do, with an expedition to two remote islands finding half a million times helmet crabs killed after plastic trash trapped them.

Methane and ethylene ultimately affect the efficiency of planktons, because the creatures sequester 30 to 50 percent of carbon dioxide emissions from anthropogenic concerns, after they consume nanoplastics and microplastics from degrading plastic rocks, their capacity to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere truncated.

With methane and ethylene decreasing the capacity of planktons to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and microplastics leaked into the ocean environment, plastic rocks worsen the effects of climate change, especially  since methane from plastic rocks and other sources warms the planet up to 86 times the rate at which carbon carries out the function.

Ninety percent of the plastic items in our daily lives are used once and then chucked, but if a reuse mentality emerges, the growth of plastic rocks will come to a halt, and the worsening effects of climate change will be slowed in the long and short term.

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Exploding Sectors

Credit, Harvard Health

As climate change intensifies with the use of fossil fuel, new technologies emerge, while some old technologies and products grow. Here are some of the exploding products for founders, creators, activists, and the rest.

(1)Plant-based meat and dairy companies

These companies are developing meat and dairy alternatives made from plant-based ingredients like soy, peas, and nuts.

Plant-based companies are part of a growing movement towards sustainable, plant-based alternatives to traditional animal products, which has been driven by concerns about animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and the health benefits of plant-based diets. 

Plant-based companies are making a wide range of products, including plant-based meat and dairy alternatives, as well as protein-rich foods made through fermentation and enzymes.

Plant based food market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12.4% from 2022–2029 to reach $95.52 billion by 2029.

(2) Cell-based meat companies

These companies are using cell-culture technology to grow meat in a lab, without the need for animals.

Cell-based companies, also known as "clean meat" or "cultured meat" companies, are businesses that use cell-culture technology to produce meat and animal-based products in a laboratory, without the need for live animals.

This process involves taking a small number of cells from an animal and growing them in a controlled environment, using nutrients and growth factors to produce meat, leather, or other animal-based products.

The global cellular agriculture market was valued at USD 133.4 billion in 2021. It is projected to reach USD 515.24 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 16.2% during the forecast period (2022–2030).

(3) Fermentation companies 

These companies are using microorganisms like yeast and bacteria to produce protein-rich foods, such as mycoprotein, which can be used as meat alternatives.

They also use yeast and bacteria to produce food, beverages, and other products.

The process of fermentation involves using these microorganisms to break down sugars and starches in plant-based ingredients, producing a variety of products, including alcohol, vinegar, and enzymes.

Fermentation products market is forecast to reach US$225 billion by 2026, after growing at a CAGR of 4.8% during 2021-2026. 

(4) Enzyme companies

These companies are developing enzymes that can be used to improve the nutritional profile and texture of plant-based proteins.

Enzyme-based companies are businesses that use enzymes, which are specialized proteins, to produce a variety of products and services. 

Enzymes are essential to many biological processes, including metabolism, digestion, and immunity, and they can be used to break down or build up complex molecules.

The global enzyme  market size was valued at USD 10.20 billion in 2022 and it is projected to surpass around USD 15.03 billion by 2032, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4% during the forecast period 2023 to 2032.

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Opportunities for founders, creators, investors, activists, etc

1. Attention Startups! Open call for applications! From early-stage to Series D, pitch your innovative ideas to sector-agnostic investor. Email your pitchdeck to startuplagos@gmail.com using your signup email.

2. YourStory

@YourStoryCo #TechSparksMumbai2024 is set to return for its second edition on February 29 & March 1, 2024, at Grand Hyatt Mumbai. Scheduled for Day 2 , #PitchFest aims to spotlight undiscovered and emerging gems from Maharashtra’s startup ecosystem.

3. LSU E. J. Ourso College of Business @LSUOursoCollege. Got a business idea? Get ready to pitch it for a share of $35,000 in the J Terrell Brown Venture Challenge. The competition is open to any on-campus student in the@LSU system and alumni who graduated in 2023. https://bit.ly/3I49ntM

4. SCI Social Capital Inc.@socialcap Today is the priority deadline for youth groups to apply for the 2024 SCI Youth Grant Pitch Contest! (we are accepting rolling applications until Jan 12th!) Open to schools, youth programs, and youth-serving nonprofits. Learn more at http://socialcapitalinc.org/ygpc

5. Bayou Region Incubator @BRIncubatorbThe Bayou Region Business Pitch Competition is accepting applications until Jan 12, 2024. Use this link and click the "Apply Here" button: https://bayouregionincubator.org/pitchcompetition2023/… 

6. Global Startup Competition 2024: Open to startups from any industry, offering exposure, networking, and potential deals. (Deadline: January 31st, 2024)

7.  Viva Technology.com: A major tech event in Paris with a startup competition, workshops, and keynote speakers. (Dates: May 22-25, 2024)

8.   4YFN: An innovation platform in Barcelona with a focus on mobile technology and startups. (Dates: February 27-29, 2024)

9.  Shrmlabs BWCC Startup Track Competition: For startups solving workplace challenges, offering $50,000 and mentorship. (Deadline: January 15th, 2024)

10.  Venture Z Startup Competition (for Generation Z): Focuses on sustainable and innovative ideas, with prizes and networking opportunities. (Dates: June 5-7, 2024)

11. CES Startup Competition: Showcases innovative consumer electronics startups, with potential media coverage and investor connections. (Dates: January 5-8, 2024)

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What to Eat

Vegan diet from Portugal, Credit, Thrifty Time.Com