Ohio Teens Solve Waterway Trash Dilemma
by Amanda Wills
Published on May 27th, 2009
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“It did seem really weird that such a device hadn’t been invented before, because it’s always been a problem with anyone who has a marina or dock, that you get garbage and things that gather,” Ethan Brewer tells CNN Solutions.
Brewer, 19, is a part of Sea Scout Ship 41 in Bay Village, Ohio. Along with his fellow teenage members, Brewer and the scouts created the “Flotsam Scoop,” a device to collect trash out of waterways.
The Flotsam Scoop removes floating debris at an Ohio yacht club. Photo: CNN.com
The winner of a $30,000 grand prize in the Interlux Waterfront Challenge, the scoop is a simple solution to a common problem in waterfront areas. Weighing about five pounds, the scoop is an aluminum mesh half-bucket on the end of a telescoping square aluminum handle.
Compared to earlier experiments that resembled fishing nets, the device’s construction is strong and durable.
The scouts’ invention stood out in the competition because of its ability to be reused several times. According to Brewer, most of the other participating groups presented one-time cleanups or improvement projects.
“We thought it’d be a good idea to invent something that we could actually give to the marinas to help them clean up these areas and help them keep up a good appearance,” says Brewer.
While local marinas raved about the scoop samples the scouts distributed, there are currently no plans to patent the product.
