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Ocean plastic has become a defining problem of our time, and a challenge to the world’s brightest thinkers and innovators. With a significant portion of plastic waste entering through rivers, the Alliance to End Plastic Waste is supporting the work of Renew Ocean to 1． the lack of waste infrastructure in developing regions.

Research published in Environmental Science & Technology in 2017 shows that rivers 2． dump anywhere from a half to three million tons of plastic into the seas every year. According to the data, ten rivers alone carry 93 percent of the river-borne plastics that end up in the ocean. To help prevent this plastic waste from reaching the ocean, the Alliance to End Plastic Waste will sponsor Renew Oceans, a localized 3． and investment project focused on high-leakage rivers. As a Founding Global Oceans Sponsor, the Alliance will 4． its materials and logistics (物流) capabilities. The National Geographic Society has also supported the Renew Oceans 5．.

Renew Oceans is part of the Renewology partnership, a brainchild of Priyanka Bakaya. Growing up in Australia, Bakaya became fascinated by science, chemistry, and the environment. Trips to India as a child 6． her of the need to do something positive for an environment 7． strained by plastic waste. At Stanford University, she became aware of social entrepreneurship and continued developing her ideas for ending plastic waste in business school at MIT.

How does Renew Oceans plan to tackle a(n) 8． insurmountable (难以克服的) problem? First, using proprietary (专利的) “biofence” technology designed by Renewology, plastic waste is collected as it flows down rivers and branches. ReFences divert the plastic and thus keep it from accumulating and entering the ocean. As 9．, the program has major side benefits. The plastic collected across the developing world will be converted into fuel, while waste pickers will receive compensation directly tied to the fuel generated from the plastic they collect. Renewology can become a powerful 10． for empowering local communities while cleaning up the world’s trash and providing necessary fuel.