FTV February 13

While at sea you can imagine how much trash everyone on board produces. If the trash is not dealt with appropriately we could find ourselves harming the environment or even ourselves. For those reasons we have policies and procedures in place to prevent this from happening. All of the trash that is produced is first sent to the compactor room. Here there is a team of cadets that will sort the trash into different bags of plastic goods, paper goods, and food. The bags holding the paper and plastic goods will be sent to the ships trash storage container. Since it is compacted it allows for more trash to be stowed than if it was not compacted. Upon arriving in a port we will unload the trash and start all over again.

Once we arrive in the Port of Miami, we must follow their strict rules for unloading our trash into their receptacles. A direct communication with Captain Bushy from the Miami Port Authority clearly stated the procedures for offloading trash: Any trash on board that is foreign would have to have an agriculture inspector come and unlock the container and oversee the discharge every time. If your trash is from the US, then we can order an open top container and you can dispose of the trash as you please. Please clarify, so we arrange accordingly? The container will be placed somewhere by berth 55w, but we can always adjust it with the forklift.

Protecting the environment the reason for these rules, close inspection of dumping procedures make sure that the delicate ecology of Southern Florida is not harmed by the introduction of invasive species of plants, animals, and infections from foreign ecosystems.

Did you know? 

There is a pile of trash that is larger than the state of Texas floating in the middle of the Pacific Ocean? Currently there are scientists researching the situation who cannot determine the depth of the “trash island” because is so large and it is moving! This trash is largely made up of plastic, but over time, the ocean has turned the plastic into tiny particles. These particles are harmful to the sea life in our vast Pacific Ocean. Marine Scientists are asking for young engineers to come their aid, and help rid the ocean of this trash.  Another garbage patch sits hundreds of miles off the North American coast. Although its east-west span is unknown, the patch covers a region between 22 and 38 degrees north latitude—roughly the distance from Cuba to Virginia (see a U.S. map).

As with the Pacific garbage patch, plastic can circulate in this part of the Atlantic Ocean for years, posing health risks to fish, seabirds, and other marine animals  that accidentally eat the litter.

Engineering Thursday
Environmental engineers use the principles of engineering, soil science, biology, and chemistry to develop solutions to environmental problems. They are involved in efforts to improve recycling, waste disposal, public health, and water and air pollution control. Environmental engineers use the principles of engineering, soil science, biology, and chemistry to develop solutions to environmental problems. They are involved in efforts to improve recycling, waste disposal, public health, and water and air pollution control.

This activity show how engineers are helping to reduce waste and preserve the environment

Here is a real-life engineering challenge to explore what engineering is like.

Try this fast-paced interactive game in which you are an environmental hero, ridding the Islands of dangerous marine debris. Then do this activity to report on you quest.