Within each generation there are those who look down on the later generations with the misconception that younger people are not as productive, driven or industrious.
The truth is every generation has the same percentage of productive individuals. Recent news coverage shows one member of the Millennial generation can already be included among their exceptional individuals. He’s not old enough to buy a beer in the United States, but he has found a way to address the pollution problem in the oceans.
It’s estimated that millions of tons of plastic and other trash are floating in the ocean right now. With each passing year, tons of trash is added.
To fix the problem, 20-year-old Dutchman Boyan Slat invented a way to clean the oceans by using the power of the currents.
He developed floating booms that are capable of capturing the trash on the surface, without negatively affecting marine life.
Not only has he invented the means to collect the trash, but also formed a non-profit organization called The Ocean Cleanup to raise funds to pay for construction of the devices.
They essentially work by utilizing the ocean currents, which are strongest near land. By setting up his floating barrier in key locations, the plastics and other floating debris will be captured and can be easily disposed of in the proper manner, while allowing marine life to simply swim underneath.
The best part is he plans to launch a large test device as early as next year.
So the next time you hear someone say that the younger generation, no matter what decade they were born, isn’t as good as the previous one, be sure to point out that every generation has people who are willing to go above and beyond to make the world a better place.