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1. Opening: "The Day Our Fish May Be Replaced by Plastic"
Hello, and thank you for visiting us. My name is Yuki Egawa, the CEO and founder of Clean Ocean Ensemble in Japan.
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Every year, about 8 million tons of plastic waste flow into the world's oceans, threatening marine ecosystems, food security, and the livelihoods of millions of coastal communities (World Economic Forum, 2016).
Furthermore, by 2050, the amount of marine plastic waste is expected to surpass the number of fish in the ocean (World Economic Forum, 2016).
The existing marine plastic waste already amounts to 150 million tons (McKinsey & Company and Ocean Conservancy, 2015), a reality that threatens both our food tables and our future.
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2. About Us: Clean Ocean Ensemble
Clean Ocean Ensemble is a Japan-based NPO founded in 2020 to combat the global ocean waste crisis. Operating from Shodoshima, Japan, with expanded activities in Mozambique and Vietnam, we focus on marine debris collection, technology development, recycling, and IT tool creation.
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To date, we have collected approximately 2 tons of waste, recycled 450 kilograms. Our work is supported by a diverse team of passionate engineers, local leaders, and environmental advocates, blending grassroots efforts with cutting-edge technology to create real change.
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Our mission is to create a world where the amount of marine debris collected surpasses the waste entering the oceans. By combining community action with technology, we aim to tackle the root causes of marine pollution and promote sustainable solutions globally.
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3. A Personal Journey: Why We Started
The inspiration behind Clean Ocean Ensemble comes from my personal experience. As a backpacker, I witnessed the beautiful landscapes being marred by plastic waste, which sparked a deep sense of urgency.
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Later, while working as part of the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JICA) in Burkina Faso, I realized that awareness campaigns alone were not enough in areas lacking infrastructure.
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Feeling limited by this, I learned about the case of The Ocean Cleanup project in the Netherlands and recognized the potential for technological innovation to address the marine debris problem. After returning to Japan, I noticed there was no similar initiative in Japan and decided to take action.
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4.Our Solution
Since 2020, we have learned three key points through our activities : quantification of collected marine debris, building networks, and giving rewards.
Without quantification of collected marine debris, we cannot show the impact, guarantee collection, and give rewards. Also, we cannot know how much we are contributing to solving the marine debris problem.
We have realized that there is still a significant amount of marine debris collection worldwide that remains unquantified.
To address these problems we want to update our prototype app and web-based map by implementing these features through this crowdfunding campaign
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1. AI-based Waste Classification and Weighing
Our app allows users to upload photos of collected marine debris along with location and time information. By integrating AI, we will automatically classify and weigh the waste, generating reliable data on collection volumes. This data will also enable a credit system for incentivizing collectors and connecting with weather services for optimized collection efforts.
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2. Data Management Linked to the Web Map
Our web map visualizes the collected waste and allows collectors to track their progress. This motivates participants by showing their contributions, and the total collection count can help drive awareness among companies and governments.
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3. Expanding users and partnerships, and piloting a reward system for collectors
Based on the collection data, we will collaborate with collectors, waste treatment and recycling partners to ensure proper processing and reuse of the waste. Additionally, we will pilot a reward system for collectors using marine debris collection credits method powered by blockchain technology.![]()
5. Project Goals and Impact
Contribute to the following
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Food security and local economies: Preventing plastics from entering the food chain.
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Marine ecosystem conservation: Reducing environmental damage.
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Circular economy promotion: Turning collected marine debris into valuable resources.
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Net-zero marine debris: Aiming for annual debris collection amount surpasses outflows with cleaners around the world.
6.How Your Support Will Be Used
Your contributions will be used for the following purposes:
Total Budget for This Project: $65,000 (1year)
App/Update Costs ($26,000):
- App Development: $22,750
- Design Costs: $3,250
- API/Server and Other Software Costs: $3,250
Project Operation Costs ($28,600):
- Full-time Staff (1 person x 1 year): $15,600
- Outsourcing staff (3 people x 1 year) $13,000
Crowdfunding Fees and Back Office Costs ($10,400):
- Crowdfunding commission and preparation Fees: $6,500
- Accounting and Reporting Costs: $3,900
These funds will accelerate the quantification of collection activities and help us achieve concrete results toward solving the ocean waste problem with more collaborators.
7. Why Your Support Matters
Marine debris is a global issue that requires collective effort. By supporting Clean Ocean Ensemble, you become part of the solution. Together, we can create cleaner oceans, protect marine ecosystems, and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.
We can't do it alone and we don't have enough cooperations yet.
Join us in this mission to save our oceans ENSEMBLE.
Thank you for your support!
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