Imagine if every harbour in Africa had one of these

Africa is the second most polluted continent on the planet, according to Dr Tony Ribbink from the Sustainable Seas Trust. But imagine if every harbour, marina or even estuary had this clever contraption that scoops up trash floating on the water before it heads out to sea?

 
This boat was created by Eric Dieters, from San Diego. Now, he’s a hero in our books. We’re looking for people who’ve come up with solutions – big or small – to environmental problems in their area.

Also read: how one man cleaned up 4000 tons of trash

Do you know an eco-hero? Nominate them! Tell us about them in the comments of this post, and they could be our Eco-Hero of the Week. They’ll be celebrated far and wide (plus they can win a Getaway subscription).

Or if you’ve already got a plan – and it’s a big, expensive one – you should know that there’s a two million dollar Innovation Prize from the Ellen MacArthur foundation and The Prince of Wales’ Sustainability Unit up for grabs for innovators, designers, scientists and entrepreneurs helping to solve these problems.

How can Africa manage its waste problem?

One of the first steps is recognising the problem, then looking for solutions to those. That’s what the continent’s first-ever African Waste Management Conference aims to do. The conference will draw on people here and from around the world to discuss topics from research, oil, aerial and chemical pollution, socio-economic impacts, recycling, upcycling, exciting innovations and more.

Got ideas about how to help? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter, with the hashtag #KeepAfricanSeasClean.

Or, if you’re passionate about the future of the oceans and keen for an adventure, enter our competition to win a trip on an eco-yacht!