# Manmade Islands from Trash Turning a Gyre of Junk Into a Revitalized Ecosystem By Marissa Brassfield | Published 2009-01-04 | Eco Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pacific-gyre-island References: [treehugger](http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/01/islands-in-the-gyre.php) & [theglobeandmail](http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081212.wrochon1213/BNStory/Entertainment) There's a gyre in the Pacific Ocean whose converging currents have created a sea of trash and junk that is twice the size of Texas. [University of British Columbia](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/university-of-sharjah) student Michael Barton proposed in his master's degree thesis to use that junk and turn it into a [manmade island](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/biodiversity-island). Barton met with marine biologists, Greenpeace and engineers, according to the Globe and Mail, to help research his design. Since plastic doesn't biodegrade, it's potentially the perfect material for a manmade landmass that could in turn help foster a [thriving ecosystem](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/marine-ecosystem-sculptures) instead of destroy it. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.2/10 - Popularity: 49% | Activity: 38% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Eco](https://www.trendhunter.com/eco) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Plastic Waste Recycling:** Opportunity for companies to develop innovative technologies and processes to efficiently recycle plastic waste from the ocean. - **Sustainable Marine Engineering:** Emerging field that aims to develop eco-friendly structures and systems for creating manmade islands and revitalizing ecosystems. - **Ecosystem Restoration:** Growing demand for solutions that restore and enhance ecosystems through the utilization of recycled materials and sustainable practices. ### Where This Applies - **Waste Management:** Waste management industry can explore new methods for collecting, segregating, and recycling plastic waste from the ocean to create manmade islands. - **Marine Engineering:** Marine engineering industry has the opportunity to develop innovative designs and construction techniques for building manmade islands using recycled materials. - **Environmental Conservation:** Environmental conservation organizations can collaborate with researchers and engineers to implement projects that restore ecosystems using recycled materials from the ocean. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Recycled Plastic Floating Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mast.md) - [Recycled Plastic Tiny Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/recycled-plastic-tiny-home.md) - [Automated Ocean-Cleaning Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jellyfishbot.md) - [Upcycled Building Blocks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/plaex-building-systems-inc.md) - [Plastic Bottle Lifejackets](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bot-lifejacket.md) - [Floating City Networks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/justinian-khoo.md) - [Surfboard Waste Blocks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/surf-block-maui.md) - [Reanimated Power Plant Parks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/manresa-island.md) - [Floating Recycled Tennis Courts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/parley-and-adidas.md)