AnthonyTsai
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IWC Plastiki - Behind the Scenes
'PLASTIKI' - MISSION CONTROL
DOORS OPEN ON SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2009
Jo Royle announced to be Plastiki Skipper
SAN FRANCISCO : -- Located in the heart of Fisherman's Wharf at Pier 45 is Adventure Ecology's 'Plastiki - Mission Control.' Set to open its doors to the public on Saturday, June 27, this interactive activity and educational centre invites visitors to delve into the depths of a truly astonishing and pioneering adventure: 'the Plastiki'.
As the expedition headquarters, 'The Plastiki - Mission Control' will be a hub of discovery where fellow adventurers, adults and children alike can learn about the expedition; a 10,000 nautical mile voyage across the Pacific Ocean on a boat made almost entirely out of plastic soda bottles.
'The Plastiki – Mission Control' will navigate visitors through the research, development and journey of this extraordinary expedition by exhibiting the evolution of both the voyage and the build of this one-of-a-kind, 60-foot catamaran. Visitors can feed their curiosity by discovering the groundbreaking thinking, technologies and sustainable design solutions that are transforming 10,000 plastic soda bottles into a seaworthy vessel.
Visitors will find blueprints and sketches, expedition equipment, navigational charts, maps, touch screen films and fun and interactive work stations. Furthermore, once the expedition sets sail 'The Plastiki - Mission Control' will continue to fuel the imagination by screening live feeds, webcasts, blogs, voice files, photography and short films that document the crew's amazing adventures as they negotiate the vast and volatile waters of the Pacific.
'The Plastiki – Mission Control' promises to be an epicenter of activity, smart thinking, idea exploration, innovative new technologies and uninhibited curiosity. Supported by Adventure Ecology's network of global supporters and institutions, the space will host public lectures, seminars and workshops by leading field experts, adventurers, scientists and environmental story-tellers.
In sharing the adventure at 'The Plastiki – Mission Control', the crew aims to encourage a wider community to think smart by not only reducing, re-using and recycling but also to inform and inspire a new team of adventurers and change-makers for a better 'Planet 2.0' way of living.
Where:
Plastiki- Mission Control
Pier 45
The Embarcadero San Francisco, CA 94111
Opening Hours:
Wednesday to Sunday: 11:00 am – 16:00pm
About Adventure Ecology:
Founded in 2005 by David de Rothschild, Adventure Ecology harnesses the power of dreams, adventures and stories in order to inspire, educate and engage individuals, communities and industry to become agents of change. By building on its "edutainment" ethos of making learning an adventure, Adventure Ecology's unique expeditions to some of the world's most dangerous, exciting and environmentally challenged regions continue not only to call attention to humanity's impact on our Earth's most remote and fragile ecosystems, but also help to articulate and promote a better understanding of one of the most pressing ecological issues of our time: waste.
Adventure Ecology's long-term vision is to create a global, youth-based community that learn, share, speak and most importantly act to address our global sustainability issues in order to promote a greater respect, connection and responsibility for our Planet, its environment, species and people.
Plastiki Partners
About IWC Schaffhausen: The Official Partner
IWC Schaffhausen has been setting standards in technological development and highly complicated Haute Horlogerie for more than a century. The International Watch Company, founded in 1868, has established a world reputation for itself as a Swiss watch manufactory with a long heritage and a passion for ingenious inventions, innovative solutions and technical refinements. IWC is committed to taking responsibility toward the environment and has been certified a CO2-neutral enterprise.
About Hewlett-Packard Company: The Technology Partner
HP and the environment
For decades HP has been an environmental leader, driving company stewardship through its HP Eco Solutions program, which spans product design, reuse and recycling as well as energy and resource efficiency. HP influences industry action by setting high environmental standards in its operations and supply chain, by providing practical solutions to make it easier for customers to reduce their climate impact and through its research on sustainability solutions that support a low-carbon economy. More information is available at http://www.hp.com/ecosolutions.
HP, the world's largest technology company, simplifies the technology experience for consumers and businesses with a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com/.
About Kiehl's: Supplier
Kiehl's was founded as an old-world apothecary in New York's East Village neighborhood. Its unique and extensive background represents a blend of cosmetic, pharmaceutical, herbal, and medicinal knowledge developed and passed on through the generations. The spirit of discovery and the exhilaration of exploration have been espoused by Kiehl's extended family from the company's earliest days. Kiehl's is humbly honored to support the eco-adventurous Plastiki Expedition team and to welcome them into the Kiehl's heritage. In 1988, Kiehl's proudly supported the heroic climbers' successful ascent without oxygen of Mt. Everest's East Face. In 2002, the company sponsored the Antarctica Expedition of Mt. Vinson.
In 2005, Kiehl's proudly supported the "Greenland First Ascent" expedition, the inaugural climb of peaks rising from the island's ice covered glaciers where a team of six heroic summiteers returned from their journey with first-hand accounts of the effects of global warming. In addition, since 2003, Kiehl's has been the title sponsor of the annual Kiehl's Badwater Ultramarathon, a 135-mile non-stop footrace through Death Valley. Kiehl's products are available at www.Kiehls.com as well as through select specialty retailers worldwide.
Filling 12,000 reclaimed 2 litre PET soda bottles with dry ice. The bottles are capped, retaining the dry ice which inflates the bottle, making it un-crushable.
The Plastiki build space in Pier 31 in San Francisco. The Plastiki is being built in one of the original cargo piers on the wharf in San Francisco.
The port side hull of the Plastiki under construction. Seen here is the main centre line panel straddled by the bulkheads that form the profile of the hull. The Plastiki is a catamaran with hulls made from a ground breaking, fully recyclable self reinforcing PET plastic and reclaimed plastic bottles.
Shaping the bulkheads to fit over the main centre line panel.
Fitting the last of 22 bulkheads to the port hull.
The Plastiki is made by welding sections of srPET panels together to form the basic boat structure around which the bottles are fastened.
David de Rothschild and Andy Fox, Plastiki's builder (left) discuss progress.
Plastiki's port side centre line panel is seen here in the foreground having reinforcement tapes welded to its keel. The starboard side can be seen already standing in the background.
The Plastiki's panels are made by heating them in a modified press. As they come out of the press they pass over a cooling table seen here in the foreground. The cooling table ensures even cooling on both sides, thereby preventing buckling and twisting of these components.
Matt Grey, Project Director, inspects one of the boat panels as it exits the press.
The Plastiki taking shape
Photo credits: Luca Babini
This message has been edited by AnthonyTsai on 2009-08-31 08:02:37
