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Welcome to Vac from the Sea
Welcome to Vac from the Sea,Our oceans are filled with plastic waste. Yet on land, there is a shortage of recycled plastic.The supply of sustainable raw material, such as recycled plastic, is crucial...
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Ramsvik
Ramsvik, near Smögen and Kungshamn, is one of the first sites where Electrolux has started to collect plastic debris for the Vac from the Sea project. Last week we joined the local community cleaning...
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Plastic Recycling
There are no exact figures on how much plastic is being recycled. According to the report “The Compelling facts About Plastics 2009, an analysis of European plastics production, demand and recovery for...
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Date Set for Dive Clean Up in Thailand
Photo from stock.xchngOn the 20th and 21st of August we’re off to the Phi Phi Islands in Thailand. Together with the Blue View Divers we’ll do a dive clean up and gather plastic debris that has gotten...
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One Word
Home: the SSV Corwith Cramer.I just want to say one word to all of you. Just one word.Are you listening?Plastics.Forty-three years ago this sage advice was given to Benjamin Braddock, played by...
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Eternal Debris
Toothbrush from the Sea. Photo: Thomas EngströmWhen we go through the bags from the various collection sites, we find many everyday objects. In addition to all plastic packaging, bottles and plastic...
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Start Collecting!
“Sometimes beauty can be a call to action. Here, the call to action is to follow some simple rules of planetary housekeeping, but in a larger sense the call to action is to follow the strange voices of...
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Making a People’s Vac
Plastic debris in the ocean concerns us all. Up until now, we have worked together with different kinds of organizations to collect plastic from the Pacific, the Atlantic, the Indian Ocean and the...
View ArticleThe Majestic Plastic Bag
Narrated by Academy Award-winner Jeremy Irons, this "mockumentary" video, stresses the reality of California's plastic bag pollution situation. The video were released by the Heal the Bay organization...
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Robot Uses Lasers to Sort Plastic
Earlier this year, Osaka University unveiled a recycling robot that uses lasers to sort different types of plastics. Most plastics are recyclable, but only 6 % end up in recycling bins. PET and PS are...
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The Ocean Initiatives
Surfrider Foundation Europe is a Non-Governmental Organisation (Association under the Law of 1901) dedicated to the protection and enhancement of the coastal environment. Its aim is the “defence,...
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Companies Must Lead the Way
Väderöarna is a previously inhabited archipelago consisting of hundreds of rocky islets in the Skagerrak. Much of the plastic debris from the North Sea floats ashore on the islands' beaches.With the...
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100% Recycled Plastic
Plastic waste obtained from electronic devices, toys, drink trays and stadium seats is seldom used in end products due to the complexity of separating the various categories of plastics. The Chilean...
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Mission: Gather plastic for the Baltic Sea Edition
In connection with the Vac from the Sea-initiative, plastic debris has been gathered in many different ways. For the concept vacuum cleaner called The Baltic Sea Edition, plastic was collected from...
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Introducing the Vacs from the Sea
From left to right: North Sea Edition, Indian Ocean Edition, Mediterranean Sea Edition, Pacific Ocean Edition, Baltic Sea Edition. After several months of plastic hunting in the world’s major oceans...
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Making of: Vac from the Sea – Pacific Edition
Collection site: Kahuku and Kamilo beaches, Hawaii, USAMethod: Beach cleanupLocal partner: Beach Environmental Awareness Campaign Hawaii (B.E.A.C.H.) Plastic particles collected by B.E.A.C.H. The...
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Making of: Vac from the Sea – Indian Ocean Edition
Collection site: Phi Phi Islands, ThailandMethod: Coral reef divingPartners: Blue View Divers The Indian Ocean PlasticThe majority of rubbish gathered off the beaches and coral reefs consisted of...
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Making of: Vac from the Sea – Mediterranean Edition
Collection site: St Cyr-sur-Mer, FranceMethod: Beach cleanupPartner: Surfrider FoundationThe Mediterranean PlasticMost of the plastic from St Cyr-sur-Mer was composed of plastic objects thrown or...
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Making of: Vac from the Sea – North Sea Edition
Collection site: Skagerrak, SwedenMethod: Coastal cleanupPartners: Sotenäs Municipality The North Sea PlasticAbout 20 000 tons of garbage is dumped in the North Sea every year. The Bohuslän...
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Making of: Vac from the Sea – Baltic Sea Edition
Collection sites: Sandhamn, Sweden. Gdansk, Poland.Ragaciems, Klapkalnciems, Latvia.Method: Coastal cleanups with locals.Partners: Islanders, Sandhamn, Sweden. The Hel MarineStation, Słupsk Elementary...
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Let’s bring it in, Electrolux is trawling for plastic
On January 5th, the 5 Gyres are leaving on an expedition, from Walvis Bay in Namibia to reach Montevideo in Uruguay (February 4th), crossing the South Atlantic. Electrolux is contributing to the...
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Wanted: Crew Member to Sea Expedition
The 5 Gyres is a renowned research organization on a mission to conduct research and communicate the global impact of plastic pollution in the world’s oceans.In March, 5 Gyres is leaving on the Sea...
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Environmental Award to Vac from the Sea
Cecilia Nord, Electrolux, (middle) accepting the award from Erik Solheim, Norway's Environment Minister (right). Photo: Linda Bay, LOOP The "Keep Norway Clean" organization's "Gullklypa" is an annual...
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You’ve Got Three More Days!
The deadline for applying to become the new crew member on the 5 Gyres expedition in March is coming up. The expedition will leave Puerto Williams, Chile, on March 3rd and reach Valdivia, Chile, on...
View ArticleBrit Liggett from New York is Electrolux’ New Crew Member
Brit Liggett, a 26 year old blogger from Brooklyn, New York, wins the Electrolux and 5 Gyres competition, where first prize is becoming a crew member on the coming 5 Gyres research expedition through...
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The Adventure Starts Here
Landing in Punta Arenas. The adventure has already begun and I haven't even made it to the Sea Dragon yet. Apparently getting to the southernmost town in the world is difficult. So far I've logged...
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I've Made It to the Boat!
The adventure continues. I've made it to the boat! I am in Puerto Williams, Chile, at the bottom of the world. We ended up spending an extra day in Punta Arenas until the weather allowed us to fly. We...
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The End of the World
And we're off! The end of the world is more extreme than one could imagine. We set out sailing from Puerto Williams this morning and headed out into the Beagle Channel toward the Pacific. The sailing...
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Hello from the Magellan Strait!
The crew L to R: Teresa (from TN), Chris (from MN), Tasha (from MN), Jeff (boat crew), Me (from NYC), Robert (from TN), Anna (from Sweden), Dale (first mate from Australia), Clive (Skipper from...
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Rollerblade Wheels, Shotgun Shells and Plastic Bottle Tops
It's about the time in the trip where we've started to lose track of the days. We are holed up in a cove just off of the Smythe Channel for the night because there are hurricane force winds ripping...
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Fishy Business
We are currently still tied and tethered, because of some pretty intense wind, in Punto Mayne, just off of the Smythe Channel. We've been here for about 24 hours and expect not to leave for another 6...
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Waiting Out the Tsunami Warning
The adventure continues. With word of the devastating earthquake in Japan today and the global tsunami warning we have been tucked into a bay by the Chilean government. They have things really well...
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On The Road Again
On the road again. I awoke yesterday morning at about 7:30 and realized that not only had no one come to get me for my watch at 4 a.m., but we hadn't moved from our safe spot in the bay at Puerto Eden....
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Rocking the Boat in Gulfo de Penas
Yesterday was a doozy. I thought I was a pretty tough seafaring lady but put any strong sailor up against the Gulfo de Penas -- the 50 mile-wide gulf that you need to cross to exit the southern chilean...
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The Lost Blue Oil Drum
Our final mysterious debris discovery in the Caleta Lamento del Indio... The other day while anchored in the Caleta Lamento del Indio, Clive the skipper, Anna the scientist and I decided to take a...
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Nurdle from the Sea
One great thing about being in the open water is having all of the sails on the Sea Dragon out in full force. Today the weather in the South Pacific is perfect, sunny and a little warmer than it has...
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Thoughts on our Plastic Addiction
Though the Sea Dragon is quite an amazing vessel and I've had an absolutely incredible time, it was quite nice to step foot on dry land this morning! We docked in the harbor at Valdivia at about 9...
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Join us in the fight for cleaner oceans!
For every new Like we get on our Facebook-page during September and October 2011, Electrolux donates 1 Euro to Algalita Marine Research Foundation and 5 Gyres. These two organizations do extra-ordinary...
View ArticleDow Jones Sustainability World Index names Electrolux Durable Household...
In the prestigious Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) for 2011, Electrolux remains Durable Household Products sector leader. Our score has improved compared to 2010. DJSI World includes...
View ArticleSustainability in stores
Providing millions of homes all over the world with appliances means that we have an opportunity to help a lot of people to make environmentally conscious decisions. We also have possibilities to talk...
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What can you do?
We recently got an e-mail from New Zealand telling us about a great local initiative with the aim to take care of a beautiful beach, Waihi. Every now and then we get an e-mail from someone expressing...
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TED Talk on plastic
This week Cecilia Nord, Vice President Floor Care Environmental and Sustainability Affairs shares one of her favorite TED Talks with us as well as her reflections around it. "Less than 10% of plastic...
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Vac from the Sea hitch hikes across New Zealand
The New Zealand Vac from the Sea is about to hit the road to help spread awareness about the worlds bad plastic karma, how we can address this imbalance by improving recycling habits, and what...
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Update from New Zealand
Wondering how Julian and Miss E (yep, the Vac has a name now) are doing with their hitch hiking adventure across New Zealand?Here is Julian's diary and some pics! If you want to know more about Julians...
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Competition time!
How do you think plastic can be reused? And what are your ideas on the challenge to generally minimize plastic waste? In which product or category have you seen the most innovative recycling of...
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Miss E's trip is over
Last update from Julian! Day 6Almost 500km yesterday!!!!! Second week of the tour started off in Nelson, top of the South Island. All suited up, Miss E Lux on my back and a quick hitch to Tahunanui...
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Want to win an UltraSilencer Green?
On the 11th of December we will send an UltraSilencer Green vac to someone who shares ideas with us on one of the topics below - could be you!This is what we would like to know (you only need to...
View ArticleInspiration
We are amazed by all the creativity that has arosen around Vac from the Sea. This is one of our favorites... An artwork made with sand that tells the VFTS-story. Amazing.
View ArticleWin a vac - new deadline!
It's Christmas time after all so we have decided to be a bit understanding with your busy schedules. New deadline for our competiotion is 21/12!So for those of you who don't have all your Christmas...
View ArticleThank you Bert!
Update on our competition!After having read through really good ideas on how to minimize plastic waste and on recycling we have a favorite: Bert from Arizona. Bert's thoughts included an innovative...
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