Single use plastics like straws, water bottles, soda bottles and plastic shopping bags have proven to be more harmful to the environment than anyone ever imagined. We all feel a collective sense of remorse over our plastic use, but for most, plastics are such a part of daily life that it feels impossible to go without.
Recycling statistics are dismal, and while more and more people are moving to reusable items, it will be a slow process to make a dent in our collective plastic use. The Million Waves Project believes there is a way to transform the unacceptable global-waste problem into a global resource while also meeting the needs of some of the most underserved people in the world.
It is estimated that 40 million people in the developing world are in need of a prostheses, and only 5 percent have access due to lack of trained doctors the steep costs of traditional prostheses.
3D printing technology allows for the customization of basic prostheses without the need of specialized doctors, and the devises cost between $45- $130 to print, assemble and deliver anywhere in the world.
The Million Waves Project’s mission is to bring together two unacceptable global conditions and offer a practical and sustainable solution. We take plastic cleaned from the ocean and turn it into 3D printed prosthetic limbs for anyone, anywhere free of cost. We strive to promote awareness of the need for prosthetics and the need to close the loop on plastic use world-wide.
Laura Moriarity, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Million Waves Project, [email protected]
