SBS News – He’s Set Sail
Read the article on SBS News here Image source: SBS News / Kerrin Thomas
April 17, 2024
Sending out an SOS
Latest News
Sending out
an SOS
Samuel McLennan has hand built a raft entirely from rubbish and waste found on Tasmania’s coastline and waterways.
It was created on a property near Port Arthur in Southern Tasmania and is now being prepared for Sea Trials on waters close by.
Samuel is willing to challenge himself and many others beliefs by sailing the vessel from Hobart to Sydney and beyond – he has significant global experience in many disciplines.
The project is inspiring people to take new actions to shift the unworkable situation we have created for ourselves, future generations and mother earth.
This is a project to interrupt the way human beings think, speak and act about themselves and other people – because the current result is waste showing up in the environment.
Project Interrupt crowdfunding is now live - help this man continue!
Why is Samuel doing this crazy thing?
He is concerned for the future and direction we are headed as a society
He wants you to be abundant, joy-full, having great relationships and achieve what you dream about
He see's a correlation between the rising rates of mental health issues and the increasing amounts of rubbish in the environment
To cause important conversations about
- Environmental sustainability
- Corporate, government and individual responsibility
- Innovation and creativity
- Mental health and mindset
- Leadership, management & teamwork
- And many more
Goals on the Ground
(and in the ocean!)
1. To prevent waste from entering the environment and remove the waste that’s currently there.
2. To develop strong leaders who are committed to creating people and environments that increase in health and abundance
Starting with the vision of an innovation island in Jan 2022 (to develop solutions to combat the demise of the local marine environment) – the Interruptor evolved as more debris arrived.
As the year progressed Samuel faced many challenges while discovering how and when to utilise each unique piece – unsure if more of the same would show up.
If he used a piece too early – it could (in the future) prevent the development of a critical component of the vessel.
He learned about the balance point between patience and progress – a move too fast could have detrimental impacts.
Have we gone past the balance point in society today?
Newsletter Signup
What?
Rubbish in the environment is rapidly increasing
Species have become extinct and more are becoming extinct
Inorganic rubbish will kill nearly every living thing on the planet - including us
Human beings get many positive benefits from nature and the environment
Technological advancements come from nature (e.g. Solar power, batteries, medical insights into cancers etc). They come from a scientist or researcher developing a deeper insight about how a natural thing works
Aboriginal culture maintained the environment for 60,000 years
There's increasing amounts of people being unhappy about how the environment is being treated by certain people, corporations and governments
Why?
Rubbish doesn’t naturally grow in the environment – it comes from people. Someone chooses, at some point in time, to not focus on the rubbish they have created.
Here’s examples of the thoughts that cause rubbish to be created (or to exist) in the environment:
It takes time to look at the impacts of waste or rubbish - and I don't have time for that
If I speak up about the rubbish my workmate has just thrown in the ocean I might lose my job
It costs my business money to find useful purposes for waste and prevent it from entering the natural environment - and I want to spend the money on other things
I don't want people to see me picking up this rubbish. They might tease or pick on me if I do (and deep down I don't want to be ridiculed or ostracised)
Who gives a sh#t anyway? (and deep down there's the thoughts: nobody cares about me so why should I care?)
Read
SBS News – Maiden Voyage put on hold
The maiden voyage of a raft made of marine rubbish has been scuttled by Tasmanian authorities, but the creator says he hasn’t given up his
April 4, 2024
ABC Article and Interview – Marine safety authority delays
Sam tells ABC News Breakfast his voyage on his reclaimed plastics raft has been delayed by authorities. Watch and read here
April 4, 2024
Feature in Inspire Magazine
Samuel was on the cover of the September issue and talked about his quest to save our oceans. Read the full story here.
October 18, 2023
Australia All Over Radio Show
Legendary host Macca spoke with Samuel about Project Interrupt. For over 20 years, countless individuals have tuned in to “Macca on a Sunday” on ABC
August 22, 2023
ABC News Article – Raft Launch
Luke Bowden and Meg Whitfield from the ABC wrote up a great article about the launch of the vessel and progress so far. Check out
July 3, 2023
Listen
Oceans Matter Podcast
Boardsox is kicking off Season two of The Oceans Matter Podcast with a huge episode off one of the most ambitious grass roots environmental quests
January 22, 2023
