2013 Call for Solutions

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Solutions to Inspire

Solutions to inspire

Savannah, Georgia has a long history of introducing Solutions Inspiring Action. The following are a few historical examples of solutions introduced in Savannah that spread and changed worldwide practices.

1970 Turtle Excluder Device (TED)

Turtle Excluder Device (TED) allows captured sea turtles to escape from a fisherman’s net—1970.

TEDs were first developed in the 1970s by a fisherman named Sinkey Boone, seeking to reduce his by-catch. His invention was called The Georgia Jumper. It is an original one of a kind design. Another style was patented on April 26, 1988 by inventor Noah J. Saunders of Biloxi, Mississippi. By decreasing the number of unwanted fish and creatures caught in their trawl nets, fishermen could trawl longer with the same net ideally catching more shrimp.

In 1987, the United States required all trawling shrimp boats to equip their nets with turtle excluder devices. As a follow-up two years after, the shrimp-turtle law was implemented. This required all countries exporting shrimp to the USA to certify that the shrimp they shipped were harvested by boats equipped with TEDs. Countries that can/could not guarantee the use of the escape devices are/were banned from exporting shrimp to the USA.

Even in United States use of TEDs is not universal. As of June 2010, the State of Louisiana prohibits its marine enforcement officers from enforcing TED and tow time limits.

1955 International Standardization of shipping containers

Businessman (and former trucking company owner) Malcolm McLean worked with engineer Keith Tantlinger to develop the modern intermodal container. The challenge was to design a shipping container and devise a method of loading and locking them onto ships. The result was an 8 feet (2.4 m) tall by 8 feet (2.4 m) wide box in 10 feet (3.0 m) long units constructed from 25 mm (0.98 in) thick corrugated steel. The design incorporated a twist-lock mechanism atop each of the four corners, allowing the container to be easily secured and lifted using cranes. Helping McLean make the successful design, Tantlinger convinced McLean to give the patented designs to the industry thus began international standardization of shipping containers.

1933 pulp conversion to newsprint

The Herty Foundation formed the Savannah Paper and Pulp Laboratory in Savannah, Georgia. By 1933, the plant had developed a feasible process for pulp conversion. On March 31, 1933, the first newspaper was printed using paper created from southern pine with the Herty process. Herty is now the Herty Advanced Materials Development Center.

1819 first steamship to cross the atlantic ocean

The first steamship to cross the Atlantic Ocean, the SS SAVANNAH, sailed from Savannah on May 22, 1819 and reached Liverpool 27 days later.

1733 Savannah City Plan

As a synthesis of planning ideals that respond to social, military, environmental, and philosophical needs, the Savannah plan stands out among American colonial town plans. The plan continues to adapt favorably to contemporary needs by providing a model for new urban developments. Savannah’s plan is among the most researched and analyzed in the history of American city planning.