UNC has nothing to be proud of here. If you are a responsible journalist you might present a substantially more accurate essay instead of seeing climate change through rose colored glasses, whether they are made from recycled plastic or not.

The reality of these efforts is nice, but they pale in comparison to the depth of the problem. That ocean plastic is recycled into glasses presents the notion that the collected waste is put to good use. That's actually a long way off as this article clarifies:

https://hakaimagazine.com/features/scooping-plastic-out-of-the-ocean-is-a-losing-game/

To be a journalist, learn first to get your information straight. There are many good ideas out there but nothing short of a major redirection of our economic priorities will slow climate change. Optimism is fine, but truth and facts count when one wants to get people to accept the reality of our plight.