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Most scuba divers are by now well aware of the piles of plastic garbage accumulating in our oceans. One specific pile in the Northern Pacific Ocean known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is apparently the size of France. Recently, the media company LADbible and the charity Plastic Oceans Foundation teamed up to petition the United Nations to recognize this garbage patch as the world’s 196th country.

Former Vice President of the United States Al Gore has raised his hand to be the first citizen of what is otherwise known as the “Trash Isles.” The organizations have hired designer Mario Kerkstra to design a flag, passport, stamps, and currency (which will be called “Debris”). According to the petition’s site, they are 33,000 signatures away from the 150,000 they need. Even if it doesn’t succeed in becoming the 196th nation, it will certainly raise plenty of awareness around the issue.

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