Instant Alert: Inside the ghost island in the 'sewage-filled' bay where Rio Olympics athletes will compete

MANAGE SUBSCRIPTIONS   |   UNSUBSCRIBE   |   VIEW ONLINE   Inside the ghost island in the 'sewage-filled' bay where Rio Olympics athletes will compete by Ariel Schwartz on Sep 29, 2015, 10:24 AM Advertisement RIO DE JANEIRO — Ilha Seca is the closest island to Rio, but humans have barely touched it in the last half century, leaving it overgrown with weeds and dotted with crumbling buildings. Now it's newsworthy, thanks to the 2016 Olympics sailing competition, which will happen in the surrounding Guanabara Bay. The Bay has been making headlines for its water, which is so dirty in some areas that it contains the same concentration of viruses you would expect to find in raw sewage.  During a recent visit to Rio, ecologist Sergio Ricardo took me to Ilha Seca, where he dreams of creating an eco-resort and breeding ground for fish species that are dying in the polluted water.  Below, my journey on the island.   Ilha Seca is surrounded by oil industry ships. But not all of the gargantuan bay is that polluted, and environmental activists have big hopes for its future. It's right off the coast of Rio. But most Rio residents don't even know that the island is there, according to Ricardo. The island is barren, with tall windswept grasses and abandoned buildings. But Ricardo is working with four local universities to turn it into an eco-paradise. See the rest of the story at Business Insider   Share the latest business news with your network: Email sent to: nguyenvu1187.love5@blogger.com   |   Manage your email preferences   |   Unsubscribe Terms of Service   |   Privacy Policy Business Insider. 150 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011