Local Business Building Custom-Made Eco-Friendly Islands

VALLEY SPRINGS (CBS13) – A Northern California company is making islands.  But these floating, plant-growing masses are much more than pretty, these islands help the environment by cleaning waterways. 

Floating Island West in Valley Springs is literally creating land from recycled plastic water bottles to give Mother Nature a helping hand.

The floating blocks of mesh have pockets for planting plants. 

"The plants grow up.  And the roots come down through the bottom," explains Floating Island West CEO Laddie Flock. "That's what helps clean that water."

The islands are basically floating filters that suck pollutants out of the water, both natural and man made.

The islands cost about 30 dollars a square foot.  They can be created big and strong enough to even support structures.