Writers and serial collaborators Barry Libert and John Spector once said: We are smarter than me. This simple idea is one of the reasons Net Impact provides opportunities like our annual conference and many student competitions. We love to see other organizations harnessing the power of collaborative brainpower to uncover environmental innovation. If you're ready to make a splash, here are two competitions focusing on water issues that offer a great opportunity to put your best thinking forward...

Think Beyond Plastic

Out in the Pacific Ocean, a swirling mass of plastic trash the size of Texas grows every year. Clearly, we have a huge problem on our hands, no thanks to growing global plastic consumption and disposal.

Think Beyond Plastic, a global competition from the Plastic Pollution Coalition, calls on entrepreneurs (existing or budding) to stretch their business planning muscles by submitting the most disruptive ideas for cutting plastic usage across the world.

First prize winners will snag a $50,000 investment towards an existing business, or $10,000 seed money for an innovative idea. Submissions are now being accepted, so get started.

Biomimicry Design Challenge

Sometimes developing solutions to water issues requires looking to nature. Biomimicry 3.8 has just launched its Biomimicry Design Challenge, which trains teams of university students in biomimicry in order to apply their thinking towards a local or global water issue.

Students who take part have an opportunity to design an original technology, service, or product, as well as the chance to win up to $11,000 in cash prizes. Want a $5,000 Grand Prize to take your idea to the next stage of development? Hop on the Biomimicry Design Challenge website and submit your team idea by October 19, 2012.