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According to a United Nations report issued in June 2006, humankind's exploitation of the the deep seas and oceans is "rapidly passing the point of no return". I was shocked to discover that there are on average around 46,000 pieces of plastic litter per square mile of ocean worldwide, leading to the death of over one million seabirds and over 100,000 marine mammals every year due to entanglement or ingestion. Moreover, Greenpeace recently discovered that there is a vortex of floating pieces of plastic in the southern Pacific which is the size of Texas. Moreoever, plastic can take 1000 years or more to degrade in seawater and even then continues to pollute our environment with thousands of microscopic fibres: samples of sand taken from a Northumbrian beach were found to have over 10,000 fibres per litre of sand... I was so shocked that I was determined to do something about it. So I have resolved to 'save' one square mile of ocean by collecting 46000 pieces of litter whilst walking on the beaches near my home. Every time I visit the beach I take 3 or 4 carrier bags and pick up all the litter I can carry. This will take a while but someone - or, preferably, everyone - has got to do it...!
So what am I doing with all this rubbish that I am collecting? I am documenting it, photographing it and I am making art installations out of it - Walking to save some sea was exhibited at Babylon Gallery in Ely in Summer 2007 and an even bigger installation (using most of the 46000 pieces i have collected) will be exhibited at Landguard Fort in Felixstowe from 21st March, 2008. And I'll make sure I get lots of publicity for the issues as I go... OK, so one square mile isn't much and it may take me a year to do it but what if EVERYONE who visited the beach took up the 46,000 challenge... It might take a lot longer to reach my own 46,000 as we all competed for plastic but just think how much less rubbish would end up back in our oceans. So why not join in if you live in Suffolk or start your own 46,000 collection and encourage your family and friends to join in now! (You don't have to save all the rubbish you collect but do try to recycle it if you can...). Let me know what you're up to - and where - and e-mail me some photos and I'll post a link here. Let's do our bit now!!!! Remember: ‘You cannot pollute water locally. All waters come together, as all life does.’ It's not too late to sponsor me for my litter-picking walks as part of the Marine Conservation Society's Coastal Challenge - please e-mail me for details. So far I have raised over £750 through sponsorship and 'sale' of my 'A present from...' seaside souvenirs. Even better, why not start your own Coastal Challenge? See press release October 2006
remember when visiting our coastline and wild places, leave nothing but your footprint... |
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