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  WALKING TO SAVE SOME SEA - MY 46000 CHALLENGE

 

 

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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 really 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 with or swallowing litter. Moreover, Greenpeace recently discovered that there is a vortex of floating pieces of plastic in the southern Pacific which is the size of Texas. Even worse, 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...

 

The Challenge

I was so shocked that I was determined to do something about it. So I 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 visited the beach I took 3 or 4 carrier bags and picked up all the litter I could carry. Whilst walking, I raised nearly £1000 for the Marine Conservation Society through sponsorship and sale of my unique seaside ‘souvenirs’. You can do your own bit to help by taking part in local river or beach clean-ups, such as Beachwatch.

My challenge took exactly a year to achieve - in total I walked over 200kms and carried away nearly a third of a tonne of rubbish!

To see how much I collected and where, click here.

Sadly, however, my challenge isn't really complete. Scientists estimate that the amount of plastic in the sea is increasing at a rapid rate, doubling every 3 years or so. By now, I probably should have collected around 100,000 pieces...This could be a lifetime's work and I still would not save a square mile of sea...

   

 

   

Walking

Whilst walking, I took photographs and created a book of what I saw, contrasting the seemingly unspoilt beauty of the landscape with the man-made debris which inhabits it.

Click here to see my photographs in sequence from the beginning of my challenge.

To see specific locations, click the following links:

Aldeburgh   Bawdsey   Covehythe   Dunwich 

Felixstowe   Orford Ness   Shingle Street   Sizewell  

Southwold   Thorpeness   Walberswick

 

 

Collecting

I have saved and photographed nearly everything from my walks

 

 

Exhibitions

I have exhibited my collections widely, creating huge installations with what I have found. Click here to see more photographs from my exhibitions.

Cast Away, installation of found plastics at Landguard Fort in Felixstowe, approximately 4m diameter.

Click here to read some of the comments people made about my exhibition.

Media

Press releases:     March 2008     Sept 2007   May 2007    October 2006

In July 2008, I appeared on Libby Purves' Midweek on BBC Radio 4. To hear the programme, click here.
I also featured in the BBC Radio 4 documentary 'The Art of Litter' in February 2009.


Resources

 
PLASTIC FANTASTIC?
Click here to find out more about plastics, their impact on our seas and wildlife and what we can do to help - including downloadable educational resources.

 

   
   

 

 

 

 

OK, so one square mile isn't much and it may have taken me a year to do it but what if EVERYONE tried to do something? If you've got any brilliant ideas or want to tell us about what you've done, please drop me a line. Meanwhile, have a look to see WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO...

 

remember when visiting our coastline and wild places, leave nothing but your footprint...

 

aE