Summer is here on this side of the planet and I cannot be more thrilled! Time for picnics at the beach, campfires, having drinks with friends, or just hiking, walking, and enjoying ourselves in the great outdoors… These fun activities can generate a lot of waste, as the convenience of having single-use plastic tableware and pre-made food for feeding ourselves or large groups of family or friends is undeniable.
I recently learnt about plastiglomerates, basically “rocks” that form along shorelines, made of a mixture of natural sedimentary grains and organic debris (e.g. shells, wood) held together by melted plastic, either from campfires, as found in Kamilo Beach, Hawaii in 2014, or high temperatures on beaches, as is the case on Trindade Island in Brazil, reported a few months ago. So, plastics from fishing gear, food and drink containers and debris from various sources (toys, shoes, etc.), from what people leave behind at the beach or from trash that makes its way into it, are altering the geology of our world. Disturbing…
I invite you to see the recording of the recent virtual presentation: “Recycling and Creativity: Changing the Journey of Our “Stuff” to Help the Planet” (May 2nd, 2023) from i3C artist Yulia Shtern where she shared the striking facts about recycling of the various types of discarded materials, and about amazing international artists working with them. One of Yulia’s striking comments is that the landfill is where eventually about 90 % of the unwanted stuff that leaves our houses ends up. And from there to the ocean… And everywhere in the world…
Related to plastics and waste, I remind myself to do what is in my power:
· I love these tips from Plastic Action Centre for a Plastic-Free Summer.
· There are many organizations such as Beyond Plastics Greater Boston, or Surfrider Foundation where we can get involved, or support and even help model new legislation for banning single-use plastics and other related bills.
I am at full speed planning Fall exhibits and producing new work! More to share in future blogs! Stay tuned…
Contact me if you want to have a virtual or in-person visit to my Cambridge or SoWa studios, where you can see my recent work “Delicate Discard” painted on found canvas.
Let’s enjoy summer…
Image: Delicate Discard, acrylic, acrylic pen, ink pen and water-soluble crayons on canvas, 10 x 8 inches, available