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"stormy",
2009
approx. 5'x15'
plastic containers, packing tape
(home sweet home preschool, culver city, ca)
more images
plastic: the real sea monster
about:
Is plastic really all that bad? I personally believe plastic is one of the
most ingenious inventions of the modern world, therefore, it is one of our
biggest responsibilities. If not properly managed, our plastic waste will
continue to damage our environment. Unlike the sea monsters of our imagination,
the impact plastic has on the environment is no mystery, yet it should
be feared. I became painfully aware of this problem first hand through my
love of surfing when every surf session was turning into a beach clean-up.
Sadly, in my many years of surfing I cannot recall a day that I didn't notice
some kind of trash on the beach or in the line-up.
As a parent I am also flabbergasted at the amount of plastic packaging my family accumulates, especially products marketed to kids. Toys, snacks and even books use a ridiculous amount of unnecessary plastic that just ends up in our recycling bin. I have told myself over and over that plastic gets recycled, and that's good, but is that enough? Now I am convinced we really didn't need it in the first place.
outreach:
"Plastic:
The Real Sea Monster" is an ongoing community action to raise awareness
of the threat common household and single use plastics pose to the marine
environment. This eco-art project suggests that the only sea monsters we need
to fear is the trash we allow to enter our oceans, lakes and streams. The
ultimate goal of the project is to educate and empower families to make better
choices for themselves and our oceans.
schools/groups:
In
the Spring of 2009 my surf-mom friend Nancy Hastings and I developed "Plastic:
The Real Sea Monster" into a pilot project for Surfrider Foundation.
As parents of preschoolers we became aware that our children were an all-too-often
untargeted demographic for environmental groups because of the assumption
that they won’t really understand the message or it might scare them.
This project bridges those concerns by delivering a simple age-appropriate
empowering message.
past sea monsters:
images
recent press:
July
2010 article from the "Plastic Pollution Coalition"
contacts:
email: Amy Blount Lay,
artist, educator and creator of "Plastic: The Real Sea Monster"
Support
us by joining the group:"Facebook
/ Plastic the Real Sea Monster"
support/donate:
Plastic: The Real Sea Monster has been partially funded by the West LA/Malibu
chapter of the Surfrider Foundation. Our long-term goal is to make this program
available to all Surfrider Foundation chapters internationally. If you would
like to make a tax deductible donation to help us to continue to bring this
program and others like it to our youngest environmentalists please consider
making a tax deductible donation to:
Surfrider Foundation (West LA / Malibu Chapter)
2629 Main Street, #196
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(reference “sea monster” in the memo)
-and/or-
Join your local Surfrider Foundation chapter today. For information on how
to locate your local chapter go to: www.surfrider.org
links:
Surfrider
Foundation
Surfrider Foundation West
LA/Malibu
Rise Above Plastics
Plastic Polution
Coalition
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