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Mermaids Swim In A 10,000 Plastic Bottle Ocean To Show How Much Average Person Pollutes Earth
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Mermaids Swim In A 10,000 Plastic Bottle Ocean To Show How Much Average Person Pollutes Earth

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Montreal-based photographer Benjamin Von Wong (previously here and here) is fascinated with water, but the artist kept his lense above the surface for his latest project Mermaids Hate Plastic to highlight a serious problem.

Statistically, an average American uses about 167 plastic bottles each year, so by the time he’s 60 the total will be around 10,000. Because of that, Von Wong borrowed 10,000 plastic bottles from Tomra waste management center, took everything to a warehouse and began working with a large group of collaborators. The end result is series of captivating aesthetically pleasing images about an environmental issue, done in a really unique way.

Plastic in the ocean causes much more than water pollution, it releases toxins that can potentially contaminate water sources and this also negatively affects air quality. To get more information about the project and its cause, check out #MermaidsHatePlastic.

More info: vonwong.com | Facebook | 500px

Photographer Benjamin Von Wong put mermaids in a 10,000 plastic bottle sea to raise awareness about pollution

Plastic in the ocean causes much more than water pollution

It releases toxins that can potentially contaminate water sources and this also negatively affects air quality

“If the average American uses 167 plastic bottles a year, in 60 years they will have used 10,000 plastic bottles”

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“Over the course of a few days, a small army of volunteers came to help de-label, un-cap, and clean our 10,000 bottles”

Change happens when individuals come together to fight for something they believe in,” the artist said

If you love this project, consider going to MermaidsHatePlastic.com and signing Von Wong’s Change.org pledge to reuse your bottles

For more information, check out the video below:

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yvonne_bernal avatar
Yvonne Bernal
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Litter bugs are one of my biggest pet peeves. I understand the article, but it fails to mention how many Americans recycle. Most Americans have special trash containers to put their recyclable materials in to be taken to the proper disposal site. AND a lot of Americans (including myself) personally take our plastic bottles and aluminum cans to the recycle site and receive cash back in return.

atlantike avatar
Arty
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

yet...recycling use A LOT of energy, and not everything is really recycled (sometimes just "treated"). You have totally drinkable water at the tap in America, why use plastic bottles?

Load More Replies...
lou_ice_96 avatar
Louie
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't know how it is in other countries, but in Sweden we recycle most plastic bottles. Do others just throw them away? Anyway, beautiful pictures and message!

squeaky-deeky avatar
Tanya Bara
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No we don't in America . This article is only true if everybody were tossing their bottles into the ocean or landfills

Load More Replies...
vonwong avatar
Von Wong
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Can you please restore the watermarks on my images or take it down. I never provided you guys with unwatermarked images.

carobcannon avatar
Veronique Anketier
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Beautifully sad. Also, when we think about plastic, usually the first image that comes to our minds is that of a plastic bottle. Nevertheless, we also should thinkg about plastic microbeads (used in the cosmetic industry: toothpaste, exfoliant products, etc.). They are in so many products, they seriously pollute our oceans, they are eaten by marine wildlife, and, eventually, by us humans (well, by those who eat fish), seriously affecting our health (especially because that plastic never leaves our system.

lamijunk_2013 avatar
Notchimine Mette
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't use disposable bottles - only Tupperware and glass. I am more concerned about the food containers that I do use, but recycle every one of them. Still feel guilty though...

caltowhee avatar
Laura Helm
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I volunteer teaching kids to be "Ocean Guardians" so I try to keep up with recycling statistics. Last time I checked, a mere 50 years after the first instance of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, a only 23% of plastic bottles were recycled (for all plastics it's around a dismal 7%). The students coming to my aquarium tours are being taught conservation, so there is hope, but right now most Americans are unwilling to or unaware of recycling. Maybe an pretty, shiny video is just the thing to help.

karen_9 avatar
Karen Alsop
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wonderful series, drawing attention to an important issue. Well done Von Wong on making a difference through your Photography <3

christianhill avatar
Jonathan Eatsalot
Community Member
7 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Makes me want to throw more plastic bottles in the ocean. The mermaid seemed to be enjoying it.

goalballalana1 avatar
Alana
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So they all have smiles on their faces? To me it looks like they aren't smiling but you have your opinion

Load More Replies...
yvonne_bernal avatar
Yvonne Bernal
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Litter bugs are one of my biggest pet peeves. I understand the article, but it fails to mention how many Americans recycle. Most Americans have special trash containers to put their recyclable materials in to be taken to the proper disposal site. AND a lot of Americans (including myself) personally take our plastic bottles and aluminum cans to the recycle site and receive cash back in return.

atlantike avatar
Arty
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

yet...recycling use A LOT of energy, and not everything is really recycled (sometimes just "treated"). You have totally drinkable water at the tap in America, why use plastic bottles?

Load More Replies...
lou_ice_96 avatar
Louie
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't know how it is in other countries, but in Sweden we recycle most plastic bottles. Do others just throw them away? Anyway, beautiful pictures and message!

squeaky-deeky avatar
Tanya Bara
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No we don't in America . This article is only true if everybody were tossing their bottles into the ocean or landfills

Load More Replies...
vonwong avatar
Von Wong
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Can you please restore the watermarks on my images or take it down. I never provided you guys with unwatermarked images.

carobcannon avatar
Veronique Anketier
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Beautifully sad. Also, when we think about plastic, usually the first image that comes to our minds is that of a plastic bottle. Nevertheless, we also should thinkg about plastic microbeads (used in the cosmetic industry: toothpaste, exfoliant products, etc.). They are in so many products, they seriously pollute our oceans, they are eaten by marine wildlife, and, eventually, by us humans (well, by those who eat fish), seriously affecting our health (especially because that plastic never leaves our system.

lamijunk_2013 avatar
Notchimine Mette
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't use disposable bottles - only Tupperware and glass. I am more concerned about the food containers that I do use, but recycle every one of them. Still feel guilty though...

caltowhee avatar
Laura Helm
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I volunteer teaching kids to be "Ocean Guardians" so I try to keep up with recycling statistics. Last time I checked, a mere 50 years after the first instance of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, a only 23% of plastic bottles were recycled (for all plastics it's around a dismal 7%). The students coming to my aquarium tours are being taught conservation, so there is hope, but right now most Americans are unwilling to or unaware of recycling. Maybe an pretty, shiny video is just the thing to help.

karen_9 avatar
Karen Alsop
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wonderful series, drawing attention to an important issue. Well done Von Wong on making a difference through your Photography <3

christianhill avatar
Jonathan Eatsalot
Community Member
7 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Makes me want to throw more plastic bottles in the ocean. The mermaid seemed to be enjoying it.

goalballalana1 avatar
Alana
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So they all have smiles on their faces? To me it looks like they aren't smiling but you have your opinion

Load More Replies...
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