The past months have seen a steady rise in public awareness about plastic pollution. We’ve all heard the alarming data about plastic waste: about one trillion single-use plastic bags are used annually across the globe. That’s nearly 2 million every minute. And according to some calculations, the total US plastic waste generation grows 3.8% per year – from 34.5 million tons in 2015 to 38.5 million tons in 2018. Let that sink in.
Of course, for most activists this knowledge is commonplace. Scientists, politicians, and other alarmed citizens have been talking for years about the harmful effects of man-made pollution. Here are some of the lesser-known heroes helping raise awareness.
Willy Verginer
Italian artist, Willy Verginer, aims to raise awareness through his work about the role of mankind in the steady destruction of our natural environment. His striking wooden sculptures seem to beg the question: can man truly coexist with nature or is it too late? His artwork has been exhibited in museums and galleries around the globe.
Angela Haseltine Pozzi
Angela Haseltine Pozzi took her role as an artist and activist one step further when she decided to create her sculptures from plastic waste. The waste is collected at beach cleanups, which serve to clean the environment. Over 10,000 volunteers have joined her Washed Ashore project, collecting over 20 tons of debris. This waste was later transformed into over 70 sculptures of the animals affected by plastic pollution. The end result is both striking and inspiring.
Lauren Singer
Of course, you don’t need to be an artist to make a change. Blogger and activist Lauren Singer will teach you how to be a more mindful consumer. And according to her, making a change actually can be fun. Her blog Trash is for Tossers documents her zero-waste lifestyle as she passes on her tips and tricks. To Singer, zero-waste means that she does not produce any garbage whatsoever. “No sending anything to landfill, no throwing anything in a trash can, nothing. However, I do recycle and I do compost,” she explains.
