We had been to the Tucson Botanical Gardens to see the holiday lights in 2022, but we were eager to see the grounds during daylight hours. We also wanted to check out the “Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea” exhibit.
Founded by artist Angela Haseltine Pozzi in 2010, the mission of Washed Ashore is, “To build and exhibit aesthetically powerful art to educate a global audience about plastic pollution in the ocean and waterways and to spark positive changes in consumer habits.”
When arriving at the Botanical Gardens, this Water Bottle Jelly just inside the entrance was a wakeup call. Turns out, plastic bags floating in the ocean resemble sea jellies. It’s now one of the biggest threats to sea turtles worldwide. (Memo to self: remember to put our reusable bags in the car!)
Other than the steel structures that are holding the sculptures together, all the material has been collected along Oregon beaches where the Washed Ashore organization is located in Bandon, Oregon.
Check out the Croc encased in the netting.
Our tour guide, Dr. Albie Tross. “I’m an optimistic bird, I like to wing a couple of jokes…”
Priscilla the Rainbow Parrotfish. Rainbow fish feed on algae and coral. Because of ocean debris, coral reefs are endangered.
Recognize some of the debris that make up Priscilla?
Zorabelle the Rockhopper. The population of Rockhopper penguins have been steadily declining over the past century due to marine pollution, loss of food, and commercial fishing.
Finn the Mako Shark. Mako Sharks can travel up to 60 mph and are the fastest sharks in the ocean. Plastic in the ocean is a hazard because they injest directly or eat other fish that have injested plastic. Plus, they can get caught in discarded rope and debris.
Sebastian James the Puffin. Puffins dive into the water to catch fish and can mistake plastic for food. They also can get caught in abandoned fishing gear. Note his traffic cone feet.
Sebastian James was my favorite.
I remember being entranced by the Puffins clinging to the cliffs of Iceland’s Grimsey Island. Composed of sea debris from batteries to Bic lighters, it felt like Sebastian’s eyes were peering into my soul, telling me to do better.
Grace the Humpback Whale Tail. These giants whales used to be endangered, hunted to the brink of extinction. Now their numbers have increased and they are a comeback story.
It’s our responsibility to ensure an environment free from trash. Seriously, a steering wheel washed ashore?!?
The reality is that only about 10% of items put in recycling actually get recycled because many plastics can’t be recycled. Tucson just signed an agreement with Byfusion Global, Inc., to set up a Los Reales Sustainability Campus on the Southside of the city.
According to Byfusion, whose motto is Reduce. Reuse. Repurpose, “…Plastic as a material isn’t the problem; it’s the lack of planning for its lifecycle.” They have developed ByBlock®
, made from steam and compressed plastic. Each Byblock weights 22 pounds and once treated, will be used to replace the Tucson Botanical Gardens raised beds.
Dr. Albie Tross insisted none of the debris used in the sculptures had been painted. Found items are only washed before becoming art objects. The number and kinds of items found washed ashore shocked us.
Thank you, Dr. Albie Tross, for enlightening us. Her parting joke: “What did the ocean say to the shore? It didn’t say anything…it just waved.”
“Washed Ashore” is a 501(c)(3) non-profit. They offer ocean conservation lesson plans and instructions on how to make art from recycling plastics on their website.
See the “Washed Ashore” exhibit at the Tucson Botanical Gardens until June 30, 2024. Check out the Washed Ashore website for current exhibits elsewhere in the country.
Now for sneak peeks of next week’s post of the rest of Tucson Botanical Garden, including gorgeous mosiacs….
and a beautiful Malachite butterfly in the Cox Butterfly and Orchid Pavilion.
Making something beautiful out of all that debris seems only fitting. And what a fun tour guide!
Thanks for sharing. What a shocking exhibit. We can do SO much better