Don’t feel BLUE about Plastic Free July
There are many things that Kleinbaai, in Gansbaai, can be proud of – being the preferred place for whales to mate and calve yearly, having our very own colony of endangered African Penguins on Dyer Island, being one of the top places in the world for diving with sharks, watching the Marine Big 5 (sharks, whales, dolphins, seals, and African Penguins), and our most beautiful sunsets. But also – a ray of sunshine called, Blue de Gersigny.
During July, we celebrate “Plastic Free July” (www.plasticfreejuly.org). For Marine Dynamics and their Dyer Island Conservation Trust, it was obvious that our focus for the monthly Marine Evening held at the beautiful Great Whitehouse in Kleinbaai, should be on how to free our lives, oceans, and nature by choosing to refuse single-use plastics. And who better to invite as a speaker than Blue de Gersigny, a plastic artist and designer?
Blue collects colourful plastic and transforms it into eye-catching wearable art. Her intention is to make people aware of plastic debris and pick it up rather than walk by it. This beautiful, almost fragile artist is a force of nature when it comes to her passion to reduce, re-use, recycle, but most importantly, refuse single-use plastics. She tells her moving story of moving to Kleinbaai a few years ago, where peaceful, energizing beach walks turned into nightmarish experiences because all she could see was the plastic waste being spewed out by stormwater drains and the ocean itself. She started collecting the waste bit by bit, putting different colours together, and creating artworks- and even jewellery from this waste.
She found Instagram a few years back as a way to showcase her art. Logos often give clues about where things come from – “The Usual Suspects” – straws, toothbrushes, earbud sticks, toys, lollipops, fishing gear, and flip flops, are amongst the most common things, she collects daily from the beach. Chinese water bottles thrown overboard are something she has been researching for the past few years, sending numerous emails to the holding companies. A Fight she refuses to give up.
Blue’s talk was very inspiring. From her small handbag, she started pulling out reusable bag after bag, explaining how she does her shopping and runs her household to make sure her footprint on earth is as light as a feather by making bold changes that some of us are too scared to make in giving up our own comfort. Blue believes that even small changes in the habits of our daily lives matter.
For more information about the work she does and to support her by buying her art, please visit:
https://www.instagram.com/plasticsareforever_/
https://plasticsareforever.com/
Have a look at the video here: https://www.youtube.com/embed/3m7f8IO2ku8?si=Hh6cBzxO-3H2jo6U
Remember, that you can join our monthly Marine Evenings at the Great White House in Kleinbaai – send your name, email and contact number to janine@marinedynamicstravel.com.
See you there!
