New exhibition highlights waste problem
INSPIRED by a visit last year from the Dutch organisation By The Oceans We Unite, Sark businesses have taken several steps to reduce their non-biodegradable waste.
Their work has been detailed in a new exhibition.
Ahead of the Roots music and permaculture festival in September, which displays alternative lifestyle choices aimed at reducing unnecessary waste, organiser Roz Rolls and others created the installation to highlight the severity of the problem worldwide.
‘I believe Sark has a long way to go to achieve good waste management practices as plastic is not recycled and all household rubbish is burnt giving off toxic fumes. It would be great if we could work with Sark Shipping and Guernsey Recycling to get plastic shipped off island to be recycled.
‘The exhibition on in the Heritage room next to the island’s tourism office looks at global and local environmental problems. It then focuses on and celebrates the local solutions to these issues. Alternatives to plastic products are on display along with a celebration of Sark businesses who are becoming aware of the need to reduce waste.
‘Sark’s Island Hall is now serving all its takeaway food in 100% compostable containers, including the straws. The Bel Air pub has stopped plastic straws and local crab meat business Pip’s Pickers uses only cardboard box and bamboo cutlery to serve food and has stopped using plastic bags.
‘It has been a real community venture with Sark Community Blooms and the school’s Sark Watch Group also involved.
‘I hope people will feel empowered and realise that we can all be a part of the solution by being aware of the problems and focusing on the abundant solutions available to us from our power as consumers,’ said Ms Rolls.
A permaculture display across from the tourism office shows ‘food, flowers and medicine’ grown in old worn out wellies and in an array of different tubs and vessels washed up on the beach after storms.
In the cider barn a whale sculpture has been created with plastic waste.
‘You will find sea creatures made from beach and household plastic, hanging pictures made from or painted on rubbish and a beautiful whale hanging from the ceiling.
‘The whale was created in a rubbish art workshop back in June and will be liberated from the plastic smothering it’s body in a workshop at Sark Roots festival when it will be lit up to shine as it should,’ said Ms Rolls.
n The environmental exhibition is currently open for viewing, 11am-1pm Mon-Fri, until it moves to the Sark Roots music and permaculture festival site, which takes place from 14-16 September.
