We added some material which I can only describe as shredded cardboard. This was donated by one of the organisers of the exhibition. She recently had some building materials delivered and this cardboard made up part of the protective packaging.

The idea was that people visiting the island could come and get involved. Sure enough a few people joined in and made a contribution. This was a great way to raise important issues and also to hear others thoughts about the environmental in the world.

We also planted up the area outside the barn. Last week there was a huge hole in the ground as a team of archaeologists had been excavating the site. We wanted to create some planters using old items such as wellies and sinks to show that pretty much anything can be repurposed. All materials sourced were from around the island.

It was a beautifully hot sunny day and I think for that reason tourists and locals alike were much more inclined to be at the beach or poolside retreat so the event wasn't as bustling as we had anticipated. We did however have a few people stop by who took an active interest in what we were doing and even joined in.
I didn't do my demonstration as planned but I did get to speak to a few people who were interested to know about soapnuts and other alternative cleaning products. I didn't take any pictures either to show as I was overcome with excitement from building the whale. I think that this was a less daunting experience for me and a more intimate and valuable one as the people who stopped by the Cider Barn to ask were genuinely interested in learning more. I even sent a few people home with some sample bags to try.

So back to the whale...

This is the finished product that will be hanging in the Cider Barn until the end of the exhibition.

We hope that it helps to get the message across to stop polluting our oceans. The fish below was made by my friend from old yogurt foil, and in particular the seaweed was made from an old plastic soda bottle that had washed up on the beach. She didn't have to cut or shape it. It just looked like that. Now if we can see that it looks like seaweed what do you think fish that feed on it will think?

Here's some pictures of the environmental exhibition held in the Sark Heritage Rooms next to the tourist office.

As a result of this exhibition many food and beverage businesses on the island have now stopped using single use plastic. Instead opting for eco friendly and biodegradable replacements for things like straws, take out containers and cups. This is fantastic news and shows the power of education and information.

If you're looking for ways to raise awareness about environmental issues this is something you could perhaps do closer to home. With a little organisation and help from a venue it can be a very powerful way to make changes.

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