At Dubai’s only indoor tropical rainforest, an 18-meter blue whale made of plastic bottles and bags is on display with a strong statement highlighting the critical need for sustainable practices and trash reduction.
The life-size blue whale built out of over 8,000 plastic bottles and 1,000 plastic bags will be on display before June 5’s World Environment Day thanks to a collaboration between The Green Planet and GEMS Legacy School. The life-size sculpture, intended to increase awareness of the value of wildlife protection, was constructed over more than 800 hours.
The blue whale will be unveiled formally on Monday, June 5, and accessible to the public for free viewing through June 30.
To wander from waste
Sara Stevens, The Green Planet’s director of operations and curator, said, “We hope to inspire visitors to take action towards waste reduction and promote sustainable practices in their daily lives.”
“The collaborative work of students and teachers in creating the magnificent blue whale artifact using recyclable materials is a testament to the power of education and creativity in promoting sustainability,” the author continued.
For her part, Asha Alexander, CEO and principal of GEMS Legacy School, said: “The joint effort to build the magnificent blue whale object, cleverly crafted from discarded plastic, includes the devoted cooperation of students and teachers from many GEMS Education schools. We have been designated UN CC (UN Climate Change): Learn Champions for our persistent efforts to integrate climate literacy into schools. The uplifting GEMS narrative will be publicly presented at UNITAR’s (United Nations Institute for Training and Research) 60th-anniversary celebration in Geneva this October.
Oceanic predator
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) claims that plastic waste, the ocean’s deadliest predator, is affecting the ocean’s giant fish.
“Plastic pollution affects marine life, pollutes every nook and cranny of the ocean, and even makes its way into the seafood we consume. Plastic pollution is suffocating our oceans and destroying biodiversity everywhere, from local beaches to far-flung tropical islands and polar regions. According to WWF, it is the clearest illustration yet of how human activity affects our oceans.
Marine life is harmed by ocean plastic pollution in two ways: through ingestion and entanglement. Presently, the annual input of plastic into the ocean exceeds 11 million metric tonnes. More than 240 wildlife species, including whales, have been documented to consume plastic globally, which can cause internal injuries and even death.
It is predicted that by 2050, there may be more plastic in the ocean by weight than fish, which is a worrying prediction.
Reducing, using, and recycling
The Green Planet and GEMS Legacy School encourage everyone to commit to the ‘Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle’ principles by exhibiting the blue whale. “Let’s embrace sustainable behaviors together and have a beneficial impact on the environment. Join the effort to create a greener, more sustainable future.
