As a company committed to promoting sustainable travel and responsible tourism, Jerba Campervans actively seeks opportunities to raise awareness about environmental issues, including the impact of plastic pollution on our planet. We strongly believe that conservation efforts are crucial to protecting the world’s oceans and biodiversity, and we support all kinds of initiatives that promote ocean conservation.
For this reason we are excited to announce our involvement with the Marine Plastic Mural in North Berwick Harbour. Created by local artist Julie Barnes, this unique artwork is made entirely from the marine plastic collected by Elizabeth Vischer, an artist and nature enthusiast who completed 100 beach cleans in Longniddry Bents during the Covid-19 lockdown in early 2020.
Elizabeth’s beach cleans resulted in an astonishing 26,513 pieces of plastic, ranging from broken car lights and cable ties to old plastic hair pins and tiddlywinks. As she sorted through the litter, she was amazed at the array and quantity of plastic that she found, which prompted her to document the pieces by type and source. The result is a collection of 61 images that showcase the diversity and ubiquity of marine plastic pollution.
But Elizabeth’s work didn’t stop there. She shared her collection with local organizations, including us here at Jerba Campervans, Caledonian Horticulture, and the North Berwick Harbour Trust, and together we commissioned Julie Barnes to create the Marine Plastic Mural. Using 13,000 pieces of recovered plastic, Julie transformed a blank wall in the harbor into a colorful and thought-provoking artwork that highlights the impact of plastic waste on our oceans and beaches.
From a distance, the mural looks like a regular piece of art, but a closer inspection reveals the everyday items that ended up in our seas and on our beaches. The mural serves as a reminder of the importance of responsible waste management and the need to reduce our reliance on single-use plastics.
At Jerba Campervans, we are committed to doing our part to protect the planet and promote sustainable travel. We believe that initiatives like the Marine Plastic Mural can help raise awareness about the impact of plastic pollution and inspire individuals and businesses to take action to reduce their environmental footprint.
We would like to take this opportunity to express our heartfelt gratitude to the local and regional newspapers, including the East Lothian Courier, The Herald, The National, The Scottish Farmer, and Deadline News, for their generous coverage of our initiative. Their support has helped us to reach a wider audience and spread our message of sustainability and environmental stewardship.
We would also like to extend our thanks to the Scottish Seabird Centre for their continued support and collaboration on this project. Their dedication to marine conservation and education is an inspiration to us all, and we are honored to have them as our partner.
The Seabird Centre are running an art exhibition for the project over the next month, see here for details – https://www.seabird.org/events/art-in-action-not-just-a-load-of-rubbish
Lastly, we would like to thank our local MSPs Martin Whitfield and Paul McLennan for their attendance on the day of the event. Their commitment to environmental issues and advocacy for sustainable practices is greatly appreciated, and we look forward to working with them in the future to further our shared goals.
Thank you again to all those who have supported us in this endeavor. Together, we can make a difference and create a more sustainable future for our planet.
