PLASTIC IS NOT FUNTASTIC
The story of a summer project.
While in Húsavík, chances are you visited the Whale Museum before or after having joined a whale watching tour. Besides its permanent showrooms and the impressive life-size, real whale skeletons, the museum also hosts temporary exhibitions about local projects or artwork.
If you have been to the museum just recently, you might have viewed the summer project “Plastic is not funtastic” by Laura and the kids of Borgín Frístund, a leisure activity and short-term stay facility in Húsavík for children who have multiple support needs.
But what’s the story behind the project?
Laura:
“A few years ago, my boyfriend and I went for a trip somewhere past the Arctic Circle. It was a beautiful day; we enjoyed perfect weather and our hike along the streams and lakes towards the sea. As we sat down for a break, something caught my attention: A yellow shampoo bottle! It made me very angry! ‘Why is someone leaving plastic waste in this beautiful untouched nature at the end of the world?’, I asked a bit naive. My boyfriend answered: ‘No one left it! The sea brought it.’
Yes, sure! An estimated 75 to 199 million tons of plastic waste are floating in our oceans! The closer we hiked towards the sea, the more waste appeared. This made me very sad – and so I came up with the idea for a project to teach kids about the consequences of plastic waste.
Throughout this summer, my project with the motto “Plastic is not funtastic!” accompanied us at Borgín Frístund.
At the beginning of the project, a presentation with essential information about plastic waste pollution on our planet and, in particular, our oceans was held for the children and young people. Everyone was very concerned and felt sorry for all the sea creatures – such as turtles, fish, corals and whales – who cannot defend themselves against habitat destruction and loss caused by humans. It was clear: we, too, can play our part in protecting the environment and the animals that call it home! And so we went out with gloves, grabbers and garbage bags twice a week to collect garbage in Húsavík and the surrounding area. All the children and young people were motivated because they knew that only a clean environment could provide a healthy habitat for plants, animals and us humans.
Even now after the project has ended, the motto remains in our facility and in the minds of the children and the three R's: Reuse, Reduce and Recycle have become an integral part and will of course accompany us in our future projects.”
If you are visiting Húsavík these days, make sure to stop by the Whale Museum to see and be inspired by the great results of this important project!
