Despite this project only being 30 days long, I discovered a lot. Upon reflecting on what and how much I collected from a singular beach in one month, I am reminded of the severity of the problem our beaches face. Each day would offer me an array of different findings. Sea glass, rope, public litter, items dropped or left behind, micro-plastics, but more commonly, I found pieces of plastic broken down by the ocean, eventually washed onto shore. As the waves continually creep in and pull back out, they carry new waste with them. New nurdles, broken down plastics, and public litter were freshly scattered along the shore, and as each day passed, the amount I collected did not dwindle. The discoveries I made grew my concern about the impact plastics and waste have on our oceans. Each piece of plastic removed from the beach means one piece less to be consumed by our precious marine life. I feel a sense of responsibility to raise awareness about this issue, and I hope to continue protecting this space and encourage others to do so, too.
Please visit https://www.estelleriley.com/artificial-coast-ii to view all 30 days of waste.