Plastic, Hulls Cove, January 29, 2011

Plastic, Hulls Cove, January 29, 2011

Bits of plastic and other trash from the Hulls Cove Beach. Sorry, sea glass lovers, the red and orange are plastic bits.

Ever since I read about the huge garbage patches trapped in the gyres of the worlds' oceans (back in this post), I've been picking up more of the plastic I see on the beach. I used to ignore it, looking hard for sea glass, shells, driftwood - you know, the usual things. Then I felt morally obligated to gather it, so some poor seabird doesn't starve to death because its belly is full of plastic bits. Now, I find some of the trash I pick up is just beautiful. See that red piece encrusted with sun-bleached coralline? Lovely. 

(Prints available here.)