Thames Plastic Project – Volunteers & Documentary

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In September 2016, with the support of King’s College London and a wide network of cross-disciplinary partners, Maria Arceo started her project to clean up plastic debris along the beaches from the tidal Thames, from Teddington up to the Sea, with the vision to show Londoners the real magnitude of plastic debris entering our rivers and ultimately our oceans. Beachcombing, handpicking, identifying, and colour-coding found objects, she eventually transforms them into a ‘building material’ that provides the viewer with a new and engaging perspective of plastic’s attributes, historicity, impact, and value.

The project aims to invite the public to this journey of exploration:

EDUCATE / It aims to provide scientific evidence and an artistic programme of participatory art events that will raise awareness and explain the issues of London’s citizens waste disposal methods and consumption habits.

ENGAGE /I nviting London’s citizens to take action and join together in various clean-up and art initiatives that show a new possible relation with, and commitment to the city’s  environmental standards.

QUANTIFY / By collecting, analysing and presenting accurate scientific data on the amount of plastic waste that ends up in the River Thames and how it gets dispersed and deposited by its currents.

VISUALISE / Giving London’s citizens a real sensory perception of how much, and what type of waste is found along Thames shore while showcasing methods and initiatives to stop it getting there in the first place.

ADVOCATE / For change in the way we produce, consume, dispose and recycle plastic – aiming to make London an international example for change and civic collaboration.

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Volunteers needed from Wednesday 24th May to Saturday 27th May

Printworks 10:00 to 17:00 each day

Do you have some spare time this week? Come and help artist Maria Arceo clean & sort all the plastic that she collected from over 40 beaches along the Thames. Volunteers are needed for Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

The event starts at 10:00  and finishes at 17:00 and it takes place at Printworks, Surrey Quays Road, London, SE16 7PJ (closest station is Canada Water)

They urgently need your name one day in advance at least so that they can register you at the building reception). Please, use contact details below to enquiry or email

Laura Schmieder (Project Manager: 07730876086)

[button link=”mailto:laura@mariaarceo.com” size=“default” icon=”fa-envelope-o” side=”left” target=“blank” color=”a8b7b7″ textcolor=”ffffff”]RSVP: laura@mariaarceo.com[/button]

You only need to come and be ready to get dirty (bring old clothes and shoes!), whilst having the opportunity to learn first hand about the types of plastic objects that end up in the Thames, and that would ultimately find their way into our oceans. Gloves, pickers and cleaning materials will be available onsite.

Maria is a Thames21 trainee. For more information on how to volunteer with Thames21, please contact:

[button link=”mailto:molly.gadenz@thames21.org.uk” size=“default” icon=”fa-envelope-o” side=”left” target=“blank” color=”a8b7b7″ textcolor=”ffffff”]RSVP: molly.gadenz@thames21.org.uk[/button]

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Screening: A Plastic Ocean

Monday 5th June 2017, 6:30-8:30 PM / Edmond J. Safra Theatre, King’s College London, Strand Campus

As part of their week-long Thames Plastic Lab workshop, and in celebration of World Environment Day, the Thames Water Project will be screening Craig Leeson’s documentary, A Plastic Ocean (2016), followed by a 30-minute panel discussion with artist Maria Arceo and leading environmental experts from King’s College London.

Please RSVP for this FREE event by clicking on the link below

Documentary; A Plastic Ocean

Accompanied by scientists, conservationists and engineers, the film follows the journey of two explorers as they travel to some of the most remote parts of the world, documenting the environmental issues associated with plastic pollution and its impact on the environment, ecosystems and human health.”

Panelists

Maria Arceo (Artist and Thames Plastic Project Leader); others TBC.

This event is in collaboration with the Geography Department at King’s College London, and the Royal Society of Chemistry

[button link=”https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/thames-plastic-lab-screening-panel-a-plastic-ocean-tickets-34276877062″ size=“large” icon=”fa-ticket” side=”left” target=“blank” color=”a8b7a3″ textcolor=”ffffff”]Tickets available here[/button]