By Hana M, Year 12

100,000 marine mammals and turtles and 1 million sea birds are killed by marine plastic pollution annually.

Our Eco Reps wanted to highlight the importance of this responsibility to protect our oceans through an art exhibition on display in the atrium. The issue of plastic waste and climate change continues to grow rapidly and students at NHEHS came together to raise awareness about this pressing matter.

We interviewed Martha Price, one of the Geography Reps in Year 12, to give us further insight into the making of the exhibition. 

Tell us about the installation and how it was made.

Each year group was assigned a marine animal to create out of recycled plastic and paper from their home and school. So, for example, Year 9 made octopuses and Year 11 made fish.

Where did the idea come from?

In light of the climate strike where over 1 million students across the world took to the streets to fight the climate crisis, students in this school wanted to make a difference. Therefore, on March 15th we organised a recycled art installation of sea animals made by every student in the school as every class watched the blue planet video educating them on how plastics are affecting the world around us.

Why does it matter to you?

Plastic is in every part of our lives from our food to our clothes and has become a crisis in the last decade. 8 million tonnes go into the sea each year and, as it is incapable of breaking down, it creates huge garbage patches as well as getting into the food chain through micro plastic. It affects everybody and the environmental activist club wanted to raise awareness throughout school.

What other tips do you have to prevent plastic pollution in school?

– Bring in your own water bottle so you don’t need to buy single use plastic ones.

– Recycle!! With our new bins.

– Don’t litter – think about where it will end up.

– Don’t buy take away coffee cups – bring in an eco-cup or drink it in the shop.

– Recycle your clothes with charity shops or donate them.