Photographer’s Mermaid Series Sheds Light on Ocean Pollution

By Steven Lerner 2 min read

We’ve seen photographers use their talents to create awareness for many issues, but artist Benjamin Von Wong just took it to a whole other level.

The Los Angeles-based Canadian photographer recently released a series of images depicting a mermaid stuck in a whirlpool of plastic. Entitled #MermaidsHatePlastic, Von Wong created the series to highlight the consequences of ocean pollution.

“I was inspired to create this piece after learning about how much plastic pollution a single individual could generate in a lifetime,” Von Wong wrote to Your Daily Dish.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BN–I2Kg35s/?taken-by=vonwong&hl=en

To create the series, Von Wong received 10,000 plastic bottles from Toma, a waste management company. Several volunteers joined the project to organize the bottles at a warehouse that Von Wong borrowed from his friend. He even rigged a camera on the roof to get the spectacular birds-eye view shots and experimented with different patterns.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BOBELGWAYMf/?taken-by=vonwong&hl=en

According to non-profit Plastic Oceans, roughly 8 million tons of plastic are dumped into the ocean ever year. Since it takes hundreds of years for a single plastic bottle to degrade, the effects can be detrimental for animals and humans.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BOI91xQgi13/?taken-by=vonwong&hl=en

The good news is that Von Wong’s photos have gone viral, which is allowing him to promote this important cause.

“So far the public reaction has been mostly positive, something I am very grateful for,” he wrote to Your Daily Dish. “I hope that it is an image that sticks in people’s minds.”

He also included a petition for people to pledge to reduce the amount of plastic they use. As of Thursday, the petition has gained over 10,000 signatures.

On his blog, Von Wong offered some suggestions for people to make a difference.

“Buy yourself a re-usable bottle today,” he wrote. “It doesn’t have to be expensive, look out for simple innovative young companies like Refillit. Make a commitment to consider whether to accept the next piece of plastic that is offered to you, whether it’s a plastic bag, a straw or a microscopic water-bottle in your Uber ride.”