Marine Litter Art Competition 2019 entries
We invited schools from across the Clyde Valley to investigate the pathway of litter from source to sea in their local area and produce a creative piece to convey what they found. Entries ranged from from sculptures and poetry to animations and songs. All entries are displayed below.
Overall winner - Eastmuir Primary School, Glasgow
Fear for our fishy friends
Eastmuir Primary School thought that many people were unaware of the fact that litter on land could end up in the ocean. Following investigations in their local park and the school yard, pupils wanted to illustrate litters journey from source to sea after it is dropped on the ground.
They created a stop motion animation to convey this message. Eastmuir used plastic bottle lids to make the sea and clear plastic to create water.
Watch their video here.
Zone winner - Aitkenhead Primary School, North Lanarkshire
Sea the damage
The Aitkenhead Eco and Outdoor Learning Group were devastated to learn about the detrimental effects of marine litter in the ocean, particularly the damage that plastic causes to fish mistaking it for food.
To illustrate this problem Aitkenhead used plastic bottles to create 3D models of fish and filled them with bits of plastic straws to represent the harmful plastic toxins that they eat. Each child wrote a message to place inside their bottle to act as the voice of fish. Some of these included a rhyming message - “I wish I could swim in a sea that’s plastic free”, or a positive message - “Be fantastic – Recycle plastic!”. Aitkenhead pupils also created a mural 'Sea the damage'. The mural shows a huge tearful eye made out of plastic bottle caps to draw attention towards their plastic filled fish.
Zone Winner - Glencoats Primary School, Renfrewshire
Clean up the Clyde
Pupils at Glencoats Primary School identified that Paisley is located between the White Cart and Black Cart Rivers meaning that litter will be carried by the rain and winds to drains and from there and eventually join the Clyde. A local investigation found that the most common litter items were cigarette ends, chewing gum and plastic bottles, cans and crisp packets.
For their final piece, Glencoats Primary School incorporated all elements of expressive-arts, to increase the impact and encourage pupil engagement. The class rewrote the lyrics to “Under the Sea” and accompanied the song with a short film clip, showcasing elements of art and dance.
Watch their video here.
Sunnyside Primary School, Glasgow
Finalist
Doon the Watter
Sunnyside Primary School visited Arrochar, a known litter sink and saw large amounts of litter that had travelled from distant places like Glasgow. This included cotton bud sticks and wetwipes. Given what they saw, Sunnyside decided that their #DrainCampaign would focus on educating people and changing attitudes. Sunnyside created an interactive piece to educate all ages about how what we put down drains can add to marine pollution. The interactive model shows multiple pathways to sea including a sink, toilet and street drain. Read more here.
High Blantyre Primary School, South Lanarkshire
Finalist
Marine Pollution-There is a Solution!
High Blantyre Primary School was inspired by the Rotten Calder, a local river in which people swim in the summer, fish, go for nature walks or walk their dog in the surrounding area. Following some investigation and a local litter pick, the class realised that litter could make its way from the playground to the Calder out out to the sea through local drains or blowing across.
The class created a model of the Calder made almost entirely from recycled materials such as crisp packets, old boxes, pencil sharpening, old newspaper, net food bags and bottle caps. "The model conveys that we all have our part to play both as individuals and as part of a community to protect the environment and change our behaviours, as we can make a difference."
St Constantine's, Primary School, Glasgow
After learning about the extent of plastic pollution and how it is a global crisis, pupils at St Constantines wanted to use natural materials in their art work. The class collected natural materials in the playground and a local park. The artwork features that link it to the River Clyde and the local community of Govan, through the images of the shipyard.
Hillhead Primary School (P4), Glasgow
All in one day
Hillhead Primary 4 pupils decided to create art work with a strong message .
The artwork "All in one day" was created using the litter collected by P4, in one day. The artwork is in the shape of a flower, representing the desire to have a beautiful school where nature can live, and plants can grow. However the use of littered items shows that, due to the amount of rubbish in our playgrounds this was not able to happen. The flower is surrounded by bees that incorporate global facts about litter and plastic waste. The use of bees symbolises animals fighting for a healthy habitat which humans are preventing due to poor habits.
Upstairs Kids Klub, South Lanarkshire
Following local investigations and litter picking pupils at the Upstairs Kids Klub were inspired to take action. They identified there was a teddy called Clyde named after the River Clyde, and decided to use this as the mascot to help raise awareness of the litter issue in the local area and to encourage people to Keep the Clyde Clean. The pupils made signs, posters, a junk model mascot to make people aware of the effects that litter has on the local area and further afield.
St Aloysius Primary, North Lanarkshire
I’m a turtle in a polluted sea, get me out of here!
St Aloysius Primary watched Newsround clips to see the levels of plastic pollution in our rivers, seas and oceans. This inspired to create our sea turtle to spread the word about marine plastic pollution. The pupils used recycled materials for the sea turtle. They asked the local Co-operative store for cardboard boxes and brought in plastics from home. Plastics were stuck to the sea turtle to show how it would look swimming in polluted waters.
St Marks Primary School, East Renfrewshire
Plastic for tea!
St Marks Primary decided to highlight the effect of litter on a Marine ecosystem. The children decided to focus on the journey from Barrhead to the River Clyde and then to the sea.
They collected straws that had been used by pupils in the school and used these and bottle tops along with litter they found around the school to create their message. They created a collaborative work of art called "Plastic for tea!".
Pollokshields Early Years Centre, Glasgow
Finalist
The Bag that Missed the Bin
Pollokshields Early Years Centre organised a community litter pick in a local community park involving the local primary school. Some of the litter was used to make a sculpture to convey what happens when litter isn't put in the bin. Polokshields early years also devised a poem titled ‘The Bag that Missed the Bin’ read it here.
Kings Oak Primary School, Inverclyde
Finalist
Planet Plastic – Astro Litter 2.0
During a local investigation pupils identified that the most common types of litter in their local area were crisp and sweet wrappers. Wind was identified as a key factor that could blow litter into the Clyde and into drains. For their artistic piece the pupils created a space rocket out of recycled materials such as cardboard boxes, plastic bottles, drink cartons and coffee cups. The concept was that if any ‘alien’ visitors were coming to visit earth, they would see from their space rockets that the sea was dirty and would not want to visit anymore. The space rocket also represents that if our planet did not get any better then they would need to fly a rocket to Mars to start anew.
Northview House School, Renfrewshire
Plastic is choking our sealife
Northview House School involved pupils from S1 to S4, to create a group of 9 ‘fishes’ out of litter and plastics. Each fish is 60cm to 90cm long and made entirely from rolled newspaper sticks, newsprint, sticky parcel tape and plastic bags. These fish were incorporated into a poster to display.
Clober Primary School, East Dunbartonshire
A recipe for destruction
Pupils at Clober Primary School watched 'Blue Planet' and 'drowning in plastics' and became very aware of the problem of marine litter. In January they became part of the Clyde River foundation topic 'Clyde in the classroom' and looked after brown trout eggs for 6 weeks. The class noticed litter at the Allander water when they were releasing the alevins.
The class decided to use a form of poetry to spread the word about stopping litter from making it into waterways and the ocean. Read their entry here.
Our Lady and St Joseph's Primary School, North Lanarkshire
Nessie's Loch is Messy!
Our Lady and St Joseph's Primary School created the artwork 'Nessies' Loch is Messy!' to encourage people to look after our Scottish waterways and lochs.
The pupils gathered re-usable plastic products from the playground and the local community. The Loch Ness Monster was created by cutting bottles at the bottom and cello-taping them together to create arches. The water base was created by using cardboard and other materials such as blue paper, tissue paper and also paint. Bottle caps and other types of litter were glued onto the model for further effect. The pupils then made posters to spread the message about collecting litter to help marine life.
Isobel Mair Family Centre, East Renfrewshire
The fish that swam underneath the ocean
Isobel Mair Family Centre were inspired to take action when one of their children was upset by the amount of litter he saw in the street on his walk to nursery. The children undertook a litter pick, within the centre grounds, carpark and in the local community. The amount of litter collected during the litter pick made a strong impression on the children. During a discussion about the litter and how it could end up in our oceans, many of our children knew that animals could die if they consumed plastic items.
To demonstrate this problem, the centre made a number of models, including a mermaid, out of litter found in our streets and brought into nursery.
St Kevin's Primary School, North Lanarkshire
Under the sea
St Kevin's Primary School watched videos on marine pollution and realised that a lot what ends up in the sea comes from land. The pupils conducted a investigation and were shocked at the amount of litter they found in the local area that could make it's way into the sea.
St Kevin's created 'Under the sea' a mural made from littered items to convey what they found.
Tinto Primary School, South Lanarkshire
Finalist
We will…we will…. stop you…. stop you!
Pupils at Tinto Primary School learned about to the source to sea pathway, linking human behaviour at the start of this journey. They went on a walk in the local area and measured litter near burns that lead to the Clyde.
Using a cardboard box, the pupils created a beautiful sea scene began by creating a sea scene. Pupils received a visit from a local diver who brought in the litter he collected during his dives. They placed this litter into their sea scene to illustrate the changing environment. They noted how their beautiful sea-scape was no longer beautiful.
Wemyss Bay Primary School and Nursery Class, Inverclyde
Finalist
Save Their Fins, Use Your Bins
Wemyss Bay Primary School and Nursery Class is situated close to a beach on the River Clyde. Local investigations found that crisp packets, plastic bottles, bottles, straws and carrier bags were the most prevalent litter items in the local area. The pupils decided to create marine animals made entirely from recycled plastic found around our local area or at home to convey the potential impact of local litter on marine life.
Hillhead Primary School (P2), Glasgow
The journey from mouth to sea
Hillhead Primary School was inspired by one of their pupils who goes out litter picking every weekend with other families around Kelvingrove Park in order to ‘Keep Glasgow Beautiful.’ As a result, P2 decided to raise awareness of litter problems within and beyond the school grounds, completing a piece named ‘The Journey from Mouth to Sea.’ They wanted to show the journey of litter from when you finish eating to the moment it hits the sea. Their art work was created using recycled paper and plastic from milk cartons.
Biggar Primary School, South Lanarkshire
Plastic bottle den
The pupils at Biggar Primary School found a large number of crisp packets, chocolate and sweet wrappers, plastic and chip boxes in their local area. Their investigations of the local river system illustrated that litter in their local area could be going into the ocean. To tackle the problem, pupils decided to make a den to raise awareness that we can be part of the solution.
Hamilton Grammar School, South Lanarkshire
What is really killing our oceans?
Hamilton Grammar School pupils watched some episodes of “Blue Planet II” and “Drowning in Plastic” and were horrified at the extent of the pollution that is caused by plastic on Earth.
Following a research project, pupils decided to create a display from plastics collected from around the school and at home to promote thinking around the plastic pollution problem. The artwork "What is really killing our oceans?" shows an ocean scene but it is made mostly of plastic. The artwork is displayed in a prominent location in the front hall of the school to highlight the plastic pollution problem to the all staff and pupils.
St Clare’s, East Renfrewshire
A small change can make a big difference
St Clare's drew inspiration from their class topic, Under the Sea. The class researched the types of litter affecting marine life and how this litter ended up at sea.
Pupils chose to focus on sea turtles who are unable to differentiate between a jellyfish and plastic bag.
St Clare's created a large sea turtle using oil pastels and designed their own jellyfish from resources we had left over in class and reusable carrier bags to highlight how dangerous bags are to sea turtles.
