Plastically Impossible Puzzles

At long last, the Plastically Impossible Puzzles are HERE!!! 

The Ocean Recovery Alliance folks in HK have partnered with Ocean River Institute, a non-profit in Cambridge MA, to fulfill orders from the US: 

https://ocean-recovery.myshopify.com/collections/frontpage

Happy to be featured in their newsletter:

Volume 188 November 30, 2020 Two Artists, A Whale, A Beach, and One Titanic Snarl of Plastic When a dead sperm whale washed ashore in the Point Reyes National Seashore, scientists discovered that it had died of starvation. In a tragic irony, more than 450 pounds of fishing nets and other plastics scraps were extracted from this 51 ft. mammal.    After the scientists had investigated, The Marine Mammal Center located in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area asked Richard and Judith Lang if they wanted to create an art experience from the “eight boxes full of snarl” that was from the belly of the whale.   Ghost nets are one of the most pernicious pieces of debris in the ocean. Commercial fishing gear that have become untethered with floats at the top and weights at the bottom continue to fish until, in this case, they are swallowed by a 51-foot whale and are “Really not good for things that live in the ocean.    "The Ghost Below" a multi-faceted exhibit opened in December 2012 to engage visitors and enlighten them about the perils of plastic in our oceans.  The “Ghost Net Monster” a hulking and thought-provoking sculpture, proved to be so popular that it continues today to stand guard in TMMC center courtyard. Visitors can see, touch, learn and be inspired to make the ocean a healthier place for all. (TMMC is temporarily closed.)  View the making of The Ghost Below video  Add your voice to 1,000 individuals who have spoken out in support of The Break Free from Plastic Pollution bill. Kehoe Beach Walking and Picking Up Pieces of the Puzzle Since 1999, Richard Lang and Judith Selby Lang have walked the same 1,000 yards of Kehoe Beach in the Point Reyes National Seashore hundreds of times where they carefully collect and “curate” the plastic flotsam and jetsam that washes ashore. Back in their studio they shape their findings into works of art. Trash from our throwaway culture arises into artworks that elicit thoughtful reflection on how we could do better, how to be more caring of the lives of others, be they sanderlings, schools of fish, or massive animals seldom encountered, the stuff of legends. Each artistic piece has a story to tell.  For more information on Judith Selby Lang and Richard Lang’s path-breaking work visit their website at About One Beach Plastic Ocean Plastic Buffet The Langs are eager to find fun and puzzling ways to engage people in discussion and in action about the problem of plastic pollution. They say, “We want the puzzle doers to be enticed by the bright and colorful arrangements and to experience the surprise of discovery as they look closely at the plastic in the picture. Some of it might look familiar, and some might spark the recognition that evokes the question - was that toothbrush once mine? And, yes, we want them to experience that uncanny sense of “puzzle pleasure,’” the feeling of accomplishment when a piece fits into place.”    Plastically Impossible Puzzles (myshopify.com) Treasures in Trash Since any plastic on the beach, even one piece, is heartbreaking, the Lang’s have developed categories that help turn the despair of their cleanup task into a game, into the sport of collecting. They compete with each other to find the hardest to see or a piece that has traveled the greatest distance. They have a playful rivalry with other plastic beach combers and a fierce competition with each other to find the best piece or the most of a given thing and, of course, they thrill when they find a rare treasure.   Plastically Impossible Puzzles (myshopify.com) Two pick up on the enormity of the problem   They say, “It is important to emphasize that all of the plastic used in the photographs for our puzzles was collected by just two people from just 1,000 yards of one beach. We have focused our attention in this way, to make a metric that folks can understand about the enormous problem of plastic pollution.”   Plastically Impossible Puzzles (myshopify.com) Beach Plastic Puzzles by Judith Selby Lang and Richard Lang Plastically Impossible puzzles are almost like a ‘reverse beach cleanup’. Instead of picking up from the beach, you put it all back together. Here’s an activity that brings challenges and question as to how these plastic pieces got onto the beach in the first place. Our hope is to inspire young and old to take better care, make a difference and go the distance for cleaner beaches and a healthier world.  Plastically Impossible Puzzles (myshopify.com) Boy on the River Puzzle was photographed by Doug Woodring, of the Ocean Recovery Alliance, in the Philippines. The puzzle is part of the “Littoral” collection of the Plastically Impossible series that examines ocean plastic pollution.  Plastically Impossible Puzzles (myshopify.com) Choose from three puzzles in the “Littoral” collection.  Plastically Impossible Puzzles (myshopify.com) Practically Impossible Puzzles were created by Doug Woodring of the Ocean Recovery Alliance. Doug lives in Hong Kong. The Ocean River Institute has partnered with ORA to make these puzzles available in America. ORI ships puzzles by priority US Postal Services (USPS) from Cambridge, Massachusetts.  When you buy a puzzle, you improve the health of the ocean by supporting the work of Judith and Richard Lang, the Ocean Recovery Alliance, and the Ocean River Institute.  F or the price of one puzzle y ou can advance the work of a couple of artists and two ocean advocacy organizations.  Plastically Impossible Puzzles (myshopify.com) Join with the Ocean River Institute to practice responsible stewardship, slow climate change,  eliminate harmful algal blooms, restore ecosystems,  and put a stop to the death of ocean wildlife.    Vote the ocean Make waves to slow rising seas  Practice better stewardship – Act to take better care.  What's in your ocean?  Become a Deep Sea Canyon Ranger and  Ocean Seamount Guardian.    Visit our Website  ‌   ‌   ‌  Cleaning the Waters, Greening the Land, Healthy Soils.