A commitment that began on their first date, Richard and Judith Lang have been collecting plastic debris from Kehoe Beach in Point Reyes National Seashore in California, for over ten years. They use these plastic articles to make beautiful works of art, not just as an exhibition of their talents, but to draw attention to the deeper concern of plastic pollution of the world's oceans.

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  • Sheila

    To see more art from plastic pollution: washedashore.org

  • Sidonie Grace

    Very inspiring. It's a smart way of turning the nuisance into beautiful works of art... Something we could all participate in by doing our little bit at our own level. Thank you. Namasté!

  • Leslee

    I am. Inspired, but more disturbed by people who throw plastics on our beaches, oceans and forests. What are they thinking?

  • Jacob Cramer

    Art is so multifaceted, and it's beautiful how he's drawing awareness to pollution through his art!

  • eaugot

    Thought this might connect with handle with care recycle . E

  • TarnzArt

    Love what your doing,as an artist,i to love making recycled art.you inspire me to do it with my art class.I work with mental heath,we often don't have resources......you can see wher im going with this lol.thank you fore your love story.much love Tarnz,from NewZealand

  • Tanya Peters

    Very beautiful and the thought process behind your art and intention is consciously in the positive making this even more beautiful. I think by taking out the so called good and bad that we tend to judge of everything we look at and just look at it like an anthropologist is key to making change that is so much more impactful. Thank you for sharing each of your souls and tapping into your highest creativity. This is very inspiring and fulfills a need of feeling like we are all connected and every little action we do does make a big impact immediately and over time. Namaste

  • Christine Preziosi

    After living in SF for a while I have become more and more aware of the recycled art mentality. I spent this thanksgiving in NY and FL and noticing all the trash!! On the beach in Florida I had a distant younger relative say, "oh man, trash beach, trash beach" as he walked out to the beach in front of his home, I was severely disappointed. Spending the rest of my walk picking up plastic but bummed out that I had no idea what to do with it. Which was overwhelming. You have inspired me and reopened those recycled art brainwaves. Thank you.

  • Joanne Benham Rennick

    I am so grateful to you for sharing your story through this video. I am a professor of Contemporary Studies and I just finished teaching a unit on the environment with a particular focus on plastic (see Alan Weisman's online chapter Polymers are Forever). So often young people see the tremendous challenges we face as a society and feel utterly powerless to make an impact. Your work shows that individuals can make an impact through their attitudes, example and willingness to raise awareness. I really commend you for this and, most of all, your ability to see the beauty, fun and hope in the situation. If we can't do that, we might as well all just bury ourselves now. We've got to find a new way forward. Thank you so much.

  • bilkis

    very good idea, helps to create a clean environment and clean the world of plastic pollution and creates awareness in the people and gives ideas to use the debri for useful things, very innovative

  • PJ Pitonyak

    You have inspired me by making me think about collecting the plastic and using it to make something beautiful. I am going to show this video to my special needs Earth Science students and see if they can collect some plastics to create art. I'll share what they create.

  • Della Badart

    I am a sustainable artist and have collections of cast offs too. I understand how it is exciting to reasemble items into something beautiful. It is unique when you have a group of an item you can make into something else. I see their goal except I see it in cotton. We all need to be sustainable. The world needs to think sustainable more than green... reuseable. http://badartworld.blogspot.com/ Badartworld.com

  • Debbie Roberts

    It really brings the problem of plastic pollution home. I have always said when everyone is dead and gone Little Tykes will remain. I said it as a joke but it really isn't funny is it? I think Richard and Judith are making the best out of a bad situation. Good for them Great Job!!

  • Beth

    Oh to wake the world up and help them see what beauty we are given and not to just throw it away. It remains with us. I make assemblage art from metal, wood, plastic, anything the world deems as not useful anymore and I try to tell a new story with the lost articles. Bravo Judith and Richard!

  • nani

    this persons, make people awaire of polution by making beautiful art thank you.

  • Maureen

    It is good to see how disciplined they are, colour and texture coding, all of which encourages another use for the materials rescued from the beach, providing them with free art materials - 'upcycling'!

  • Cynthia

    Without being judgmental this couple shows they care and are not indifferent to the plight of our planet and the delicate balance we need to keep it healthy. Their creating beauty with the cast offs of our modern day living and carelessless, speaks loud and clear...

  • Leela

    Committed to environment. Good role models. would be showing this video to MBA students at Bangalore. Thanks. ENVIRONMENT AWARENESS IS THE NEED FOR THE DAY

  • Joan

    My partner and I pick up trash everywhere.........what inspires me is that you guys seem delighted.........it is hard for us to make it fun, because, well, it IS trash. It's cool that you guys have made it into fun. And, that you are educating people as well. We feel like we are a very small minority when we are out picking up trash. And, glad that you have highlighted the gyre.

  • Shelley

    What inspires me is the sincerity in which you speak about your work, as well as the harmony in which you both carry into your work- A beautiful model and inspiration for all of us!

  • Jane

    Thanks to Richard and Judith for re-using plastic pieces in beautiful works of art. More importantly, I thank them for bringing us the knowledge of the abundance of plastic that is floating in and clogging up our oceans and beaches. Richard and Judith are living examples for 'Be the change we want to see in the world.'

  • bob banner

    thanks so much for what you are doing!!!

  • Isaac Rapaport

    In Costa Rica there´s a summer international festival called "things from the sea", is a camping in a farm at Playa Grande beach, just in front of the sea. The artists collect mainly plastic, and after the festival is over they present their works in a national museum in San Jose. I want to congratulate you and wish you the best. Isaac

  • Amy Wolff

    I live in Petaluma, not far from here and it is amazing to me this is going on right in my own backyard. I teach art & yoga to kids and would love to take a field trip with them out to see this!

  • ArunChikkop

    Genus is looking at things as everybody does, but thinking what nobody has thought... THANKS A LOT FOR SHARING THIS KARMA TUBE. A SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL THE MEMBERS WORKING FOR THIS WEBSITE.

  • Karen Majkrzak

    How these talented artists have taken things carelessly discarded and carefully and intentionally renewed them into beautiful and meaningful pieces. Tremendously encouraging,

  • dwayne

    "the opposite of beauty is not 'ugly' its 'indifference'"....excellent!

  • Shiva

    Really inspiring . We should learn from them.

  • Divakar KN

    hats off guys!!!!

  • Page 1

  • Learn more about Judith and Richard's work.
  •  Watch how artist Ben Wilson has been using chewing gum litter to produce exquisite artwork for the community!
  •  How many more of such selfless artists would we need to reduce our waste? Reduce, reuse, recycle - make a commitment to practice this idea more deeply every day.

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