The Philippines is the third highest contributor of plastic wastes in the ocean, in the entire world. We’ve bared witness to this throughout years of alarming news of beached sea creatures found in our shore lines. Already, the ocean is filled with 275 million tons of plastics. The cumulative quantity of plastic waste available to enter the ocean from land is predicted to increase by 2025. According to the Ellen McArthur Foundation, plastics in the ocean will outweigh fish by 2050.

ASEAN countries, due to their lengthy coastlines and high plastic usage, are some of the primary sources of marine plastics globally and coincidentally, Philippines is the chair of the 2017 ASEAN Summit. Greenpeace wanted to take advantage of this opportune time to call on ASEAN members to take concrete measures against plastic pollution.

The ‘Dead Whale’ perfectly resembled a beached blue whale—73-foot in length and realistic. It was mounted strategically on the shore, making it look like a real whale in size, weight and texture. The materials used were all plastic wastes collected from the ocean and its textures and colors were utilized to make the whale looked like it was in its decomposing stage, complete with sprawling innards and slimy surface. It was left on the shore for 3 days. Elements of the environment help made it even more real—beach waves, wind, and climate.

The ‘Dead Whale’ was mounted on a beach in one of the most polluted cities in the country. It was constructed secretly beside the shore for only 5 days with a team of 9 people.

The materials used were plastic wastes collected from the ocean--white sacks went to the underbelly and its textures, plastic straws and wires to bind the materials together, red sacks for the innards and blood effect, and PET bottles for the baleen teeth, amounting to over 160 kilos of plastic wastes and 73 feet in length.

The sculpture was then transferred to the shore and unveiled a few kilometers away from the ASEAN Leaders Summit.

Photos were posted on social media and immediately got picked up organically by local and international media outfits. Then it resulted to the recognition of ASEAN leaders in the summit.