Join The Voyage
JUNKraft: Global Crisis of Plastic Pollution examines the issue of global plastic pollution within our oceans. More than five trillion pieces of plastic can be found floating on the surface of the ocean. Over 1,200 species worldwide are affected by plastic pollution through ingestion and entanglement. In 2008 two sailors, Marcus Erikson and Joel Paschal, launched a home-made raft from Los Angeles with the intent to drift to Hawaii to bring attention to the emerging plastic pollution problem.
With no motor or support vessel, the crew took thirteen weeks to reach their destination, three times longer than expected. They used 15,000 plastic bottles, twenty-six sailboat masts, and a Cessna aircraft fuselage to construct the raft, named JUNK. The bottles were stuffed into thirty-foot-long pontoons made from old fishing nets.
Their third partner in the project, Anna Cummins, maintained daily satellite phone contact with the sailors to give constant weather updates about the four hurricanes that swept past them during their journey.
Dr. Marcus Eriksen shares “Bringing the plastic pollution issue to communities inland is the best way to solve the problem at the source. Everyone lives on a watershed, so understanding how plastic travels from rivers to the sea is a huge step in finding solutions.”
JUNKraft will feature the raft JUNK made from recycled materials, as well as sculptures and other art also made out of recycled materials. It is a blend of art, science, and solutions to highlight the impact of humanity on the natural environment. We hope that the exhibit will inspire and educate viewers along with showcasing some of the biggest Ocean Heroes who have come up with solutions to combat the global waste crisis.
At the Putnam Only Until October 30, 2023
For more information about this project visit: marcuseriksen.com or 5gyres.org
