Michele Rene Scott: As an educator and artist, what inspired you to create your first aquatic creature from the plastic picked up from Oregon's ocean shoreline?
Angela Haseltine Pozzi: I've always had a lifelong love affair with the ocean—it's a place of sanctuary for me. All my summers were spent on the Southern Oregon Coast. I have always felt that no matter what happens, you can always count on the ocean to be there.

After having been away from the ocean for awhile, and after my husband died, I moved to Bandon to be next to the ocean at a time in my life when I needed solace. I immediately saw that the ocean was changing, and I knew that humans were changing it. I said, "This isn't right. To take something so sacred and pollute it and destroy it just isn't right. We need to turn this around. This is what I need to do and the arts have the power to make a difference."

Discovering the plastic debris in the ocean occurred when I was considering buying plastic materials for an art project I was working on. That's when I evaluated the use of "found" plastic to create the art, and wondered, "What if I used only the plastic that I found on the beaches and nothing else?"

This was going to be the biggest creative challenge of my life! After 30 years of experience in education, I knew that trying to clean up plastic pollution on the shoreline would be a huge undertaking and that we'd need to get the community involved.

As a first step, I bought drills and drill bits, and starting planning for how to draw people's attention to the amount of plastic that washes ashore.

MRS: What is your approach with the sculptures?
AHP: The first concept was "Henry the Fish." He's the one we learned from and honed our art techniques on. Because we try to use plastic in the form it's found in, his teeth consist of pieces of plastic found in that shape on the beach.

Beyond Henry, there's a multi-step process for creating each sculpture. First, I design each sea creature, and in concert with a professional engineer and draftsman, finalize the design of what will be a large sculpture. Then high school students (thank you, Marshfield High School shop class!) weld the framework, which is created from purchased, recycled rebar. Lastly, hundreds of community members—school kids, senior citizens, families, tourists, non-profit and government organizations—help flesh out the designs with plastic.

When I first started the project, I didn't realize how much plastic trash would be coming in. For example, we have about 2,000 pounds of new trash in our bins right now waiting to be used … it doesn't stop washing ashore.

MRS: Does all of the plastic used in these sculptures come from Oregon's shoreline?
AHP: Yes. The trash washed in over a 60-mile stretch of shoreline comprised of rugged cliffs and beaches near Bandon. There are about 20 miles of shoreline where people can walk the beach and collect the trash, such as at the state parks.

MRS: You've become an expert in plastic. What tips would you offer to Environmental Forum readers about their use and/or purchase of plastic items?
AHP: Well, hopefully, people are already trying to eliminate plastic bags and water bottles, and have already eliminated single-use plastics.

Other than that, I have three suggestions, along with a challenge for people. One, try to reuse plastic containers for storage bins. Two, whenever possible choose plastics that have the most value to recyclers, such as #1 and #2. A great resource for learning more about plastic is The Plastic Pollution Coalition. And three, before you buy something, look at both "the inside and outside" of the item—for example, choose glass and biodegradable packaging over plastic.

Now here's the challenge: Next time you buy a present for someone try to buy something without any plastic—both the item and package. It's tough for purchased items, but it can be done. A good alternative is to make a present that doesn't use any plastic.

MRS: Where can people learn more about the Washed Ashore exhibit?
AHP: I encourage people to visit Artula.org and WashedAshore.org to keep up with new developments. We also would love to have people visit and help us in Bandon! We offer residencies for artists, writers, and naturalists. In addition to the sculptures and exhibits, we are working on a documentary film to help raise awareness about the plastic in the ocean. Through continued community support, we can take this project around the world!

MRS: What have you learned from your work with the sculptures that you'd like to share with others?
AHP: Well, the Washed Ashore: Plastics, Seal Life & Art exhibit has helped me see that a great tragedy can be turned into something positive. It provides hope for how we can turn today's current environmental predicament around. We just need to work at it one piece at a time.

Each piece of plastic picked up from the beach—no matter how small or large—has a story. It was purchased by someone somewhere, lost or thrown away, and then picked up by someone else. It was then turned into beauty. Each sculpture in the exhibit is a metaphor for how we can make amazing and big things happen if we work together.