Thought provoking photographic exhibition comes to Fingal promenade

As world leaders wrapped up discussions around the environment at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, a spectacular new photographic exhibition has been launched at Skerries that looks at the way plastic is impacting the health of the planet.

SSE Airtricity has teamed up with not-for-profit Sick of Plastic campaign and the National Geographic Society to bring Planet or Plastic? to Fingal for the first time. The family friendly exhibition is free of charge and runs until December 15th.

Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Seána Ó Rodaigh said: “Education plays an important role in persuading us to change our ways and I am delighted to welcome the Planet or Plastic? Exhibition to Skerries. I hope as many people as possible will make an effort to visit it - the powerful images will prompt discussion and reflection and will show citizens the actions that they can take to help our planet.”

Leanne Sheill, Marketing Manager SSE Airtricity said: “We’re really proud to partner with Sick of Plastic and the National Geographic Society to bring this inspiring exhibition to Ireland. SSE Airtricity is committed to helping build a greener, more sustainable world and partnering with organisations who share our vision is really important to us. This partnership builds on the work we are already doing with other sustainability partners, including our Eco Explorers Trail at Dublin Zoo, educating children on the importance of sustainability. We believe the Planet or Plastic? exhibition will inspire an even more positive reaction to protect our beautiful planet.”

The exhibition tells the story behind plastic from its invention just over a century ago to its current mass consumption through visual storytelling with multimedia elements including profound images as well as powerful infographics and videos. This man-made material has revolutionised medicine and eased space travel - it also extends the shelf life of fresh food, allows for the delivery of clean drinking water to those without it, and when used in airbags or helmets, saves lives. Yet, despite its utility and convenience, an exorbitant amount of plastic products are disposed of improperly with some 6.3 billion tons of plastic waste left unrecycled.

Kathryn Keane, Vice President of Public Programming at the National Geographic Society, said: “Plastic pollution is one of the most important global environmental challenges of our generation. But it is an issue that we can all do something about. This exhibition informs us about how we got here, the scope of the problem, and how we can each be a part of the solution. National Geographic has made a commitment to reducing our reliance on single-use plastics and our hope is that after seeing this exhibition visitors worldwide will join us in that commitment.”

Plastic waste has been found in the ocean from the Arctic to the Antarctic and from the surface to the seafloor. Hundreds of species of marine animals have been reported to have ingested or become entangled in it. It's negatively impacting our ecosystems and resulting in traumatic environmental effects. Through powerful imagery, Planet or Plastic? makes the important case for the need to find a balance between using this material and protecting our environment. Additionally, the exhibition provides actionable steps visitors can take in their lives to responsibly reduce, reuse, recycle, and refuse products with single-use plastic.

Lyndsey O’Connell, Sick of Plastic Campaign Lead, said: “According to the world economic forum plastic production is set to quadruple by 2050 and that’s why it is more important than ever to tackle the issue head on. We need to reduce, reuse and refuse plastic. I hope the Planet or Plastic? exhibition will inspire the change we need to save our planet and I’m delighted that we’ve had the opportunity to partner with SSE Airtricity to bring the exhibition to Dublin.”