When it comes to environmental issues, pollution is another major challenge that our society faces alongside global warming. Every year, thousands of tons of plastic waste end up in the world’s oceans. Did you know that approximately 8 million metric tons of plastic find its way into the sea annually? That's about three percent of the total plastic produced each year. And the numbers are increasing every year. It's estimated that by next year, this amount could reach around 110 billion pounds. As I sit here writing this article, I'm sipping from a PET plastic bottle—something we all do daily without thinking. It makes me realize how much each of us contributes to this growing problem.
To tackle this issue, an artist from the Netherlands named Peter Smith has taken action. He launched a campaign encouraging people to collect over 100,000 PET plastic bottles, which are commonly used for drinks. Using a 3D printer, he plans to turn these bottles into a large sculpture of the Virgin Mary. But this isn’t just any Mary—it’s a replica of Michelangelo’s famous “Madonna and Child,†originally carved in marble during the 16th century.
The project involves placing large collection bins across the Netherlands, where people can drop off plastic bottles they’ve gathered from the streets. So far, Smith has collected around 9,255 bottles—about 10% of his goal. To encourage participation, he even offered a one-euro reward for each bottle returned.
Once enough bottles are collected, Smith will use multiple 3D printers to create the statue. The design will be divided into 1,000 separate modules to fit the printing platform size. After each piece is printed, they will be assembled to form the full sculpture. He hopes to get permission from the Dutch sculptor Kološ to use his model as a reference for the final design, though the exact process remains unclear.
The completed sculpture is expected to be around 12 feet tall. Smith had planned to display it on a beach in Rio de Janeiro during the 2016 Summer Olympics, from August 5 to 21, as part of a larger awareness campaign.
Through this project, Smith aims to draw attention to the massive amount of plastic waste entering our oceans. While the Netherlands is just a small part of the global issue, plastic pollution affects everyone. It’s a social and environmental crisis that requires collective action. On the occasion of the Olympics, combined with the rising popularity of 3D printing, Smith hopes this initiative will spark real change and inspire more people to care about the environment.
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