Swiss artist - Harald Reichenbach (President of G-Cubes) from the city of Bern, Switzerland is the founder and pioneer of the G-Cubes project. Although coming from a largely mountainous country, with no direct access to the sea - he was inspired by voyages he had taken upon the oceans - and - his first direct contact with the kilometres wide, areas of ocean strewn with plastic waste. These experiences moved him deeply and as an artist, he felt it was time to do something about this growing catastrophe. So, consulting the best experts in their fields of knowledge and utilising his arts background, he put together a team of committed individuals. Not having access to unlimited resources worldwide, he had to concentrate his mission into something achievable. It was therefore decided to make a statement and to inform people across the globe through the medium of art and environment - and - so a G-Cube (garbage cube) was formed. Sailing around the world, he is taking plastic from the oceans and beaches and turning this waste into works of art, which will be exhibited worldwide and sold upon the international art market. Profits from sales, will go towards projects enabling far-flung communities to recycle for themselves, where presently they are unable to do so.
Engaging local communities and
working with the next generation
G-Cubes has an ecological, economic and social role. During the project, waste will be removed from beaches and oceans and processed into art and sold at the market value. Proceeds will be invested in sustainable, ecological and social projects.
G-Cubes thus contributes to the implementation of sustainability goals.
G-Cubes thus contributes to the implementation of sustainability goals.
Rubbish strewn beaches
|
G-Cubes collection collectives
|
Collected and bagged plastic waste
|
When plastic waste gets into the sea it has many negative effects upon the environment. Plastic cannot be broken down in the sea. Instead, it is transported by wind, waves and currents over long distances and can be found today from the Arctic to the Antarctic, in all parts of the ocean, and on nearly all the world’s beaches. This waste debris, travelling over long distances, also threatens plants, animals and distant ecosystems. Over time the debris will either sink to the seabed or disintegrate into smaller and smaller pieces called micro-plastic. This waste affects countless fish and bird species and also sea mammals, which get tangled up in floating fishing nets, so called ghost nets, as well as ingesting debris with their food intake. Micro-plastic does not only set dangerous substances free that are inherent in the manufacturing process but is also a binder for other environmental poisons - e.g. from agricultural useage. These substances via the plastic, then get into the food chain and therefore pose a health risk to humans.
This growing accumulation of waste in the sea, not only has devastating effects on the environment and human health; fishing, shipping, beach tourism and last but not least the population as a whole suffer from the consequences. Most waste comes from land and gets into the sea via rivers or wind.
People are the key to the solution of the problem. The project G-Cubes can contribute by educating and supporting, in the fight against the pollution.
This growing accumulation of waste in the sea, not only has devastating effects on the environment and human health; fishing, shipping, beach tourism and last but not least the population as a whole suffer from the consequences. Most waste comes from land and gets into the sea via rivers or wind.
People are the key to the solution of the problem. The project G-Cubes can contribute by educating and supporting, in the fight against the pollution.