Robert Marshall, a sculptor from Wareham in Dorset, has created a striking 26-foot tall tree sculpture out of a year’s worth of plastic bottles to promote a deeper conversation on environmental issues.

 An Impressive Undertaking

Marshall collected around 700 plastic bottles over a year, used by his family, to construct the tree. This impressive structure was showcased at the Purbeck Art Weeks Festival and has since been displayed at various locations around Dorset, including Spyway, Durlston Country Park, Hartland Moor, and Rollington Barn. It will make its final appearance at Studland Beach on Saturday and Sunday, marking the end of the art event.

 A Family Effort

Living with his wife and three sons, Marshall noted that despite the seemingly large number of bottles, it was a year’s worth of usage from a large household. He also mentioned that his sons’ girlfriends contributed to the collection, including water bottles, fruit juice, fizzy drinks, and yogurt drinks.

The Message Behind the Art

Marshall’s goal with the sculpture is to provoke an “adult conversation” about plastic usage and broader environmental issues. He expressed concern over the increasing production of plastic bottles, most of which are not recycled. He highlighted that plastic bottles are just a small fraction of the total plastic consumption. He posed a thought-provoking question: “If this ‘tree’ is from one household, imagine the size of a forest made from the 28 million households in the UK.”

Upcoming Display

After the Purbeck Art Weeks Festival, the plastic tree sculpture will be displayed at Corfe Castle for the National Trust’s Big Green Week, starting Saturday.

 Inspiring Change

Marshall’s artwork serves as a visual reminder of the environmental impact of plastic waste and aims to inspire more significant efforts in reducing plastic consumption and increasing recycling. He hopes it will encourage people to reflect on their plastic usage and engage in meaningful discussions on how to protect the environment better  .