We hear about environmental concerns every day, but for many (me included) it goes in one ear and out the other. New York's Department of Environmental Conservation decided to practice the old adage, "a picture is worth a thousand words." Meet Stanley, the Striped Bass, constructed from discarded plastics found in the state's waterways.

The DEC partnered with NOAA's Marine Debris Program and a couple of West Coast Artists to sculpt the giant fish.  A variety of discarded plastics collected from the shoreline were used in the work. The idea is to show the EPA's point, "80 percent of plastic pollution in the ocean originates as land-based trash."

The video below describes the construction of Stanley, and will really open your eyes to just how far a discarded water bottle and other debris can travel. Among the items used; are discarded plastic containers and caps, kids toys, flip-flops, spent shotgun shells,  and even football shoulder pads.

Of course, the whole point of the project is to encourage you and me to reduce the amount of plastic we use. Simply taking reusable bags to the grocery store and using refillable water bottles go a long way to reducing the amount of plastics impacting the environment. There are more tips on the DEC's page, Reduce Reuse, Recycle.  And when hitting New York trails and parks, the DEC encourages us to practice "Leave No Trace."

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