The Flipflopi Exhibition in Sedbergh, UK

Supper with an old friend.  They bring along a stranger.  He is called David Guthrie and he loves the The Flipflopi Project and the #Plasticrevolution… by the time we’re onto the second glass of wine, he has suggested that we have an exhibition in his office in Sedbergh, which happens to have a big shop front.  By the time I’m onto my third I’ve agreed.

Two months later – yesterday – I find myself with a wonderful team of volunteers setting up The Flipflopi Exhibition in the main street in Sedbergh.

We are:

  • 6 grown ups… Tara, Charlie, Cynthia, Emily, David & Ben
  • 3 dogs… Nancy, Mara & Max
  • 5 children… Lili, George, Fergus, Lua & Corran

Here are most of us…

Dream Team: Em, Charlie, Corran, Lua, Lili, Max, George, Fergus, Cynthia, Nancy & Tara. (Missing from pic are David, Ben & Mara’s head).

Dream Team: Em, Charlie, Corran, Lua, Lili, Max, George, Fergus, Cynthia, Nancy & Tara. (Missing from pic are David, Ben & Mara’s head).

And here’s what we did…

THE PROBLEM… section of exhibition focused on highlighting just how much single use plastics we consume, and actually how potentially valuable it is…

BUILDING A 45 TONNE SAILING BOAT FROM PLASTIC WASTE… a section of the exhibition details how we are doing it.

THE EXPEDITION… this section answers the key questions: route, distance, how, when?(2018, Kenya to Cape Town – 5000kms – in a boat made from everyday ‘use-once & throw-away’ plastic)

THE EXPEDITION… this section answers the key questions: route, distance, how, when?
(2018, Kenya to Cape Town – 5000kms – in a boat made from everyday ‘use-once & throw-away’ plastic)

THE PLASTIC TIDE… OUR SHOP-WINDOW… dressed by the wonderful Cynthia – and immediately getting lots of attention from our younger team members. 

The 3 key objectives of the exhibition are:

  • To raise awareness about single-use plastic… just think, if a plastic bag lasts 500 years, why only use it for 35 seconds…? It just doesn’t make sense!
  • To inspire people by telling them about the Flipflopi Project – and encouraging them to make changes in attitudes and actions relating to consumption of ‘use-once & throw-away’ plastic.
  • To kickstart the #Plasticrevolution right here in Sedbergh in Cumbria.

A huge thank you David and Tara Guthrie of A Tent with a View Safaris for giving us the space. They have made themselves a part of the #Plasticrevolution… will you?

The Flipflopi Project