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Monty the Plastic Mamba who has been created by the Environmental Group from Bicton
The Bicton Environmental Group created the plastic bottle snake as part of an awareness campaign to encourage people to reduce plastic bottle usage and to recycle ones they do use. The initial creation was a joint effort, trying to get members of the public to join in too. The showers did not slow us down and the snake eventually had 350 bottles on, which represents the average number a family will get through in a year. After the Sidmouth campaign the snake travelled to Bassets Farm Primary School in Exmouth for one day. Now the snake has arrived at TRAIL. It had to be rebuilt a little (one section of the washing line was needed for clothing!). It was replaced and the head was redesigned the evening it was put up. The positioning proved a little challenging. The amazing line of very old Monterey Pines, going to East Cliff Gardens, are extremely beautiful. It was very difficult emotionally to put our bottles up in something so majestic but our message needs to be spread to all; so we honour these Monterey Pines for carrying out this job for us. It was a small part of the group, along with children, that struggled with the long slithering creature as it made its way to new heights.
The creature has been named Monty - partly after the trees he is sat in. Monty is a plastic mamba snake, who is known for climbing trees (arboreal) as well as being the longest and one of the most toxic snakes in the world. Plastic, when ingested as it is so often done unwittingly by many sea and land creatures, is toxic and deadly. It kills many forms of wildlife from seabirds, leatherback turtles to fish - and that is just in our waters. The toxic plastic waste is far and wide and is killing wildlife under our noses and in all corners of the World. Monty is up a stunning tree to point this out to all who pass by. Do not keep this information to yourself pass it by word of mouth, email, letters or smoke signal - REDUCE the number of plastic bottles you buy (fill a container with tap water instead of buying it - It is 200% cheaper too); REUSE plastic anything (clean out bags, bottles and containers and reuse in the home or garden); If you have run out of uses then RECYCLE it! (Plastic can be made into new products such as garden furniture and fleece clothing). Other information is on the 'Message in a Bottle' Flyer available on the TRAIL website. We are really excited to have Monty in TRAIL and thank Liz for her support.
Tess Stone
Members of the group include:
Ben Feaseby - Based in Ottery St. Mary - surfer and environmental campaigner hermit3000@hotmail.co.uk
Catherine Gough - From East Budleigh; Environmental Science and Education specialist, plus a lecturer clgough@bicton.ac.uk
Clive Essame - From Ottery St. Mary; 'Environmental and Community Arts' founder clive@essame.wanadoo.co.uk
Jacob Edwards - Yurt Maker and Rural skill practitioner, from Totnes jacobtedwards@hotmail.com
Richard Morehood - Film extra and compost loos plus a few other sidelines. fungustech@gmail.com
Tess Stone - Rural Skills Artist, Garden Designing Naturally and Environmental Artist, working with The Fairlynch Museum and Art Centre and 'Environmental and Community Arts'; from Budleigh Salterton plum.pebble@gmail.com
Zoe Dighton - Connects with the Sacred and Earthly Arts, from Lyme Regis. crystalangels111@hotmail.com
 
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