In 2015, Keep Golden Isles Beautiful volunteers recovered 65.6 tons of litter and 60.7 tons of recyclables from area roadways, waterways, marshes and public spaces. Seeking innovative community engagement opportunities focusing on litter prevention, the organization was awarded two grants that fund a creative project to tackle litter in a unique way. Teaming with the City of Brunswick, Glynn County, the Golden Isles Convention & Visitors Bureau and Golden Isles Arts & Humanities Association, Keep Golden Isles Beautiful has combined litter prevention and public art access.

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In January/February 2017, five unique sculptures were placed in community public spaces, each portraying a coastal creature and highlighting the effects litter has on its environment, with a sixth sculpture added in 2019. Use THIS MAP to visit each sculpture. Fabricated of metal mesh, each hollow sculpture contains internal space for trash placement, spotlighting the juxtaposition of creature versus litter.

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Involving volunteers and community partners, the premise of the project was simple: 

• CLEAN. Volunteers participated in community cleanups.

• CREATE. Participants filled the sculptures with the collected litter.

• CELEBRATE. Community members gathered to share their efforts and celebrate the sculpture installations that represent a clean and green community.

Sculpture locations:

~ HERON, North Glynn Sports Complex / click HERE for photos

~ MANATEE, Overlook Park / click HERE for photos

~ PELICAN, Mary Ross Park / click HERE for photos

~ SHRIMP Blythe Island Regional Park / click HERE for photos

~ RIGHT WHALE, old Coast Guard Station beach parking lot / click HERE for photos

~ DOLPHIN, Neptune Park / click HERE for photos

 

The “Coastal Litter Prevention Program” sculpture project was made possible to Keep Golden Isles Beautiful under grant award #NA15NOS4190160 to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources from the Office for Coastal Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, while the “Make Art Not Litter” sculpture project was made possible by a grant from the Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation.

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The Litter Prevention Sculptures were designed and fabricated by Environmental Sculptures of North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Watch the WJCT PBS “Hometown” segment featuring the litter prevention sculptures HERE. The Golden Isles Litter Prevention Sculptures were featured on Jacksonville’s FIRST COAST NEWS (4/13/17). Click HERE to watch the segment.