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F ³: The Face of Trash


 

Thursday’s high winds brought some unwanted visitors into my front garden bed: a plastic trash bag, some bubble wrap, and a paper plate. Where did it all come from?

If you follow the daily exploits of Sharky D’Shark, you’ll know that a better question might be “Where didn’t it come from?”

Here’s a recent pic of Sharky at work cleaning up trash in Prince George’s County:

Image from Sharky d’Shark Facebook Page


Just who is Sharky? According to his Facebook Fan Page - - created in July of 2022 - - “Sharkey cares about our world and works to pick up trash everywhere so it doesn't reach the ocean!” The page documents his travels around Maryland with an unseen human companion named Jon, gathering and safely disposing of trash, junk, recyclables, and other unwanted and uncategorizable stuff.

Are you following the adventures of Sharkey d'Shark? Well you should. Sharkey has been cleaning trash from our waterways in the Patapsco region and beyond. He’s been inspiring others too. Good job, Sharkey! - - Chesapeake Mermaid




I have a hunch that Sharky’s companion Jon just might be this guy. 


Image from University of Delaware Magazine


TALKIN' TRASH & FIGHTIN' DIRTY

Jon Merryman is on a mission to clean the planet, one piece of litter at a time, Artika Rangan Cassini, University of Delaware Magazine

If you don’t dispose of that unwanted item safely and responsibly - no matter what it is - - it pollutes the natural environment and often ends up in local waterways. Read the article to get an idea of the kinds of things that he’s found.

But how does Sharky factor into Merryman’s mission? (Assuming it is Merryman, that is.) Well, take a look at this:


Not my image. Found on social media. Watermark reads Bored Panda.


I think that, in his own chompy sort of way, Sharky d’Shark is a relative of Goby. He’s meant to capture the imagination, to educate while also making the act of caring for the planet fun. Be like Sharky. Feed Goby. Does any of this sound familiar? 


Image from Mr. Trash Wheel’s Instagram account 


Yup, that’s Baltimore’s own Mr. Trash Wheel, who’s celebrating his tenth anniversary this year as the friendly face of Harbor cleanup. And now there’s an entire Trash Wheel family.



And this is what they’ve been doing:


Both images from  Mr. Trash Wheel website 


A water wheel that scoops plastic out of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor is cool. One with big eyes and a personality? Irresistible! There’s even a not-so-secret society called the Order of the Wheel  

Aspiring members agree to:

• Pledge your unyielding devotion to Mr. Trash Wheel

• Promise to reduce your reliance on single-use plastics

• Commit to clean up litter in your community

In all three initiatives - - Sharky d’Shark, Goby, and Mr. Trash Wheel, environmentalists are engaging the community by integrating an element of play. They’ve also personalized the mission by giving it a face.



 
When community members respond to the eco-friendly message they may also be feeling a sense of connection to these anthropomorphic environmental crusaders. 

Both (personalization and play) are especially inviting to children, but they’re catching on with adults as well. Connection and enjoyment are very human needs. Infusing them into initiatives to care for the environment is an imaginative way to bring more people into an important cause.

What do you think?




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