Killed by plastic pollution: unknown animal washes up on Cornwall beach

May 1, 2019

Surfers Against Sewage launches ‘Creature’ film to highlight the scale of destruction to the planet’s sea life being caused by mankind

With 95% of the planet’s oceans unexplored, and scientists knowing more about the face of Mars than the sea floor, the charity wants to highlight the threat of plastic pollution to the many species that are yet to be uncovered, as well as those that are already known to be dying as a result of human  actions.
 
The film, which shows the reactions of people discovering the ‘Creature’ washed up and fighting for its life on a UK beach, has been created to grab the public’s attention and shock them into action.
 
Surfers Against Sewage is calling on people from across the UK to sign its #GenerationSea petition to call on the Prime Minister to introduce legislative change to save the seas, and the creatures that live within them. The petition hopes to see the government take decisive action before it’s too late and establish a powerful independent watchdog to protect the oceans and wider natural environment as part of an ambitious Environment Bill, while enforcing specific targets relating to plastic waste and carbon emissions for government and big business.

 

“Every year new and unique ocean dwelling creatures are being discovered in the depths of the marine world. Meanwhile, humankind is treating our sea as a ‘single-use ocean’ – filling it with plastic, changing it’s chemistry through carbon emissions and stripping it of all natural abundance. We’ve built ‘Creature’ to represent the sea life that people are destroying without even being aware of it. People will only thrive if our ocean thrives.” 
– Ben Hewitt, Director of Campaigns and Projects – SAS

“At present, we’re sleep-walking into slaughter – but it’s not too late. With the help of the general public and policy makers, we can ensure our oceans remain a place that our sea life can continue to flourish in. Ignore this warning however and we risk the next generation never knowing many of the species we’ve all grown up with.”
 
Creature’ was written and directed by Tom Tagholm and produced by Park Pictures, an Academy Award-winning production company based in London, New York and Los Angeles. The creature was built full-scale by Anarchy Ltd, augmented and animated by MPC London.

“As a surfer, I wanted to do what I could to help. Park Pictures share a tendency towards political and environmental engagement, so the desire was there to do some work. The idea for Creature came when I was out in the water. I wondered what could be out there in the deep. And what might be suffering before we’ve even had a chance to meet. Over the years I’d watched Surfers Against Sewage tirelessly fight the plastic polluting industry, and just as tirelessly unite human beings who care. This sense of community is ultimately what the film is about; what I wanted to capture. There’s a love there and it’s what SAS is all about – I was very proud to be a part of their world for the days we were down there.”
– Tom Tagholm, Director, Park Pictures

With 95% of the oceans unexplored, public urged to sign petition and put pressure on parliament to save the oceans

SIGN THE PETITION HERE