Installation features plastic, sargassum in Tulum

Tulum Christmas trash tree 2015 - art installation with plastic trash and sargassum

Last Updated on October 31, 2024 by Ellen

My spouse and I went to Tulum’s northern beach on Christmas Day. It looked beautiful as we approached.

Then we got to the shore. Sargassum has been a big problem for Caribbean beaches in 2015. Below is the first public access point if you are walking south down the road from the ruins.

sargassum in Tulum

Yea, the seaweed is a bummer. But, as I’ve written before, the plastic is more of a heart breaker for me.

So we made an installation of garbage art.
sargassum in Tulum, christmas time 2015

Tedly found some sticks for a Christmas tree and arranged seaweed around it, while I found the much of the festive decorations.

plastic trash on the beach in Tulum, Mexico
plastic trash and sargassum in tulum on the beach, 2015
sargassum in Tulum

Our Christmas tree even had gifts under it.

garbage on the tulum beach

Some people stopped by to look at our arrangement, but they had to stand because the broken plastic chair only had three legs.

father and son look at our art installation on tulum's beach made of plastic trash and sargassum, december 2015
sargassum in Tulum
plastic trash and sargassum in Tulum

We can’t get around using plastic. Imagine a society without it. Won’t happen. We love the convenience and the initial cost is so low. However, now we seem to be paying more of a price, no?

'save the earth' written in sargassum on the beach in Tulum

We hope you had a great Christmas, and that you didn’t get – or give – too much plastic.

ellen and tedly with sargassum and plastic trash in Tulum

And, here’s to hoping 2016 doesn’t see any more plastic trash in Earth’s oceans.

sargassum in Tulum

3 thoughts on “Installation features plastic, sargassum in Tulum”

  1. So sorry to see all of this plastic “garbage” on this beautiful beach. Sadly, I’m sure it’s a growing problem everywhere & on every beach. ? If only there was a way of proper disposal….

  2. It’s sad to see all the trash that washes up on the shore. Makes you think about what’s floating around the ocean. Ugh.

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