This article is a summary of the podcast conversation 17. From Waste to Wake-Up Call: Art that Hits Home. Listen to the full episode on Spotify podcasts or Apple podcasts, and go here for the relevant links mentioned in the podcast. Read on for the summarised topics from the episode.

From Waste to Wake-Up Call: Art that Hits Home

Newcastle, like much of Australia’s coastline, is known for its golden sand beaches and beautiful ocean swimming. However, once you’re at the beach, you see pieces of rubbish amongst the grains of sand and seaweed. You can’t unsee the problem that you know threatens wildlife and mars the beauty of your beach.

In this episode, I’m speaking with Marina DeBris, a Lake Macquarie artist who creates visual story installations to highlight the rubbish problems on our beaches. Over the last decade or so, her solo rubbish-collecting efforts have become a valuable, small-scale commentary about our society and culture. And there’s the minute, non-glitter sparkle of hope – that a change in rubbish responsibility could be possible.

Overview of the Conversation

Hear about Marina’s experience with both common and unusual rubbish finds from the beaches – from Bondi Beach in the eastern suburbs of Sydney Australia to Venice Beach in California US. This, in addition to rubbish found in the local council street clean up: “by far fishing gear is the number one find”, followed by cigarette butts, microplastics, cotton swabs/ lolly sticks and dog poo.
How Marina keeps and organises her rubbish finds in the studio “I never wash anything. It’s a very important part of my practice because the reason I do this is to show the truth of what we are creating and wasting and using to begin with”.
Inspiration for Marina’s art from waste – what comes first, the rubbish or the art idea?

Marina’s observation and story on the rubbish consequences from COVID, with single use medical waste and what happens when the transportation of goods goes awry: “I did a piece called Pandamania which was all made of face masks I found on the beach. It was something like 900 [face masks]. And that wasn’t even all of them… I still have a big box. And I still find them”.
Observations of rubbish and the link to society’s lifestyles: “ I want people to look at it and go yeah I use those or you know I guess I shouldn’t”.

From Waste to Art: The Inconvenience Store

The inconvenience Store is one art piece that is a play on words: “a spoof on our society of convenience and oru addiction to it as well and how cheap everything is”
Stories and observations of how litter/ rubbish gets on to the beach: “I guess, the misconception is that people think litter is intentional”.
Creating conversations about waste, particularly dog poo left on the beach: “it started this huge discussion… I thought, fantastic. A lot of people were criticising my actions … but more people started this amazing conversation. I thought that in itself is worth it”.

“My work is to make a statement to get people to change their habits”

Individual actions of product stewardship by taking rubbished items back to the shop: “They just looked at me like I was a complete nutcase.”
How do you instil implied responsibility in people not to litter? Examples of observations from Japan
Actionable solutions for litter problems

This episode of The ReNewy Living Podcast was recorded on Awabakal country. I wish to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land and waters in the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie region of New South Wales.

I hope you’re feeling more confident about doing better for our people and planet by taking a start where you live approach to living sustainably. If this episode has spurred you into action, please feel free to share the episode with your friends. It would mean the world to me!

Listen into the stories and voices of this story here at Spotify podcasts and here at Apple Podcasts… And you can also sign up to my regular emails here… I look forward to sharing more stories with you next time.

17. From Waste to Wake-Up Call: Art that Hits Home

Links from the Podcast Episode (S3 Ep17)

Follow Marina DeBris on instagram
About artist Andy Marks and his Iggy’s Bread bags piece
Sydney Morning Herald article on Marina’s COVID facemask art piece
The Inconvenience Store at Sculpture by the Sea
The Inconvenience Store as the winner of the 2024 Lake Macquarie Waste to Art Exhibition. As seen in the exhibition guide…
The Full Circle Collective helps local communities have a positive environmental impact through small scale environmental action; and to champion the circular economy through resource recovery, repair and reuse.
ABC Series War on Waste (Seasons 1-3) available to watch for free on ABC iview here…
Keep Australia Beautiful website here…
NSW Litter Prevention Strategy 2023 – 2030 found here…
5 Gyres drives innovative solutions to plastic problems here…
Take 3 for the Sea inspires participation in simple actions that reduce the impacts of plastic pollution and waste in the ocean and broader environment here…
Snap Send Solve – available on Apple app store and Google play

Relevant Blogposts & Podcast Episodes with ReNewy Living

The Circular Economy from a Localised Perspective (S1 Ep6) featuring The Full Circle Collective as a guest – Listen on Apple podcasts here and Spotify podcasts here…
Using Discarded Waste as an Alternative Blank Canvas… Three artists share their creative journeys about why they create art using discarded waste for endless artistic possibilities.
Sewing Couture Style Dresses from Waste… a video story showing how you can make something beautiful and spectacular from things that other people have thrown away.
Blue Wrap Couture… Melinda’s story on her evolution of ideas and design which inspired her submission “Blue Wrap Couture” to the 2019 Lake Macquarie Sustainable Neighbourhoods Waste to Art Exhibition.
Microplastics are a gigaproblem…Plastic doesn’t go away nor biodegrade. It just breaks up into irretrievable microscopic, teeny tiny pieces that pollute our water, air and soil.
Seventy Years of Eco Living Strengthens why Living Sustainably is Crucial…a ReNewy Living community member’s recollection of waste through the decades and how her passion for taking care of our local environment helps our local community.
All summaries of the podcast episodes with links from The Renewy Living Podcast