PLASTICUS, THE PLASTIC WHALE, COMPLETES ITS TOUR OF THE UK

Millions of Brits have engaged with Sky Ocean Rescues Plastic Whale Tour as the nation gets behind the issue of ocean health

The 10 metre whale - made from the same amount of plastic that ends up in the ocean every second** has today completed its tour of the UK

Named Plasticus by members of the public while on tour capturing the spirit of the fight against plastic in the ocean

Almost half a million members of the public joined the tour throughout England, Wales and Scotland, millions more were reached through national and social media

The Plastic Whale Tour engaged local councils, MPs, NGOs national media and celebrities

Sky Ocean Rescue aims to raise awareness of the issue of ocean health and give people simple and easy tips on how to make a change to their own plastic consumption

Sky Ocean Rescues Plastic Whale Tour today concluded as the 10 metre long whale, named Plasticus by members of the public, returned to London after engaging Brits on the issue of ocean health.

The whale made from plastic recovered from the ocean, beach cleans and local recycling plants embarked on a tour across England, Wales and Scotland, offering members of the public tips on how they can reduce their own plastic consumption as research highlighted nearly 90% of Brits are concerned by plastic usage in the UK*.

Group Chief Executive of Sky, Jeremy Darroch, said, We embarked on the Plastic Whale Tour knowing that Brits are aware of the issues facing our oceans, particularly around plastic pollution, but we have been overwhelmed by the response in the last two weeks. Almost half a million people joined the tour, and millions more through social media, all concerned by ocean health with many asking how they can be part of the solution. Sky Ocean Rescue aims to drive awareness and help be a vehicle for change. We have been delighted by the level of public engagement and the support of local councils, MPs, NGOs and the media throughout the tour. In naming the whale Plasticus, the public have brought to life the fight against plastics in the ocean - a fight we must all join and will continue to champion through our campaign.

The tour united many campaigners and causes with support from Greenpeace, Surfers Against Sewage, Love My Beach, The Marine Conservation Society, Keep Britain Tidy and Keep Wales Tidy. Local councils joined forces with these organisations to arrange community beach cleans and events, whilst MSP Colin Beattie and Martin Whitfield MP attended the Musselburgh Beach stop and Suffolk Coastal MP and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Environment, Minister Th r se Coffey, also joined the tour in Felixstowe.

Minister Th r se Coffey said, Our oceans are critical to the future of our planet and we must act now to protect them for future generations. The introduction of the 5p plastic bag charge was a great step forward, and alongside the recent launch of the Litter Innovation Fund, work to ban harmful microbeads and reduce plastic packaging, I am determined for us to remain a world leader in protecting our marine environment. We all have a role to play in stopping plastic being discarded into the ocean that is why I am supporting the Sky Ocean Rescue campaign and encourage others to get involved.

Chief Executive of the Marine Conservation Society, Sandy Luk, added, The Marine Conservation Society thanks Sky Ocean Rescue for its hard work and commitment to raising awareness on plastic pollution. The Whale Tour was a tremendous success, working together to take the message far and wide, but as we all know the job is far from over. We must continue to act as ocean heroes in our daily lives. Conservationists, volunteers, entrepreneurs, politicians and journalists must join forces to save the oceans. Make a simple change, spread the message or get out and join us at events like the Great British Beach Clean in September. Turn a day by the sea into a true act of nature conservation.

Campaigner Sir Ranulph Fiennes and model Jodie Kidd also helped launch the tour in London; Olympic Rower James Cracknell OBE attended the Cardiff event; and model and reality TV star Jamie Jewitt and actress Roxanne Pallett got behind the Blackpool event, all helping to engage audiences through national, regional and social media.

Footfall of almost half a million people across the 13 tour stops, was combined with a reach of millions through social and digital media. People as far as California and Greece engaged on the topic of ocean health and helped to decide the name of the plastic whale through the Name The Whale campaign. Plasticus was suggested by numerous members of the public and selected by Sky Ocean Rescue

because it captured the spirit of the fight needed against plastic pollution in order to help save our oceans.

The Plastic Whale Tour aimed to raise awareness of the issue and inspire and educate the nation on how to make small and easy changes that can have a real and measurable impact - from saying no to plastic straws and plastic bags, to using refillable water bottles. For more information visit

skyoceanrescue.com and become an #OceanHero.

Research:

* Research conducted by FlyResearch and commissioned by Sky Ocean Rescue to a pool of over 2,000 respondents across the UK in August 2017.

** Estimated 8 million tonnes plastic waste inputs from land into the ocean globally in a year (Jambeck et al. Science Feb 2015). Whale made from 250kgs of plastic, calculations for plastic into the ocean every second derived from the 8 million tonnes annual figure.

Press Office:

For more information on the tour, video footage of the making of the plastic whale and on tour b-roll and photos, please contact the Sky Ocean Rescue Press Office:

Jo Torn - jo.torn@onegreenbean.com / 07341 838 770

Jess Spokes jess.spokes@onegreenbean.com / 07595 622 857

Alice Briggs -

LINK:	https://www.skygroup.sky/corporate/media-centre/articles/en-gb/PLASTIC...
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