The Plastic Soup Surfer story begins in 2013/2014.
As a visual artist and surfer I was worried about the plastic litter I saw in the sea and on the beaches. Combining adventure, art and the need to make a statement, I built the first surfboard made of plastic waste from the beaches in 2014 and started my first expedition: a long distance record attempt to attract attention for plastic pollution.
Filmdirector Bie Muusze made a documentary about this first expedition.
Watch it here (38 min).
In 2014, I built a surfboard made from littered plastic I had found on the beach. I washed it, shredded it and melted it with a gas burner and an iron into something that looked like a surfboard.
It was very heavy and didn’t move as smoothly on the water as I was used to.
Yet I wanted to set a long distance kitesurfing record on it: I wanted to be the first to surf from Belgium to Germany on a kite board. My goal was to draw attention to the plastic pollution that I, as a kitesurfer, had seen washed up on our beaches.
When I made this plan in the summer of 2013, there was still little attention to the plastic soup problem, although there was enough research showing that 90% of seabirds had plastic in their stomach or were killed by suffocation or entanglement.
The record attempt turned out te be an arduous and dangerous expedition. I had to dismount after three days with a fever, a swollen ankle, shinbone inflammation and open wounds on my feet and hands. After 350km I washed up on the Isle of Ameland.
I failed in my record attempt but succeeded in my mission to draw attention to plastic pollution. It is this trip that gave me my nickname The Plastic Soup Surfer.
After this, I continued drawing attention to the plastic soup problem by expeditions, record attempts and other means, trying to force breakthroughs that lead to the reduction of plastic litter.
Next expedition was The Plastic Hunters, a long sailing trip in 2015 with my family while collecting plastic litter and making Vlogs with my 8 year old doughter.
Watch the overview of all expeditions, documentaries anfd campaigns on the Actions page.
The Plastic Soup Surfer believes storytelling is a powerful way to get the message across. The attention is focussed on those that make the decisions like politicians and company CEO's. We are dedicated to change, sustainablity and making impact.
