GEMS Legacy School and The Green Planet collaborate to raise plastic pollution awareness

The Green Planet is teaming up with GEMS Legacy School to welcome a magnificent 18-metre blue whale recycled sculpture to the biodome this month in honour of World Environment Day. 

In keeping with The Green Planet’s mission to educate visitors about the origins of our planet and raise awareness of the necessity of nature protection, the cooperation intends to raise awareness about the effects of plastic waste on our globe.

The life-size blue whale recycled sculpture made from more than 8,000 plastic bottles and 1,000 plastic bags was constructed by students and instructors at GEMS Legacy School (GLS) as part of the GEMS Global Ambassadors’ Programme. The sculpture took more than 800 hours to construct. The breath-taking work of art, which was created exclusively from recyclable materials, acts as a potent symbol to draw attention to the pressing need for sustainable practices and waste reduction.

The blue whale recycling sculpture will be unveiled on June 5 in honour of World Environment Day and will be prominently displayed at The Green Planet through June 30. Visitors to The Green Planet can awe at this extraordinary work of art, learn more about the effects of plastic waste, and be motivated to make positive changes in their consumption patterns by seeing it open to the public.

Furthermore, visitors have a one-of-a-kind chance to immortalize special moments in front of the magnificent whale recycling sculpture, leaving enduring reminders of their dedication to prevent plastic pollution.

“We are thrilled to bring GEMS Legacy School’s colossal blue whale recycled sculpture to The Green Planet in this impactful collaboration to raise awareness about plastic pollution,” said Sara Stevens, Director of Operations and Curator at The Green Planet. “The joint effort of students and teachers in creating the magnificent blue whale artefact using recyclable materials is a testament to the power of education and creativity in promoting sustainability. By showcasing the sculpture at The Green Planet, we aim to inspire guests to take action towards waste reduction and encourage sustainable practices in their everyday lives.”

Mrs. Asha Alexander, CEO and Principal of GEMS Legacy School, said: “GEMS Education has been at the forefront of spearheading sustainable practices, driving impactful change not only within its 43 schools across the region but also through the establishment of GEMS Hub Schools for Sustainability in four countries: Italy, Indonesia, Malawi, and India. The collaborative effort to create the awe-inspiring blue whale artifact, ingeniously crafted from discarded plastic, involved the dedicated participation of students and teachers from multiple GEMS Education schools. Our ongoing commitment to embedding climate literacy in schools has garnered recognition, positioning us as UN CC:Learn Champions. As a testament to our significant contributions, the inspiring GEMS story will be proudly shared at the 60th anniversary of UNITAR at the Palais des Nations in Geneva this October.”

GLS has a long and proud record of advocating for climate change and the protection of our planet. Last year, it was named by influential education group, T4 as one of the leading ten schools in the world for environmental action.

Green Planet has also taken significant strides towards sustainability, particularly in its dining facilities. The Green Planet Café has made huge strides to work towards the elimination of all single-use plastics for guest and staff service.

Additionally, it has pioneered the first-ever eco-friendly birthday party packages in the UAE with the “Blow Bubbles, not Balloons” initiative, ensuring that all party decorations are reusable and free of single-use plastics. Guests of biodome can also avail biodegradable bags at the retail shop, promoting sustainable shopping practices and reducing the reliance on plastic bags.

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