Mother Nature Needs Your Help! 

By Ellen Hall 

A free outdoor photography exhibit ( from 3 April to 27 September) has been installed on the promenade of Argeles Plage. Large panels with stunning images emphasising the beauty of the animal world are displayed back-to-back with grim information about what we have done to the planet .

All texts are in French and English.
The 92 photographs and 64 texts are the creation of GoodPlanet, an association founded by photographer and passionate ecologist, Yann Arthus-Bertrand of “Earth from Above” fame. The aim of the project is to raise awareness that “each one of us is personally responsible for the future of the planet”.

The Images are eye-catching: 

– 1. Most Flamboyant: Pygmy Seahorse, a submarine version of “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” in its camouflage of scarlet boa-like coral.
– 2. Most scary: The Dust Mite. As many as 2 million of these green monsters, luckily invisible to the naked eye, may be lurking in your mattress.
– 3. Most elusive: See if you can spot the flying white monkeys of Madagascar!

The scary news is presented in terms of statistics: 

– 1. France is the largest European consumer of chemical fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and insecticides.
– 2. In France 2/3 of river and ground water are polluted.
– 3. Only 5% of the planet’s fresh water can be used by humans.

Luckily, each horrifying fact is followed by an explanation of the problem and, printed in hopeful green, projects all over the world that are working toward solutions. For example: In France 22 million tons of wood are saved every year through recycling paper and cardboard. In Japan 3/4 of industries and more than 1/3 of households reuse their wastewater. Rainwater from roofs is collected and recycled.
Go and take your children and your grandchildren, too! Preferably on foot or rollerblades or bike! Otherwise, we may all end up like the grim Fog-Basking Beetle of Namibia, alone in an expanse of desert dunes collecting drops of early morning dew for survival.For the full program and more information: www.enfants-de-la-mer.fr