Photo Inspiration: Laysan Albatross and plastic

As part of our photo contest, we’re featuring some of our favorites here on the blog. Every week we’ll be bringing you another photo that in one way or another reflects our mission statement: educating and inspiring audiences about issues that matter, cultures worth exploring, environments worth preserving and conversations worth sustaining.

We chose this photo because it’s a clear demonstration of the terribly fragile balance between the environment and human consumption and waste.

Laysan, a Northwestern Hawaiian island uninhabited by humans, is home to numerous species of birds, plants, seals, and turtles. As is starkly evident in the photograph, all species – particularly avian species, including the Laysan albatross, finch, and duck – are heavily threatened by the trash and biohazardous material that washes up on Laysan’s shores. This problem is not just Hawaii’s, though; rather, it speaks to the interconnectedness and responsibility of nations worldwide. The trash depicted in this picture may well have originated in Japan and other countries quite geographically distant, and serves as a reminder that the environments worth preserving are not just our own.

For your chance to be featured on The Conversation and possibly win free gear and a VIP Festival Package, please submit your photo. More details here.