'Priscilla the Parrotfish' art installation at Como Park Zoo & Conservatory, St. Paul, Minnesota

© Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Image

Piecing together a better tomorrow. World Environment Day

The adage goes, 'To damage the Earth is to damage your children.' These profound words are from Wendell Berry, a well-known writer and environmentalist. His words are a call for people around the world to consider the implications of our actions and take concrete steps to mitigate our impact on our natural environments.

Today we celebrate the 50th anniversary of World Environment Day. The colourful collection of assembled objects in this picture is actually an installation named Priscilla the Parrotfish. Although it's a striking art piece, the display is constructed from plastic litter retrieved from Oregon beaches in the USA. It's estimated that over 8 million tons of plastic are dumped in the ocean each year. It is a true testament to the need for this year's World Environment Day theme, 'solutions to plastic pollution'.