Trash To Treasure

What do you do with more than 1,000 pounds of litter found on South Florida beaches?

Here’s one idea: Create art and turn it into the trash-to-treasure Free Our Seas’ Fotsam Fauna exhibit showcasing art created from marine debris. The project, created by Free Our Seas and Beyond features 10 sculptures of sea creatures and Everglades wildlife created from trash found on Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood beaches.

You can experience it at Flamingo Gardens in Davie through Sept. 5. The accompanying “Pollution Solutions” exhibit offers information about oceans, mangroves and the Everglades and solutions to the pollution that threatens their existence.

There’s also a Free Our Seas At Sunset event Aug. 13 from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. Guests can join a guided tour of the lighted exhibit led by artists Kurt and Manon Weise, the founders of Free Our Seas and Beyond who also created the sculptures. In addition, Kelly Martin of the Marine Environmental Education Center will discuss conservation efforts regarding sea turtles.

“Free Our Seas and Beyond provides a visually stunning platform for environmental educational while highlighting the importance of ocean conservation and our interconnectedness,” notes the venue’s website.

For more information, visit flamingogardens.org.