THE SEA BEGINS HERE

GIEDRIUS BUČAS

“The Sea Begins Here”

Indeed, the sea begins here – in my mind, my home, yard, city.

I have never thrown garbage into the sea. I have never poured chemicals into it and I was proud of myself. I was angry at polluting ships, industries,  fishers, and farmers. As I was pointing my finger at others I felt right and “clean”. I was asking politics when are they finally going to make new laws that would limit the damage being caused to the ecosystems of water bodies.

I was indignant, inquisitive, and demanding for the solutions. From others more than from myself. At that time I had no idea that, as I was living my comfortable life, I was contributing to the pollution from my own home. I had not even considered that everything that I use for cleaning myself, and my home, everything that I pour into my garden flows into the soil and finally into the rivers and seas. Everything that is not natural slowly kills the Earth and its waters.
I did not know even more things about my irresponsible consumption
ruining the planet.

The sea is essential to me. My childhood years have passed in the waves, I was exulting with my friends in the wind and enjoying building sandcastles with my sons. The sea is full of memories.

But now… The sea is nearing its death. Every life within it is dying too. The once enchanting sea has grown tired of bestowing our happiness. We have failed it by devouring it destructively. By always only taking and neglecting it.

I cannot stay silent. I cannot sit still due to those memories etched in my mind…
I am coming back to the sea, to hold it tight and express the numbing sadness pulsating inside me. I am coming back to apologize for the selfish destruction damning it to die. I am coming back with a promise that we will save it. We will save it for future generations. I am coming back for the long haul…

These things arranged here are our daily companions, the symbols of our well-being and comfort. Indeed, we would not know how to live without some. But do we need all of them? Would not we be able to find alternatives to them and more environmentally friendly solutions? We do not have to refuse everything at all but to consider if and when those things are needed, and how to reduce the environmental footprint to live more sustainably. Sometimes it appears to be very simple. I truly believe in our ability to achieve that.

Let’s look around and give it a thought – what changes “I” can make today, tomorrow… Every “I” adds up to a crowd making a difference. Even the smallest step is the movement toward change. There is no need to refuse everything, it is enough to do something little. Because the sea begins here – with every personal decision in our minds, homes, yards, and cities.

We will succeed!

Let’s make a difference, so we can stand on the serene and clean seashore with our grandchildren and great-grandchildren, look them in their eager eyes, and tell them: “We achieved this!”

This art installation is the beginning of the Save The Baltic Sea hiking expedition.