Mermaids May Not Exist, But The Problem These Photos Illustrate Is Very Real

We all know how important it is to recycle.

Recycling keeps us from leaving behind plastics and other materials that either won’t degrade or will take thousands of years to break down. When photographer Benjamin Von Wong realized that Americans use about 10,000 plastic bottles each over the course of 60 years, he wanted to represent that fact in a stunning way.

First, he borrowed 10,000 bottles from a waste management center and got volunteers to strip them of their labels.

He was lent a warehouse and decided on a model. Then, it was time for the photo shoot.

The results are both devastating and beautiful. Who would have thought that plastic bottles could help deliver such a powerful message about unnecessary waste?