As a two-year old I was perhaps most content walking endlessly along the shoreline, peering at tiny treasures washed ashore. This evolved into beachcombing and cleanups later on – saddened but activated by encountering the amount of waste carried by the North sea. Nowadays, picking up swerving trash (and intriguing ‘treasures’) has become a daily practice for me on walks, as a way to express care for our shared environments.

In a professional context I’m involved in data collection for ‘Schone Rivieren’, where I monitor the kind and amount of waste carried by the IJssel river. The organisation’s efforts throughout the Netherlands contribute to combat the detrimental effects of (plastic) pollution. They provide essential numbers to back up the urgency of the issue.

Whereas my cleanup practices are focused mostly on caring for my local surroundings, at times these found objects end up inspiring creative projects:

© 2025 Myrthe Weijers