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The Great Global Nurdle Hunt

 

The Great Global Nurdle Hunt

You may have seen the ‘nurdley awesome’ new window display drawn by the incredibly talented Jo Joof, with a wave, a big Blue Whale and a scattering of little colourful Nurdle characters.  Jo is the illustrator of Nurdle, the children’s book  written by local teacher Claire Vowell.  But why is it there?

The window is to celebrate October being the start of the Great Global Nurdle Hunt where people across the World are encouraged to pull on their wellies and hunt for nurdles in their nearest waterway.

Nurdles are tiny lentil sized microplastics that are melted down to make every plastic product we purchase.  As they are tiny, Nurdles escape from the factories and in transport, so end up being washed and blown into rivers, streams and the ocean.  From there they are eaten by animals, or break up still further and enter our foodchains.

All nurdles found during October can be recorded on the Hunt database www.nurdlehunt.org.uk  and this information is used to encourage governments around the world to make a difference and tackle our plastic problem.

 

But what happens if you don’t live near a beach or river, or you don’t find any nurdles?  Have no fear, there is lots you can do!

The Great Nurdle fact hunt

You can find out all about nurdles and share their story by taking part in the Great Nurdle fact hunt.

Hidden in 3 locations in Frome (Millie Moon shop, Jo Joof in the Black Swan Studios and Hunting Raven bookshop) you will find 24 pictures of nurdles, each one containing a different fact.  Locate and read all of the cards and share your 3 favourite facts with 3 friends and voila, you are sharing the story of microplastics and getting people talking!

You can also think about cutting down on single use plastics.  October is the perfect month for this.

Avoid the single use plastics filling the shops for Halloween and make your own costume and decorations.  Make some spooky bunting, create your own spooky spider pom poms or even some day of the dead flowers to hang round the house.

Make your own sweets, chocolates, cakes or biscuits to share with friends and get creative with a DIY outfit.

 

Copies of the 3 Nurdle stories that tell the story of ocean micro plastics can be found in store or buy online here as well as a make your own Nurdle kit, to create your very own nurdle character like the ones in the window – a great half term activity.

 

 

If you would like to talk nurdles and microplastics with Claire you can find her on her suitcase stall at the Frome Independent in October and November.

 

Local Teacher and Beach cleaner Claire talks Nurdles!

My name is Claire and I am a teacher, mum, beachcleaner and crafty mess maker!

I shared my Nurdle discovery 2 years ago with my class and with the help of my little Nurdle character we talked about ways we could tackle the problem. I realised that children will be the solution to the problems in our environment as they are so inspirational and indignant about what is happening, so Nurdle became a story I told, which became a book, which was crowdfunded during lockdown 1. I have now written 3 Nurdle books about the problems faced by our oceans and I would love to share them with as many children as I can

  

Nurdles are tiny pre production plastic pellets the size of a lentil that are melted down to make all our plastic products. In the uk alone up to 53 billion pellets enter the ocean every year. If you are heading to a beach this half term check along the tide line under the seaweed and you will probably find some. The are usually clear, but can be any colour and need to be removed as animals mistake them for food. I am on a mission to share the story of the Nurdles with as many people as possible, so with artist Jo Joof we have used plastics from my beach cleans to illustrate a book called Nurdle with accompanying Nurdle sewing kits. The book gently encourages children to think about their use of plastic and how they look after their things.

 

 

 

If you are heading to the beach this weekend maybe take a look and see how many Nurdles you find! If you feel inspired to do a beach clean, or collect nurdles, please wear gloves and wash your hands after. Keep the nurdles in a jam as sadly they cannot be recycled!

We can all do our bit to help the environment!!

For more information please go to nurdlehunt.org.uk

 

Books and kits available from Millie Moon click here