Weighing in at nearly 250 pounds and reaching 20 feet tall, Juliette the Jellyfish is a junk-filled sculpture that is hard to miss in the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher (NCAFF) conservatory. Sculptor Jill Pitko and Girl Scout Troop 2143 out of Cedar Point North Carolina created Juliette to raise awareness of plastics in the ocean. The troop upcycled plastic milk jugs, juice containers, egg trays, food packaging, water bottles and bags. The massive invertebrate is thought provoking and at times, unsettling.

The mission of the Aquarium is to inspire appreciation and conservation of our aquatic environments. Juliette literally embodies the Aquarium’s focus on creating conservation action around eliminating or refusing single-use plastic.

“Single-use plastic is everywhere and there are many opportunities to pause a moment to find an alternative or simply refuse to buy overly packaged products,” said Keely Beard, NCAFF green team member. “Juliette is a welcome exhibit at the Aquarium, drawing attention to both the extreme magnitude of plastic pollution and the inspirational work of the next generation to do something about it.”

Juliette is a masterpiece in the upcycling genre. The net and long tentacles are woven out of plastic bags and food packaging.