Expo Expo
Canal Cups
Thousands of single-use plastic cups were fished out of the canals after the 3 October Festival. The last 1000 cups were found in only 800 meters canal, and cup after cup they were photographed. Until the Municipality of Leiden switches to reusable deposit cups, two young biologists place a photo of a single-use canal cup on the @CanalCups Instagram every day. By doing so, they ask attention for this problem and address the stakeholders to end this flow of plastics to sea.
From December 29, 2018 to February 10, 2019, there was an exhibition in gallery Old School in Leiden. This was entirely dedicated to 'old and new.' From disposable to returnable cups! Visitors met the 1000 Leiden canal cups, discovered the dangers of plastic on the environment, drank from an eco-cup and took action themselves! They also talked to city councillors and students to put eco-cups on the agenda.
And with success! Last October 3, Leiden used eco glasses at the Leidens Ontzet and saved half a million plastic disposable cups. If it can be done in Leiden, it can be done everywhere! Which city will follow?
Window exhibitions
Take a look through the windows of our bridge operator's house and learn all about the plastic in the canals and our special urban nature. From stuffed animals and canal beasts on ethanol; but also our best treasures and weirdest finds of plastic pollution encountered during our clean-ups. Throughout the year, collection pieces are exhibited in various 'window exhibitions'. You can visit them for free, from outside, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Admission is free, but donations are always welcome.
Nature in times of corona
A fish caught in a corona glove and the first of the many thousands of mouthguards we had to fish out of the canal last year, are some of the masterpieces that will be on display in the coming months. The exhibition 'Nature in times of corona' runs until the end of November 2021.