dot dash

the dot stands for the environmental problem of microplastics: small beads of plastic mainly used in exfoliating personal care cosmetics and toothpastes. they get washed away into the sewers and often end up in streams and float to the oceans. they infiltrated the marine food chain and eventually got into ours, too.

the dash stands for the stripe patterns often found on beach cabins and windscreens, particularly common around the North Sea. it also refers to the classic striped sailor’s shirt. the combination of the dot and the dash refers to morse code, a common means of communication between naval vessels, especially in the first part of the twentieth century. three short, three long, three short, or SOS, was the last message ever sent by the Titanic. it’s also the message the ocean is sending us
to change our ways and save it.