Timmendorfer Beach, Germany — SEA LIFE Germany created a chain of 10,615 plastic bags to make a new GUINNESS WORLD RECORD on the Baltic Sea and donated € 1,061.50 to the turtle sanctuary on Zakynthos in Greece.
Green sea turtles are usually up to 80 years old, unless they encounter a plastic bag during their lives. “Thousands of turtles die every year in the accidental consumption of plastic bags, which they mistake for jellyfish and it is precisely this danger we want to draw attention to,” said Sea Life spokeswoman Carina Zottl about the idea behind the world record attempt.
With a 4.217 km long chain of 10,615 plastic bags SEA LIFE Germany succeeded on Wednesday, July 17, 2013 to set a new world record, which was accomplished in the vicinity of Timmendorfer beach on the Baltic Sea before GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS record Judge Eva Norroy.
Natasha Spreen, General Manager of SEA LIFE Timmendorfer beach accepted the certificate, proud about the double accomplishment. “We have not only set a world record, but above all took 10,615 old, used and found plastic bags out of circulation and donated the pieces at 10 cents each for the turtle rescue on Zakynthos Unfortunately, there are just about as many bags, consumed in Germany per minute, but the message is still clear: garbage kills!’
Many Baltic tourists as well as actor Max Florian Hoppe, from the TV show, Küstenwache helped SEA LIFE by helping to tie bags, count, and get in position.
“All 10,615 bags are being recycled properly,” explained Natasha Spreen.