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HAZMAT SURFING

HAWAII 

‘HAZMAT SURFING HAWAII’ Photos Predict a Poisonous, Dark Future for Our Oceans

Dyrland Productions presents a new photo collection, “HAZMAT SURFING HAWAII,” by Michael Dyrland. The series portrays a dystopian fate for surfers, lifeguards, and beach goers of the future who must wear hazmat suits to protect themselves from viruses, contaminated water, and plastics flowing into the ocean. It imagines the year 2040, a time in which PPE gear is required, with different levels and phases of protection fluctuating up and down and the surf report announcing the acidity and gallons of runoff every day.  

 

Michael Dyrland’s first photo series "HAZMAT SURFING" went viral five years ago, reaching millions of people across multiple countries. The photos predict a poisonous, dark future of where the ocean water quality might be headed should we continue to follow the current pollution and virus trends. It aims to draw attention to water run off filtering through soil and sand that ends up spilling into the ocean, the eight million metric tons of plastics we have tossed into the ocean and the harm it’s doing to wildlife, sewage pollution, polluted waterways, micro-plastics, storm drain and pesticide run off, nuclear waste, and now the spread of viruses and closed beaches. By 2050, ocean plastic will outweigh all of the ocean’s fish. This project brings to light a raw view of what life may easily be like 20 years from now. Do we really want our summers to be like this?

 

To accompany this series is a mini-documentary by Trayvax following Michael Dyrland as he creates “HAZMAT SURFING HAWAII”.

 

"I’ve wanted to do a follow up project based on my first photo shoot HAZMAT SURFING, but I wanted the photos to take place in a tropical location and dream vacation destination where everything feels lush and untouched, but deep down there are layers of pollution overlooked.  

The photo shoot was scheduled for early March 2020 around Banzai Pipeline Hawaii. As I landed, the weather wasn’t looking good, and a new virus was sweeping the world no one knew was coming, then it felt like all hell broke loose. It was weird, but perfect timing to bring awareness to these issues. Eventually beaches were closed, the world slowed down, and everyone had to stay in their homes." - Michael Dyrland

 

Dyrland Productions created "HAZMAT SURFING" and "HAZMAT SURFING HAWAII"  in an effort to draw awareness to ocean pollution and start a conversation about ocean conservation and issues surrounding our Earth. We must take action now to restore ocean health before it’s too late. This creative and unique photography and film project will be sure to raise questions about what the future of our oceans and planet looks like. 

Photos By: Michael Dyrland  |  Filmmaker: Katie Ann Lange  |  Surfers: Chloe Bee, Brendan Lange

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