Last Updated on June 3, 2023 by Ellen
My spouse and I went to Tulum’s northern beach on Christmas Day. It looked beautiful as we approached.
Then we got to the shore. Sargassum has been a big problem for Caribbean beaches in 2015. Below is the first public access point if you are walking south down the road from the ruins.
![sargassum in Tulum](https://www.earthvagabonds.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/fullsizerender345-300x169.jpg)
Yea, the seaweed is a bummer. But, as I’ve written before, the plastic is more of a heart breaker for me.
So we made an installation of garbage art.
![sargassum in Tulum, christmas time 2015](https://www.earthvagabonds.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/fullsizerender350-1024x576.jpg)
Tedly found some sticks for a Christmas tree and arranged seaweed around it, while I found the much of the festive decorations.
![plastic trash on the beach in Tulum, Mexico](https://www.earthvagabonds.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/fullsizerender356-1024x576.jpg)
![plastic trash and sargassum in tulum on the beach, 2015](https://www.earthvagabonds.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/fullsizerender360-1024x576.jpg)
![sargassum in Tulum](https://www.earthvagabonds.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/fullsizerender355-1024x576.jpg)
Our Christmas tree even had gifts under it.
![garbage on the tulum beach](https://www.earthvagabonds.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/fullsizerender362-1024x576.jpg)
Some people stopped by to look at our arrangement, but they had to stand because the broken plastic chair only had three legs.
![father and son look at our art installation on tulum's beach made of plastic trash and sargassum, december 2015](https://www.earthvagabonds.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/fullsizerender368-1024x576.jpg)
![sargassum in Tulum](https://www.earthvagabonds.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/fullsizerender369-1024x576.jpg)
![plastic trash and sargassum in Tulum](https://www.earthvagabonds.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/fullsizerender359-1024x576.jpg)
We can’t get around using plastic. Imagine a society without it. Won’t happen. We love the convenience and the initial cost is so low. However, now we seem to be paying more of a price, no?
!['save the earth' written in sargassum on the beach in Tulum](https://www.earthvagabonds.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/fullsizerender364-1024x576.jpg)
We hope you had a great Christmas, and that you didn’t get – or give – too much plastic.
![ellen and tedly with sargassum and plastic trash in Tulum](https://www.earthvagabonds.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/fullsizerender353-1024x577.jpg)
And, here’s to hoping 2016 doesn’t see any more plastic trash in Earth’s oceans.
![sargassum in Tulum](https://www.earthvagabonds.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/fullsizerender358-1024x576.jpg)
So sorry to see all of this plastic “garbage” on this beautiful beach. Sadly, I’m sure it’s a growing problem everywhere & on every beach. ? If only there was a way of proper disposal….
It’s sad to see all the trash that washes up on the shore. Makes you think about what’s floating around the ocean. Ugh.
I see a lot of stuff from all over the world. Every well-off human on earth uses plastic.