LIFE BEYOND PLASTICThe oldest living things in the world

by Rachel Sussman

RACHEL SUSSMAN HAS BEEN TRACKING DOWN SOME OF THE OLDEST LIVING THINGS IN THE WORLD. SHOWING US THAT THERE REALLY IS A LIFE BEYOND PLASTIC

Y ou could be forgiven for thinking that we’re creating our own fairy tale story envisaging a life beyond plastic. Especially

when you consider that practically every piece of plastic made since its invention in 1909 still exists today, meaning that the 13 billion plastic water bottles used each year will still be in exist-ence somewhere on our planet even when we are not.

But the good news is that there are some organisms that seem to defeat time, like this 2,000 year old Glencoe Baobab that artist Rachel Sussman discovered in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. Sussman’s breathtaking project fills us with hope that plastic isn’t the only resistant, perpetual and stubborn object in our world, its seems Mother Nature has a few tricks up her sleeve as well.

Rachel has spent the last 5 years traveling the globe in search of these truly amazing feats of nature, working with biologists to create a catalog of the Oldest Living Things in the World. Rachel’s subjects have spanned 20 countries, ranging from trees and ancient bacteria to predatory fungus.

As Rachel puts it ‘This thematic convergence of the timeless and timely asks the viewer to consider the natural history and future of our planet, as well as our place on it.’

So next time you get overwhelmed with the heavy realities of plastic pollution, take some time out to look through these images and consider a Life Beyond Plastic.

RACHEL SUSSMAN HAS BEEN TRACKING DOWN SOME OF THE OLDEST LIVING THINGS IN THE WORLD. SHOWING US THAT THERE REALLY IS A LIFE BEYOND PLASTIC

GLENCOE BAOBAB2,000 years oldLimpopo ProvinceSouth Africa

BRISTLECONE PINE

Up to 5,000 years old

White MountainsCalifornia

LA LLARETA Up to 3,000 years old Atacama Desert Chile

WELWITSCHIA MIRABILIS

2,000 years old Namib Naukluft

DesertNamibia

SAGOLE BAOBAB2,000 years old Limpopo ProvinceSouth Africa

CREOSOTE BUSH 12,000 years old Mojave Desert California

BRAIN CORAL 2,000 years old Speyside Tobago

SENTINEL TREE2,150 years old

Sequoia National Park

California

MOJAVE YUCCA12,000+ years old Atacama DesertCalifornia

JOMON SUGI, JAPANESE CEDAR

2,180 to 7,000 years old

Yaku Shima Japan

LICHEN R. GEOGRAPHICUM3,000 years old Alanngorsuaq Greenland

PANDO, QUAKING ASPENS80,000 years oldFish LakeUtah

SPRUCE GRAN PICEA9,500 years oldFulufjälletSweden

UNDERGROUND FOREST13,000 years oldPretoriaSouth Africa