Bezeau has collected millions of plastic bottles, which he then used to build a series of structures, including a castle and dungeon, inviting visitors to have a vacation where they can learn more about recycling, up-cycling and other actions they can take to ‘repent’ for their plastic waste crimes.

Originally from Montreal, Canada, Robert Bezeau came to Bocas Del Toro several years ago, spearheading the Bocas recycling program in 2012 where he, some volunteers and a few part-time workers made a positive change in the cleanliness of the island beaches and town. During that time, he came across a staggering amount of recyclable materials, estimating that he had over one million bottles accumulated, during the period of one and a half years that he collected them.

“Humans have now reached an increasing volume of 7.3 billion on the planet,” said Bezeau. “If each one of us drinks only one bottle a day, we are looking at 2.6 trillion bottles a year. Where are they? Where do they go? Why are developed countries of the world, working so hard to recycle a small percentage of the volume of plastic bottles being discarded, when the developing countries that are greater in volume have not yet realised what is happening to the planet, with the immense plastic problem we face.”

Through his plastic bottle village, Bezeau wants to educate more people on how they can reuse their plastic waste. He has enlisted a series of applications that they can be used for, such as home insulation, rapid temporary shelters after disasters, buildings for animals on farms, swimming pools, barns, roads and more. The startup eco-village has been up-cycling Isla Colón’s pet plastic waste into an educational centre, museum, eco-homes that are up for sale, and a retreat destination.

Via designboom | Images courtesy of Plastic Bottle Village