After discovering that only one in 1000 baby sea turtle hatchlings make it to adulthood, I knew the character I first designed in a university animation class would become my inspiration.
The character, named Little Pago - a vulnerable, baby sea turtle - remained in my drawing books until I travelled to a remote turtle conservation island in Borneo with my family.
Being a mother, I wanted to teach my children about the importance of living a sustainable life, to protect our environment and animals.
That's when I knew that Little Pago would be the perfect symbol for a children's picture book on an issue I feel so passionate about.
This story highlights one of the critical threats our marine life face; plastic pollution in our oceans.
I wrote and illustrated this picture book to inspire children, their parents, grandparents, and teachers to challenge the way they use plastics in their lives.
When Boolarong Press agreed to publish Little Pago, my dream became a reality.
I want this book to be a driving force behind valuable conversations on caring for our marine life and oceans and to challenge the way we use plastic in our lives.
Little Pago is symbolic for the welfare of all marine life.
I hope that the Little Pago book and website empower children to make a difference in a very real way by eliminating single uses plastics our lives.
We all know that education is the precursor for change.
Our children are the next generation who are going to be managing and living on this planet.
We need to provide them with the knowledge to make good choices that impact our environment and help them be positive global citizens.
I really believe that when you give kids a purpose and an understanding of the environment they live in, they thrive.
I hope that the Little Pago narrative offers Australian children the language to understand that each and every one of us can make difference, no matter how small the action may seem.
The message is a positive one; together we can have a powerful impact by collectively taking action to eliminate single use plastics in Australia.
A few simple changes in our lives can make a huge difference to our sea turtle population and to the health of our oceans. www.littlepago.com
- Lauren Briggs is an author and illustrator.
