Young Boy on a Mission to Clean the Seine
Many are enchanted by the Seine’s romantic charm in France, but the river now hides discarded wastes of city dwellers. A young Parisian, Rafael Marinho, takes action against this pollution. Every Saturday, he and his father use a powerful magnet on the riverbanks to extract metal debris.
Initially done for fun, Rafael turned this into a regular effort, viewing it as a necessary task neglected by adults. Over two years, they’ve removed almost 20 tons of discarded metal, including 50 bicycles. Rafael displays his favorite finds in a pop-up museum by the river, each accompanied by an imagined story.
Items like a safe, revolver, and motorbike suggest tales of a fleeing gangster. With over 20,000 Instagram followers, Rafael aims to inspire others. Even President Emmanuel Macron has praised his river-cleaning initiative.