If you walk along the coast of east Africa, you may see elephants, rhinos and giraffes created from colorful blocks. These are not new species, but artworks created by Kenyan environmental protectors. /VCG Photo

Ocean Sole is a recycle company founded by Julie Church in 1999. The organization, which is dedicated to ocean conservation, has collected over 1,000 tons of abandoned flip-flops and other plastic trash over the past 20 years. /VCG Photo

Church has been encouraging people to transform their discarded items into sculptures, which are displayed on beaches across Kenya to raise awareness about marine ecosystem protection. /VCG Photo

The company has made flip-flop pollution a global agenda item, after working with United Nations Environment Programme, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, United Nations Development Programme and United Nations Information Centers. /VCG Photo