Sort & Support: Reusable Revolution at CalArts
Category: Poster / Mural / Pop-up game
Duration: 4 months
Personal Project
2024
Project Description
This project aimed to reduce waste at CalArts by encouraging the use of reusable utensils and improving waste sorting practices. Through collaboration with cafeteria staff and the use of engaging visual communications like murals and a pop-up sorting game, the initiative successfully heightened awareness and fostered sustainable behaviors among students and faculty, leading to a measurable increase in the use of reusable utensils and more effective waste management on campus.
Background and motivation
Separating trash from compostable waste and recyclables is challenging. It’s more of a cultural issue within the community; I don’t believe it’s something we can manage alone.
Process
In collaboration with Chef Peyton, I discovered the cafeteria’s daily consumption of over 3,000 disposable utensils and the arduous task of managing waste with 25 garbage bins emptied six times daily. These findings underscored the urgent need for a sustainable intervention.
With the help of Felix and Eugenia, we managed to put up around 80 posters.
This event saw over 70 participants. We distributed 16 sets of reusable utensils.Most participants scored 5 out of 10, with many mistakenly believing that the black plastic utensils provided by Steve’s Cafe were recyclable, when in fact, they are non-recyclable and considered toxic.
Feedback for this pop-up was overwhelmingly positive, with participants expressing gratitude for the educational opportunity and enjoying the interactive format which brought me great satisfaction.