Learning that usage of materials must be closely considered and intentional in my Sustainable Systems class has been a really valuable lesson, which translated to my final project for the Earth Celebrations parade.

My partner Linnea and I made an outfit/costume out of recycled materials to contribute to the parade for our final project. We intended to make a piece that was a commentary on the toy industry, and the overwhelming waste it produces. Plastic toys comprise around 90% of the toy market, and are often made with other materials, making most products difficult to recycle as they cannot be separated easily. In addition, most plastics that are used to make toys are made of harmful materials and chemicals, such as phthalates, and are destined to hit the landfill. Obviously, a wasteful industry, as most toys are often used for short periods of time.

We made a paper mache head out of newsprint that we found outside of our apartment building, and used paints to make the head resemble a popular Japanese Sanrio character, My Melody, a frequent subject on toys. Linnea made a dress out of plastic bags to match the head, and to complete the costume.