Sea creatures made of plastic waste could soon be hanging from trees around the Quad as a part of a workshop on ways to reuse plastic waste.

From Feb. 22-24, SU Showcase will offer a one-credit workshop called Plastic Impact to educate Syracuse University students about the harmfulness of plastic waste.

Mark Povinelli, a local artist and engineer, will lead students in a discussion about creative ways to reuse plastic. Together, they will collect plastic waste and fashion it into art that will be displayed on the Quad. The workshop is one of several organized by SU Showcase, which advocates sustainability by hosting environmentally themed activities on campus.

The timing of the workshop was chosen to coincide with the Feb. 27 University Lecture by open water rower Roz Savage, who will speak about the problem of plastic waste in the ocean, said Rachel May, coordinator of sustainable education.

Savage holds four world records for rowing. She is also a United Nations Climate Hero and ambassador for the Blue Project, a climate and oceans project. During her lecture, titled “The Human Condition: An Ocean Rower’s Perspective,” Savage will share stories and photos from her rowing adventures to encourage environmental action, May said.

The goal of the workshop, May said, is to spread a message about the importance of environmental consciousness in the Syracuse community. She said she hopes the public art display will draw attention to the urgency of the issue.

On Feb. 22 from 6-9 p.m., students will meet with Povinelli, the local artist and engineer, to discuss the message they want to convey with their art and brainstorm what the art installation should look like, May said.

The following day, they will construct the displays and on Sunday, will arrange them on the Quad, she said.

Students are still permitted to register for the workshop until its starting date. They can sign up in the Hall of Languages, Room 441 or The Warehouse, Room 108, and choose to receive credit through either The College of Arts and Sciences or the College of Visual and Performing Arts.

“We welcome students from all majors,” May said. “Students in previous workshops have enjoyed the hands-on projects and the ability to collaborate with students from other disciplines and other schools and colleges.”

Finna Wang, a sophomore interior design major, said she is excited to attend the workshop.

“I’ve been collecting some of my plastic recyclables and I can’t wait to find creative ways to re-make them into art,” Wang said. “The cool part is that everyone will see it because it will be displayed on the Quad.”

Emma Edwards, founder and former president of the Sustainability Club and secretary of Eco-Reps, said she hopes Plastic Impact will cause students to be more mindful of the materials they throw away.

“So many things that we use and throw away on a day-to-day basis are made from plastic and cause harm to the environment,” Edwards said. “Plastic Impact is a great opportunity, not only for students to educate each other about the environmental impact of plastic materials, but also to see a physical representation of these materials being repurposed in creative ways.”

Published on February 20, 2013 at 11:14 pm

Contact Emma: ecwozny@syr.edu