Plastic World foundation

System Design

Plastic World is dedicated to education, engagement, and connecting community members. We believe that building together will produce the best outcomes for humans and our environment. We hope to tell the story of single-use plastic’s effects in a relatable way, calling out the harm caused to humans and our environment. We strive to uncover and understand the root causes contributing to plastic-producing systems. We believe that increasing public consciousness can increase pressure on governments and corporations to innovate and realign their usage of single-use plastics.

Plastic World Trailer

Discovery phase

Exploring the Climate Crisis, Pollution, and Humans

From the smallest micro-organism to the health of Earth’s water systems, scientists have diligently studied the facts of the climate crisis. In this stage information was gathered, soon to be processed in the define phase. Plastics are damaging to our environment, most plastic is derived from oil or natural gas which causes pollution during production and disposal. As plastic breaks down into micro-plastics greenhouse gasses and harmful chemicals are released into our ocean, soil, and air - effecting plant, animal, and human health. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals disturb our hormones - leading to increased cancer, diabetes, reproductive disorders, and neurological impairments in fetuses and children. It was important to approach the discover phase in a wholistic way; not only through scientific data, but also touching on cultural perceptions, consumerism, effective activism efforts, art, politics, and public opinion.

The most common reasons people gave about why they changed their mind on global warming were were...

1) Directly experiencing climate change impacts;

2) Taking it more seriously (for unspecified reasons)

3) Becoming more informed about global warming

4) Hearing about climate change impacts

Source: Yale Program on Climate Change

The History of Plastic Video Essay

This historical deep-dive explores the history of plastic and how it became such a large part of our daily lives. This video provided wider context and helped sculpt the messaging for the project.

Case Studies

Cutie Polluties By Liquid Death

Liquid Death is an unconventional water company. The Cutie Polluties campaign was of particular relevance to Plastic World because it adds a level of approachability and humor to the serious issue that it is addressing, catching a new audience’s attention that other, more academic material may miss. Cutie Polluties are stuffed animals that are actually for sale on their website, they will certainly be a conversation starter about plastic pollution wherever they end up.

YOSHI THE FISH by JANARDHAN HAVANJE

Yoshi the fish is an interactive sculpture that entices the viewer to pick up plastic from the surrounding beach.“ Yoshi sits on the beach to remind visitors and locals about the effect of plastic on the environment”. It was a wildly successful campaign and was soon adopted by a holiday resort in bali who sculped a fish named Goby in his honor.

NoFishing.Net by Sea Shepherd

No-Fishing.net is an interactive website campaign focused on industrial fishing net pollution (made from plastic). It is a beautifully done, interactive, and succinct website experience, identifying an important issue.

define phase

CRAFTING A PROJECT STATMENT

A project statement is a concise description of a project based on findings in the discovery phase. It is a pointed way to ensure a project stays on course as it expands over time. First, key themes are pulled from research in the discovery phase. Next, they are sorted into categories; measurable, relational, aspirational, and interventional. This color-coding helps think about the statement from a more wholistic way to create a balanced statement that has longevity.

Final STATMENT

Plastic World will use data for behavior change regarding the climate crisis, single-use plastic and pollution through tangible representation and immersive experiences. I will encourage corporate responsibility of waste generation and product production through activism and education.