Friend and Foe: Exploring Plastic Wastes in Artistic Context
Share
Plastic is a double-edged sword: a vital human invention and a major pollutant; how can this be?
Plastics date back to the mid-nineteenth century, but its modern industry took shape in the twentieth century. Since the early 1950s, plastic uses and increased demand evolved, as many raw materials, such as glass, pottery, and metals, have become gradually replaced by plastic alternatives. This is due to its ease of use, stunning colors, light weight, flexibility, and incredible durability.
History of Plastics. source: www.wastetrade.com
Before plastics, people used glass, pottery, and metal (such as copper) water containers, for example; these are safe materials, but often expensive and fragile. Later on, plastic revolutionized several industries thanks to its limitless possibilities. It is quite strong and resistant to damage, reusable, lightweight, and inexpensive compared to other materials, in addition to its attractive appearance and dazzling colors.
Scientific Facts
As per a recent United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report published in April 2024, the world produces 430 million metric tons of plastic annually—two-thirds of this are short-lived products that rapidly become wastes—and this number is projected to triple by 2060. Global plastic production and consumption have seen a tremendous growth; approximately 7 billion tons of the 9.2 billion tons of plastic produced since the 1950s have become plastic waste. Such excessive production and consumption have led to devastating environmental damage, negatively impacting most living creatures. Plastics are the most damaging and long-lasting pollutant in marine ecosystems, accounting for at least 85% of all marine waste.
Do you know that there is a massive garbage patch in the Pacific Ocean made up of plastic waste dumped into waterways and seas? Covering an estimated surface area of 1.6 million square kilometers, scientists have named it the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP)". It is a massive accumulation of plastic debris in the Pacific Ocean, between California and Hawaii, with over 79,000 tons of waste floating on the Ocean's surface.
On a local level, Egypt consumes approximately 13 billion water bottles annually and approximately about 12 billion plastic bags; these huge numbers demand everyone to reconsider the matter.
The Role of Society in Addressing the Plastic Crisis
It is imperative for communities to take action to mitigate the negative impacts of plastic, especially single-use items like water bottles and plastic bags. The first approach is finding alternatives to plastic; it is crucial to reuse glass, ceramics, and metals, and educate communities about their advantages. The second step is to reuse existing plastics! Recently, several institutions have emerged that focus on recycling plastic and creating a diverse range of products from items as empty bottles, bags, containers, and bottle caps.
Let us explore some creative ways to use plastic in artworks:
1. Upcycled Plastic Bottle Caps Mosaic Art
Water bottle caps are distinguished by their dazzling colors; they are made of hard plastic that is used in manufacturing disposable bottles and are almost all of the same size. They can be used in creating colorful panels or floors using inlay techniques, such as mosaic.
Source: Link
Source: Link
2. Plastic Bottle Bricks In Green Building
We can use plastic water bottles as an alternative to bricks in construction. Simply, fill the bottles with sand or water, seal them tightly, and use them as building blocks. They are durable and resist decomposition.
Source: Link
Source: Link
Source: Link
3. Colorful and Eco-friendly Sculptures
We can repurpose various plastic containers to construct large-scale sculptural works. You just need some adhesive and wire pieces to create colorful and eco-friendly artworks.
Source: Link
Cover image source: Link
These were some simple ideas to help us preserve the environment and dispose of plastic waste properly.