i GROW: veggie growing experience

Describe your idea and concept of your work in relation to the festival outlines:

As the world’s food supply is in demand, so too is excessive landfill, which is primarily contributed as a result for the disposal of plastic bottles. The WWF (2001) reported that roughly 1.5 million tons of plastic are spent in the bottling of 89 billion litres of water each year and that approximately 30 billion plastic bottles a year were being disposed of in U.S. landfills alone. Readily available and convenient, the disposal of plastic bottles and the end cost to the environment is staggering.

The way I intend to visually communicate concerns of Food Democracy, is designing an educational food growing initiative for primary school children.

What kind of communication approach do you use?

For every plastic bottle a child saves, they will receive a free plant growing kit, consisting of a sachet of mini tomato seeds and free instructional sticker, all in the one pack. The sticker shows a simple instructional diagram how to convert the bottle into a mini plant growing green house, while on the back, conveys the instructions in text.

What are in your opinion concrete benefits to the society because of your communication?

The experience aims to provide teamwork, respond to change, educate children how to grow fresh, pesticide and GMO free food. To not waste, be resourceful and responsible towards the environment.

The reason I chose to respond to this concern is that, children are affected through the physical and social effects of rapid urbanization and loss of green space. Education for sustainability can offer possibilities to provide greater relationships between classroom, business, schools and communities. Most of the population, do not know where basic produce is derived or how much is lost, to the point of food waste, pollution and overuse of nonrenewable energy resources.

What we as a society can do to educate our children, ease the problem and potentially turn it a proactive experience from a young age. Through lifelong learning, we can achieve lifestyles based on economic and social justice, food security, sustainable livelihoods, respect for all life forms and strong values that foster social cohesion, democracy and collective action.

What did you personally learn from creating your submitted work?

Product testing proved interesting results. The plastic bottle offered insulating properties, the condensation that kept the plant moist and nourished. It alleviated problems of pests, such as caterpillars, snails and other pests, as well as protection from frostbite. Finally, the plastic bottle acted as a plant incubator, producing quality, healthy and pesticide free plant.

Why is your work, GOOD communication WORK?

The direction has redefined an impetus for culturally sensitive and community-driven needs to work collectively towards a resilient and sustainable future for growing healthy and chemical free products.

Where and how do you intent do implement your work?

Plant growing kits will be issued with schematic posters, that will be distributed and posted on primary school walls.

Did your intervention had an effect on other Media. If yes, describe the effect? (Has other media reported on it- how? Were you able to change other media with your work- how?)

Mainly an educational tool for spreading environmental awareness and healthy eating.