Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Talkin' trash: june 1, 2009 edition


The Talkin' Trash team

Last night a few of us ventured into the wilds of Williamsburg on garbage night for a little PSA. Our goal: identify and label all the reusable "trash" we saw, hoping to inspire passersby to rethink their garbage.

The tools: recycled cardboard signs with speech bubbles and Replayground stamps; markers; tape; and a little creativity.



Some of our suggestions were simple and practical.


Empty drawer: "Take me home, I can store books in your home too!". Artillery case (?): "I can be a magnetic memoboard!"


Skateboard: "I can be a shelf, too!" (ed. note: kinda wish I'd taken this home)


5 gallon bucket: "I can be a trash can!" (ed. note: These also make excellent containers for tomatoes and other veggies on your fire escape or stoop - just drill some drainage holes in the bottom!)

Some were a little more elaborate.


Styrofoam speaker packaging: "Turn me into a lamp - fill me with xmas lights and put me on the wall or on a table!"


Old TV: "Turn me into a fish tank!"

And some weren't that practical.


Mystery funnel: "I could be a large monocle!"

See more pictures on Flickr.

Hopefully someone even took us up on some of our suggestions - but if we just got a few people to think of their trash in a new way, we accomplished our mission.

4 comments:

  1. I love this series. 'Cause you never know when you might happen upon an old artillery case on the streets of New York.

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  2. OMgoodness! That is an awesome idea. You're right-it's really about changing people's ideas about waste rather than those particular items. Love this post. :D

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  3. yes! you're all encouraged to do your own talkin' trash versions wherever you are.
    imagine streets everywhere lined with garbage and talk bubbles.

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  4. That is such a great idea! It is not everyday when one can be micheivious, fun, and helpful all at the same time. Im excited for you to post a new one! i think i will do this with some friends on a night when the street cleaners are doing the huge junk pick up!

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