Plastic Justice

Networks for knowledge on the effect of microplastics on health.

Challenge: How to raise awareness about the long-term effects of micro-plastics on health through creating and fostering new knowledge and developing cross-academic networks between scientists, relevant NGOs and art institutions.

Plastic Justice is a pan-European educational collaboration between five art and design academies in The Hague, Reykjavík, Barcelona, London and Vilnius. Together with regional environmentally engaged NGOs and scientists, the educational programme, including a conference, exhibition and website, focused on the long-term impact of invisible micro-plastics on the human body. The initiative published a repository accessible on their website containing a teacher’s guide (with tools and methodology to include microplastics issues in the arts and actively inform the design process), pedagogical videos, articles and lectures investigating environmental issues and promoting conscious design education.

Plastic Justice aims to create new knowledge through cross-academic exchange and field-research promoting conscious design education for an upcoming generation. Plastic Justice is funded by the Strategic Partnership programme of the European Union.

Disclaimer: The description of this SEED is based on publicly available information, here

Resources needed

-Funding received he Erasmus + Strategic Partnership Programme of the European Union
-An online repository

Purpose of artistic intervention

The artistic intervention aims to raise awareness and generate well-informed communication materials on micro plastics through connecting designers with scientists, to ensure that valuable research being conducted in different scientific fields can reach a broader audience through design thinking and visualisation.

Positive impacts

The project generated several intellectual outputs that are still accessible online that still serve to educate, guide and inform such as:
-Plastic Justice Case Files: Online repository of information about microplastics and health.
-Plastic Justice Advocacy: Teachers’ guide with tools and methodology to include microplastics issues in the arts and graphic design curricula. The Guide aims to inspire, inform and encourage innovative new thinking and actions among students and teachers alike.
-Plastic Justice Verdict: Policy brief based on the project results.

Replication

The replication is sustained through the intellectual outputs and the repository of the initiative.