Nov 20 2009
Waste Can Become Art
Popularly known as e-waste, electronic waste or the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), the term is directed to obsolete, discarded, broken electronic and electrical devices, which almost all families are guilty of throwing out. One of the popular ways of disposing old and battered phones, TVs, laptops and computers is through landfills. Another way is exporting still usable electronic and electrical gadgets to developing countries.
And that is where the problem begins. The United Nations Environment Program reports that 50 tons of electronic wastes are being thrown each year. In the United States, reports say that 70% of landfills are filled with e-waste. With this very high percentage and the fact that e-gadgets are part of everyday living, in comes the Weston Leaders of Tomorrow Program which promotes awareness of e-waste and the threats to health that come with it. This is supported by The Conservation Foundation of Greater Toronto, TRCA and The W. Garfield Weston Foundation.
Two Grade 6 classes from Sixteenth Avenue Public School in Richmond Hill, together with their teachers, launched a drive to address the global problem. The pupils took part and rendered their views regarding e-waste by participating in the Toronto and Region Conservation’s Weston Environmental Leaders of Tomorrow Program. They shared how they felt about e-wastes and showed such through art works, essays, poetry and letters. Their artworks of stockpiled e-waste that are painted and written with their concerns and opinions are displayed at the Schad Gallery of the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) all throughout last month.
Araby Porter, one of the Grade 6 teachers, said that the program caused a big impact on the pupils with regards to their thinking and re-thinking about the issue on e-waste. She also believes that the Weston Leaders of Tomorrow Program served as an eye-opener for the pupils on how critical the problem on e-waste is. Penny Lam, also a Grade 6 teacher, expresses her admiration of the artworks that her pupils did. She said that her pupils have created a magnificent work and conveyed a message on how important the issue of e-waste is. The students, on the other hand, are also very enthusiastic about the campaign. And with that, the pupils are thinking of a more in-depth project, a research project on e-waste.
Aside from artworks made from pile of e-wastes, make a statements using Cricut expression can also be done. Look for Cricut information and have your say about WEEE.
For Tricia, the home is the best place to be.
Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/art-and-entertainment-articles/waste-can-become-art-1479705.html