If you visit Marrickville Metro this summer, you'll notice some incredible installations dotted around the shopping complex. As you stop to admire the giant seagull snacking on hot chips or the glistening watermelon, you'd be forgiven for failing to realise that what you're actually looking at is rubbish.
90 per cent of the material used to make Marrickville Metro's 2020 Christmas sculptures came from creative reuse centre Reverse Garbage. Also located in Marrickville, Reverse Garbage takes what many people may see as trash and turns it into treasure. Inside the Reverse Garbage store you'll find everything you could ever need for a holiday DIY project, from bottle caps to fabric scraps.
Reverse Garbage partnered with Marrickville Metro and students from the nearby TAFE NSW Design Centre Enmore to create the sculptures. Prop-making students were asked to pitch ideas for sculptures made from reuse materials that captured 'what summer in Marrickville means to them'. From ibis birds to fruit salads, the final products capture the essence of a summer in Sydney.
'Summer Scourge' by Angus Thomasson and Amber Fraser, made from recycled polystyrene, EVA foam, soft foam and plastic cutlery.
'Ibis' by Emilia Lilischkis, Sarah Donnelly and Seymour Van Houten, made from steel frame, recycled fabric and plastics.
'Magpie' by Hayley Sheehan and Seymour Van Houten, made with steel frame and bra cups.
"This collaboration is a fantastic example of how with a little bit of creativity, reuse resources can be given new life — and hold their own against brand new installations. We hope other shopping centres and corporates will be inspired to follow suit," Reverse Garbage Creative Director, Kirsten Junor, said in a statement.
Reverse Garbage is encouraging Aussies to make reuse their first choice, especially when it comes to the excessive holiday season. Australians spent over $11 billion over the Christmas holiday period last year, a spike in consumption that is associated with increased waste of packaging, food and other products.
'Summer Fruits' by Richard Domingo, made from recycled polystyrene, paint and steel rod.
'Fans! Fans! Fans!' by Anna Alvisi, made with recycled fabrics and recycled card.
'Melted Moments' by Melissa Gajardo-Green, Sebastian Vrocharis-Low and Ivy Ngo, made with steel frame, recycled polystyrene, hessian, bottle caps and paint.
The Marrickville Metro sculptures prove that when it comes to creative projects, used materials look just as good as new ones. Plus, they have the added benefit of diverting waste from landfill.
“It is really progressive for a shopping centre who survives on consumerism to actively seek a sustainable option for their decorations," Kirsten said. "As a reuse centre we see the waste created every day by visual merchandising, so it is really encouraging to see this movement. We hope it catches on!”
Why not challenge yourself to make all your Christmas decorations out of used materials this year? You can find reuse options in your local area on our Reuse Hub.
Positive Environment News has been compiled using publicly available information. Planet Ark does not take responsibility for the accuracy of the original information and encourages readers to check the references before using this information for their own purposes.