Plastic Pollution Coalition joined organizations including NOAA, Pew Charitable Trusts, PangeaSeed, Oceana, DPNR, University of Florida, University of the Virgin Islands, Big Blue and You, The Last Plastic Straw, and more over the past week for events focused on creating and maintaining an environmentally sustainable future for the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Events included public art, the creation of public murals, panel discussions, a screening of Straws film, and the ‘Sea Walls St. Croix Environmental Symposium’ which were held at the Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts on Dec. 15.
Danni Washington of Big Blue & You and her crew lead the New Wave After School Art & Stem Program for local students throughout the week.
For the public art project Sea Walls: Artists for Oceans by PangeaSeed Foundation, PangeaSeed collaborates with renowned contemporary artists to create large-scale public murals that address pressing environmental issues the oceans are facing.
The panel: ‘Organizing for Change through Public Art and Beyond’ featured Melody Rames, Public Affairs Officer VI Waste Management Authority; Tre’ Packard, PangeaSeed; La Vaughn Belle, Artist; Paulita Bennet Martin, Oceana; and Dianna Cohen, Plastic Pollution Coalition, with moderator Peter Tewinkle. The panel ‘Plastic Pollution Solutions’ included: Jackie Nunez, founder of The Last Plastic Straw and Program Manager at Plastic Pollution Coalition; Howard Forbes, University of the Virgin Islands/ Virgin Islands Marine Advisory Service; and Jennifer Valiulis, St. Croix Environmental Association.
Events were organized by Virginia Clairmont, Founder, Clean Sweep Frederiksted and Project Director, Sea Walls St.Croix.
Learn more about Plastic Free Islands.
