Art from Scrap

Reusing, Creating, Recycling

By Erica Rascón on Mar 24, 2016 in Giving, People

Though we are few compared to some populations on Earth, humans can have an incredible impact on the health and wellbeing of the plant. Our actions can facilitate Earth’s natural cycle of decomposition and growth.

Unfortunately, that’s not what we’re doing.

Rather than supporting the planet’s natural methods for breaking down materials and reusing their components, much of our trash is not biodegradable. The trash will uselessly sit in landfills forever. Instead of breaking down and refueling the next generation of life and growth, the trash emits toxins, damages ecosystems, and takes up valuable space.

Explore Ecology is working to stop this cycle. By combining environmental education with art, the Santa Barbara-based nonprofit organization has found creative ways to foster awareness and stewardship among people of all ages—starting with scraps.

Art from Scrap, an Explore Ecology program, facilitates environmental awareness and waste reduction through art. The program integrates retail and public programming to fulfill its mission.

Jill Cloutier, Director of Public Relations and Outreach, explains, “The Creative Reuse Store is one of Explore Ecology’s most popular programs. The retail store accepts unwanted materials from businesses and corporations. The store then sells those materials to the community to be reused, repurposed and, most importantly, kept out of landfills.”

The Creative Reuse store is popular with art teachers, artists, and DIY crafters of all ages. Shopper can find everything from fabric, beads, paper, glass products, wood, and all sorts of little odds and ends.

“It’s the perfect place for getting the supplies that you need for a Halloween costume, an art project, or even a parade float,” says Cloutier.

Revenue from the store is used to fund Explore Ecology’s low-cost art classes, environmental education programs, and the upstairs Eco-Art Gallery.

On the surface, the art classes and workshops give the community the opportunity to unite and celebrate the arts. Friends, families, and school groups gather together to make jewelry, home décor, mosaics and gifts. While participants are having fun, they are learning about the Earth’s resources and how to make the most of them.

Explore Ecology also brings environmental education into the classrooms throughout Santa Barbara County. “We educate over 30,000 students a year,” says Cloutier. “In general, we focus on environmental ed, including watershed education and school gardens, but we also teach about waste reduction and where our trash goes. We let [students] know what they can do to make less trash: reduce, reuse, recycle, composting, and making art projects.”

Yardi has sponsored each of these Explore Ecology programs over the years, paying special attention to Art from Scrap.

“Yardi has been an excellent supporter over the years,” Cloutier says. “Yardi has supported the program as a whole and our outreach to nonprofits that serve at-risk and low-income youth.” Resources were allocated to environmental and arts programming for youth and adults, as well as a new program that has been wildly successful.

“Yardi sponsored our Party in Your Pajamas for kids. That’s a newer program where parents can drop their kids off on a Friday night, and then go off and have a date night,” Cloutier laughs. “Then we have art, environmental education, dinner and a movie with the kids.”

From art classes to Kids Night Out, Explore Ecology’s Art from Scrap program explores several ways to minimize growing landfills and environmental damage. The diverse programming is vital to the organization’s success.

“One of the best ways to educate kids is through art and exploration. It encourages them to care about the environment when they have a wonderful experience with it. They’re learning about the environment and waste reduction while they’re being creative. That’s more effective than reciting a bunch of serious facts and causing them to feel disempowered,” says Cloutier. “That’s our mission, to empower students to know that they can make a positive difference through their actions.”

To support the mission at Art from Scrap, visit ExploreEcology.org.