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Hawai'i, USA

Safe Planet 2012 Hawai'i Art Contest

Working with the Hawai'i Department of Education, Malama Hawai'i and other partners, Safe Planet is launching a new art contest focusing on Plastic Pollution Solutions.  Reaching over 180,000 students, the contest begins on Feb 9, 2012 and closes on May 18, 2012.  The Final Winners will be announced by June 15, 2012.

Our goal is to raise awareness in youth about climate change, toxic pollution and the growing chemical Body Burden now nearly endemic to our society.  We are actively engaging young people in working toward creative solutions for eliminating the many hazards present in our daily environment.  We are looking for Safe Planet Heroes:  young artists and imaginative students across Hawai'i to create a work of art that demonstrates the possibilities of life in a world without hazardous chemicals and waste. 

One of the problems that is particularly relevant to the Islands is single-use plastics.  Examples of single-use plastics include plastic shopping bags from the grocery store, disposable plastic water bottles or plastic cutlery from a take-out meal.  Often, these items are used once and then thrown away.  These single-use plastics and other waste cause serious damage to our oceans and all marine life. 

What's your idea for a Plastic Pollution Solution?  Pick one, single-use plastic item in your home and re-design it in an eco-friendly material.  What does it look like?  How is it made?  How is it used?  Submit your idea as a photograph, painting, drawing, graphic or sculpture.

Prizes will be awarded in 3 categories:  Grades K-3, Grades 4-7 and Grades 8 - 12.  The winning designs will be exhibited at a local gallery in Honolulu and Galerie Califia in Europe during the summer. We will also send the winning designs to local manufacturers who will create prototypes for the eco-friendly products. The top winning design will be exhibited with the Safe Planet Exhibiton in Rio de Janiero for the Rio + 20 Earth Summit in June, 2012.

The winning designs may also be reproduced on an eco-conscious, reusable shopping tote bag that may be used for fundraising in the Hawaiian Islands as well as future Safe Planet events around the world.

Download our Contest Flyer and Contest Rules below or for more information visit www.safepla.net

Safe Planet 2011 Hawai'i Art Contest

In 2011, all students in Hawai'i - from elementary school through university - were invited to take part in Safe Planet's Art Contest to design a new, non-plastic bag and dispenser.

The awards were presented during the Safe Planet event at the 5^th International Marine Debris Conference on March 24, 2011 at the University of Hawai'i Mānoa.  The winners: Kaui Son (4^th grade), Kennedy Flores (3rd grade), Keawe Saizon (5^th grade), Group Project by Reina Maglasang, Irie Cheng, and Nyah Juliano.

In February, 2012, ArtMill Director Barbara Benish spoke at the University of Hawai'i about the Safe Planet Art Contests, sustainable education, preparations for the UN Rio + 20 Earth Summit, plastic pollution in the oceanic gyres and engaging students in local community activism. See Barbara's interview on Hawaii News Now.

Download file - 2012 Contest Flyer

Download file - 2012 Contest Rules