Interventions

Political Intervention: Please Re-Use Me

2006-02-06T11:11:00.000-08:00

100 billion shopping bags are consumed in the US annually. This number means that 200,000 bags are used every minute.

With this project I wanted to call awareness to the environmental impact of using disposable shopping bags and to urge people to bring reusable bags or, at least, reuse disposable ones.

I collected paper bags from Ralphs supermarket and screen-printed on them the message: "Please Re-Use Me." The following message was also included:

Every minute 200,000 disposable shopping bag are consumed in the US. The manufacturing and disposal of these bags depletes natural resources and pollutes the environment.
A grocery bag will outlive you by 1000 years. How long did you use it?
Please reuse paper bags or purchase reusable bags. Most supermarkets will refund you 5 cents for every bag you reuse.

These bags were then handed out to shoppers in front of Ralphs in Valencia, CA on Feb. 2, 2oo6.

The scene of the intervention: The Ralphs Supermarket

Talking to the Manager... who seemed a bit concerned about our activities at first. I handed him a letter, which explained the project and asked the management of Ralphs to urge their customers to bring reusable bags.

I handed he following letter to the Manager at the Ralphs:

Roman Jaster
24700 McBean Parkway #AR-35
Valencia, CA 91355

Ralphs Fresh Fare
25930 McBean Parkway
Valencia, CA 91355

Feb 2, 2006

To the Manager:

I am a resident of Valencia and a regular shopper at your supermarket. I am writing you today concerning the wasteful use of disposable grocery bags at your store.

During the checkout process, Ralphs gives customers the choice of paper or plastic bags. I have often wondered which of these options presents the most environmentally sound choice. Therefore, I set out to research this issue and discovered shocking news.

The United States consumes 100 billion shopping bags annually. This number means that 200,000 bags are used every minute. These bags, no matter if they are plastic or paper, consume energy, produce waste and present environmental hazards at every step of their lives.

I find it ironic that while plastic shopping bags are used merely for the twenty minutes it may take to carry groceries home, they will outlive the shopper for more than 1000 years.

I know that supermarkets are not the only producers of shopping bag waste. Yet, considering that supermarkets are businesses that everyone frequents on a regular basis, reducing packaging here will make a big impact. You are in a position of responsibility to change people’s habits.

As a first step, you could educate your customers concerning the environmentally damaging effects of shopping bags (both plastic and paper), then offer an alternative: Begin selling reusable tote bags in your checkout lanes. Wholefoods, for example, sells such bags for only $1.99. You could also urge people to reuse their disposable bags. Sturdy paper bags can be reused many times. I applaud your decision to issue a 5 cent refund for every bag returned to your store. This is a great incentive. Unfortunately, this fact is not advertised in your store or on your website.

Reducing the number of disposable bags used is also in your economical interest. As you are aware, purchasing these bags presents a considerable cost. Also, lawmakers are increasingly attentive of this problem and are talking about a "bag tax" if the industry does not lower the amount of bags used.

After all, the right question to ask your customers is not "Do you want paper or plastic?"(or "Is plastic okay?") but rather "Did you bring your own bag?"

I look forward to your response and to beginning an open dialogue concerning this important issue.

Sincerely,

Roman Jaster

Intervention #3: Honk For Clean Air

2005-05-17T10:53:00.000-07:00

It all went well.

The sign went up at 2:30 on Thursday morning, May 12. Things went smoothly; eerily smooth really. M dropped E and me off on the shoulder of the freeway. It only took us 2 minutes to attach the sign - even the light of the lightpost went off once we got started. Then we ran up the embankment and M picked us up. Back onto the freeway to pick up the ladder; and we were done.

Here is a slideshows of pictures

Last I heard was that the sign came down yesterday, May 16. No idea who took it. The authorities? Or was it an intervention to our intervention?

Here's a link to some conversation on a santa clarita message group.

So some people noticed! Nice.

Mock Up for Final Project

2005-05-03T12:42:00.000-07:00

Emery and I want to install a traffic warning sign on the I-5. These are our ideas so far:

Intervention #2: STOP/SHOP

2005-04-05T13:07:00.000-07:00

STOP signs around Valencia, CA were modified to read SHOP.

Preparations:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/49121351@N00/sets/212302/show/

Action:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/49121351@N00/sets/212306/show/

Ideas for Project #2

2005-03-21T12:26:00.000-08:00

Dylan - 24 hours

This piece would take place at CalArts. I would set up an audio system in a public area and consecutively play all 32 studio albums Bob Dylan has recorded. This would take about 24 hours. A screen would also be set up displaying the album cover art and the recording year of the current album.

STOP - SHOP

This project comments on the most prominent feature of Santa Clarita: shopping. I would create red stickers displaying an "H" that can be pasted on STOP signs to have them read "SHOP." Possible locations for the attack: the Valencia Mall, Stevenson's Ranch shopping center.

Freeway Signs

I would make fake freeway signs that look real but display unexpected messages. The signs would be installed along the I-5 in Valencia.

Possible phrases:

Intervention #1: Main Gallery Reading Room

2005-02-22T07:02:00.000-08:00

I displayed an entire copy of today's LA Times on the floor of the main gallery.

In the city where I grew up, the local newspaper was prominently displayed in a display case on the main shopping street. People would interrupt their walk to wherever they were headed and catch up on the latest news.

I thought it would be interesting to try this at CalArts.

Will people take some time to catch up on a story or two? Will people start conversations about certain events?

Also, I was interested to see what an entire newspaper looks like when it is spread out page by page. It’s a pretty impressive trail of paper. And instead of being stationary, reading the paper becomes a spatial activity.

Ideas for Project #1

2005-02-15T12:09:00.000-08:00

Put an armchair and a pair of headphones (playing music) into an elevator. The elevator then becomes a place to hang out in.
Place a chess game in the middle of the main gallery and see if people start playing.
Place a $20 bill in the middle of the main gallery with a sign that reads "Please take this money if you feel that YOU need it more than anybody else at CalArts". See how long the money will be there... and document who takes it.

Tree Rescue

2005-02-15T00:41:00.000-08:00

CIMG5446
Originally uploaded by rommyusa.

Some recue training operation in progress.

Lost Dog

2005-02-15T00:33:00.000-08:00

CIMG5468
Originally uploaded by rommyusa.

Signalpost used for public communication.

Patriotism

2005-02-15T00:31:00.001-08:00

CIMG5443
Originally uploaded by rommyusa.

Yellow ribbons change trees into symbols of patriotism at city hall.

Bicycle Rack

2005-02-15T00:31:00.000-08:00

CIMG5452
Originally uploaded by rommyusa.

Street sign turned into bicycle rack.

Mini Golf

2005-02-15T00:30:00.000-08:00

CIMG5466
Originally uploaded by rommyusa.

Two workers on their lunch break watch a family play minigolf.

Parking Lot

2005-02-15T00:29:00.000-08:00

CIMG5456
Originally uploaded by rommyusa.

This seems to be the most common interaction between strangers in public... cars and pedestrians.