Key Takeaways
- A new art installation, ‘Saturday’s Cups’, is on display at the Queenstown Events Centre to highlight the scale of single-use waste generated in the community.
- The installation is made entirely from single-use coffee cups collected over recent months and represents the number of cups used by Splash Cafe on a typical Saturday.
- The installation aims to raise awareness about the impact of single-use culture and encourage individuals to make sustainable choices.
- A public competition is running alongside the installation, where visitors can guess the number of cups used to build it and win a prize.
- The installation is part of a broader effort to promote a low-impact, environmentally-conscious visitor experience in Queenstown.
Introduction to the Art Installation
The Queenstown Events Centre is currently hosting a thought-provoking art installation designed to shed light on the staggering amount of single-use waste generated in the community. The installation, titled ‘Saturday’s Cups’, is the brainchild of artist Kate Gislason, founder and director of Without Waste, who collaborated with Splash Cafe and the Events Centre to bring this project to life. The installation will be on display until this coming Tuesday, giving visitors a unique opportunity to witness the sheer scale of single-use waste produced in the community.
The Creation of the Installation
The installation is comprised entirely of single-use coffee cups collected over recent months, which were used to create a visually striking display. The number of cups used in the installation represents the typical number of cups used by Splash Cafe on a Saturday, prior to the cafe’s decision to become single-use-cup free. This impressive display serves as a powerful reminder of the impact of single-use culture on the environment. Despite the availability of compostable options, thousands of single-use cups continue to be consumed and discarded in Queenstown each day, contributing to unnecessary waste and undermining community-wide efforts to build a low-impact, environmentally-conscious visitor experience.
Raising Awareness about Single-Use Waste
The installation is designed to raise awareness about the issue of single-use waste and encourage individuals to make sustainable choices. By transforming data and waste volumes into compelling visual storytelling, artist Kate Gislason aims to inspire change and motivate people to think about the long-term consequences of their everyday choices. As Gislason notes, "Helping people understand the long-term consequences of single-use culture, and how their everyday choices can either contribute to pollution or support a more sustainable future, is what motivates me to push for real, measurable change." By making the unseen consequences of single-use culture visible, the installation encourages visitors to think critically about their own role in contributing to waste and pollution.
The Impact of the Installation
The installation is intended to make the invisible visible, as Single Use Cup (SUC) free Whakatipu ops manager, Ella Peacock, notes. "When you stand in front of hundreds of discarded cups, just one day’s worth from a single cafe, it is a powerful reminder of the difference small individual choices can make." The installation serves as a powerful reminder of the impact of individual choices on the environment and encourages visitors to make sustainable choices. By highlighting the scale of single-use waste generated in the community, the installation aims to inspire individuals to take action and make a positive impact on the environment.
Promoting Sustainable Choices
The installation is part of a broader effort to promote a low-impact, environmentally-conscious visitor experience in Queenstown. By raising awareness about the issue of single-use waste and encouraging individuals to make sustainable choices, the installation contributes to a larger conversation about the importance of protecting the environment. As Peacock notes, "Queenstown cares deeply for its environment, and this installation encourages all of us to do the same." By working together to reduce waste and promote sustainable practices, the community can create a more environmentally-conscious and sustainable future.
Engaging the Community
To engage the community and encourage visitors to think critically about the issue of single-use waste, a public competition is running alongside the installation. Visitors can guess the number of cups used to build the installation, with the person who makes the closest guess winning a three-month pool membership at the Events Centre. This interactive element adds a fun and engaging dimension to the installation, while also encouraging visitors to think about the scale of single-use waste generated in the community. By engaging the community and encouraging individuals to take action, the installation aims to inspire real, measurable change and promote a more sustainable future.