Gunn Memorial Library presented IMPACT: Speaking Out For Rivers Through Art & Action

More than 20 children (and several adults too!) created art from recycled bottles to demonstrate the impact that consumer waste can have on streams, rivers and oceans if not disposed of properly. Since plastic is among the most detrimental of all consumer waste, iIMPACT puts a special emphasis on it.

In a multi-media presentation, the participants learned how watersheds work and how plastic is transported along rivers and streams, injuring wildlife. Each child then created a "bottle bloom" from a plastic bottle recovered (and thoroughly cleaned) from the waste stream. They took great pride and care in painting their blooms because, once 500 bottle blooms have been collected, the Dan River Basin Association will transform the blooms into an educational art exhibit to inspire adults to use re-useable bottles and grocery bags.

The art is intended to open up new ways to understand and "see" the tremendous negative impact that consumer waste is having upon rivers, oceans and wildlife. iIMPACT workshops are free and available to youth and senior groups, including extended care homes, senior centers, scouts, classrooms, faith based, home school students, and more. This program is made possible with support from DRBA members.