I created these small posters as part of a larger group project exploring ways to reduce plastic waste in the dining hall at Olin. A number of us in the group made posters and hung them throughout campus as reminders for students to bring reusable cutlery to the dining hall during the 2020-2021 school year when, due to COVID-19 safety policies and cost-saving measures, more disposable, non-compostable, plastic cutlery was in use than in the past.

The first poster serves as negative reinforcement against using disposable cutlery by providing data on specific affects on marine life, while the second posters serves as positive reinforcement for students bringing their own reusable cutlery to the dining hall my letting them know how much plastic they can save by doing so. Both posters contain a QR code linking to a website where students can find more information about plastic waste, as well as providing an opportunity to share their thoughts about the posters through a survey.

Creating these posters provided me with an opportunity to practice my Adobe Illustrator skills and begin working in a more professional manner by adhering as closely as possible to Olin’s branding guidelines for color, shapes/patterns, and text in the designs.