A tipi made from tetra-paks came to life at Springwood Youth Centre last week.
The tetra tipi was put together from used tetra-pak packaging with the structure made from reclaimed timber furniture (including crutches, an old loom and a garden umbrella) with the tiles tied together with strips of plastic bags.
The unusual structure was part of the Blue Mountains Waste to Art community art exhibition and competition that showcases creative works made from reused and recyclable waste materials. Blue Mountains City Council has delivered this very popular Waste to Art program for more than 11 years.
“We are fortunate to have a community that is exceptionally creative and that cares deeply about a sustainable Blue Mountains, a unique city within a world heritage area,” said Blue Mountains mayor Mark Greenhill.
“Waste to Art provides an opportunity to showcase how these two values come together in a statement artwork.”
In keeping with its purpose of reducing waste to landfill, this years’ artwork was a collaborative project led by local art and architecture collective MAPA around the theme of tetra-paks.
The Waste to Art exhibit is on display in the Springwood Community Hub foyer until Sunday, June 3, before heading to Narromine as the Blue Mountains community entry in the regional Waste to Art competition in July 2018.
“I congratulate all of the participants involved in this year’s Waste to Art project for their enthusiasm and skill in creating such a stunning piece,” said the mayor.
“I encourage residents to have a look at the tetra tipi and consider the many ways we can improve our individual efforts to reduce waste to landfill.
“While tetra-paks can go into the recycling bin, we want to encourage residents to think of alternatives to buying them in the first place, such as using reusable bottles instead of drink poppers.”