Since seeing is believing, back in 2007 our design team at MSLK decided to help US consumers visualize how their everyday seemingly insignificant actions really add up. Our target: disposable plastics.

MSLK conceptualized a large scale information graphic that was as beautiful as informative and would be arresting in any urban environment. We deemed this an “eco-art installation” and our first projects brought to light the magnitude of the US consumption of plastic shopping bags (2663 per second) and disposable plastic water bottles, (1500 per second).  Our latest installation, Take-Less, is the third in this series and challenges viewers to think about the rampant amount of plastic waste produced each second by the consumption of take-out meals.

From our research we discovered that approximately 2629 take-out meals are consumed in the U.S. every second. Within these meals are countless plastic components designed to be used once and thrown away. By our calculations, each second the US produces enough waste from these meals to fill half a football field! What’s worse, these plastics are currently not easily recyclable. We found it sad to think that the containers in that meal you had delivered in 30 minutes or less will be around for hundreds of years—especially when paper, aluminum, and reusable exist.

In order to visually convey the enormity of plastic waste produced from take-out meals, we created the number “2629″ using the plastic containers and utensils themselves. This bold number is at once intriguing and arresting. In addition, informational signage is prominently featured on each number, containing facts about the dangers of this rate of consumption.

Not only was this project a success at stopping the public on city streets and parks, but a large number of people were impacted during the process of collecting and reclaiming all these take-out containers. MSLK utilized social media to reach our network of friends and colleagues, who placed information about the project and collection boxes at their offices. As a result, the social awareness aspects of this project came together from day one. 

The project was recently displayed at the FIGMENT Art Festival and D.U.M.B.O Arts Festival. It has been featured on the television network NY1 and in numerous online publications.