Filipino artist fights waste by using recycled trash in paintings

When Filipino artist Gilbert Angeles found out that his country was one of the world's biggest contributors of plastic trash in the ocean he felt compelled to take action.

Angeles decided the best way to show how discarded waste could be given a new life in a different medium was to incorporate materials ranging from shredded plastic to old paint and leftover construction wood in his paintings.

Since 2019, he has made over two dozen paintings of this kind.

"I make these artworks to raise awareness so we can fight against the trash in our area, to make us more responsible in how we dispose of our trash, and to make us aware of where our trash goes," said the 49-year-old.

The artist sources the materials from around his Manila neighborhood or through donations from contacts he has made since launching his environmental campaign.

Angeles remembers being spurred on to take up the project after seeing a news report about the Philippines being one of the top contributors of plastic waste.

The Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and China account for around 60 percent of the world's marine plastic, or 8 million tons annually, according to a 2017 report from the Ocean Conservancy and the McKinsey Center for Business and Environment.

Angeles' artwork has since been shown in galleries, with paintings selling for around $600 to $3,000, depending on the size. Part of the proceeds goes to his environmental group, Green Artz, which encourages artists to use recycled waste in their work.

"I love the fact that it gives us hope," said Linda Pecoraro, general manager of Conrad Hotel, where Angeles' work is being exhibited.

"It's got beautiful colors and recycled plastic, repurposing things that damage our environment and making them beautiful."

-reuters-

Meatless burgers, hemp cocktails and pasta straws: 2019 eco-friendly food trends

ROME - From cockroach milk to beer made from waste water, a raft of eco-friendly food trends hit menus and supermarket shelves in 2019 vowing not to add to the world's carbon emissions.

Here are 7 ways to keep the seasonal revelry going while shrinking carbon footprint:

1. RISE OF THE FLEXITARIANS

Plant-based burgers went mainstream with fast food giants Burger King and McDonald's joining the fray. Burger King's Impossible Whopper was so successful there are multiple vegetarian options now being planned.

Fish substitutes are entering the market too, including tuna made from a blend of 6 legumes and algae oil. Such alternative proteins cut down greenhouse gas emissions associated with livestock farming and industrial-scale fishing.

2. BUGS TAKE CENTER STAGE

Grub granola, cockroach milk and silk worm vanilla ice-cream are just a few offerings to make insects less icky and more appealing to diners. Bugs are high in protein and vitamins, but low in emissions and require less land and water.

Some are even hoping farming insects could help clean up palm oil's tarnished image.

3. HEMP HITS A HIGH

With the 2018 Farm Bill legalizing farmers to grow industrial hemp in the United States, cannabidiol (CBD)-infused food and drinks are here to stay.

Proponents say hemp - from which CBD is derived - has many sustainable aspects as it can provide food, shelter, clothes and energy.

There is confusion over their safety and legality in both the United States and Britain, but that has not stopped companies like Ben & Jerry's from announcing plans for their own CBD-based products.

4. PASTA WITHOUT SAUCE

To use as straws, of course, as the world steps up efforts to combat plastic pollution.

A Thai supermarket turned to tradition, using banana leaves to wrap fresh produce while consumers are flocking to products such as re-usable beeswax wrappers.

5. ORPHANED PLANTS FIND HOME

Neglected plants rich in vitamins and can adapt to the changing climate, including babassu oil from Amazon, millet from India and Mayan spinach from Guatemala, made their way onto plates, championed by pioneering chefs and scientists.

With 75 percent of the world's foods coming from just 12 plants and five animal species, expanding the diet is also a good strategy for coping with climate-induced crop failures.

6. WASTE NOT, WANT NOT

Restaurants that use almost every part of the raw materials to cut down on food waste popped up in Helsinki, New York and Berlin - the last one also happened to be vegan.

There's also Trash Tiki, an "anti-waste" cocktail company that uses food scraps - leftover milk, discarded nut shells, coffee grounds, etc - to re-make beloved classics, bringing their ethos to Toronto, Amsterdam and Rome this year.

7. CHEERS!

Eco-friendly beers - brewed using recycled or waste water, doing away with the plastic 6-pack rings, or pledging part of the profits to conserve sea turtles - hit the shelves.

Natural wines, which proponents say are made with organic grapes and no chemical additives, thus purer and more environmentally-friendly, also gained major followings in Europe and the United States.

source: news.abs-cbn.com