Art imitates grocery store in NY to raise awareness about plastic
The Plastic Bag Store, set to open to the public on Thursday, looks like a typical New York City grocery store with rows of soda drinks and cartons on its shelves. But a closer look at the boxes of sushi rolls and cereal reveals labels such as “plastic bagacado roll”, “Yucky Shards”, and “Caps N’ Such”.
The pop-up art installation in the heart of Times Square is meant to raise environmental awareness, coinciding with New York State’s ban on all plastic carryout bags.
“There are humorous and satirical takes on everyday products that highlight the amount of waste that we’re using and the environmental problems related,” said Brooklyn artist and creator of The Plastic Bag Store, Robin Frohardt.
“And so because The Plastic Bag Store feels like a regular grocery store, I think the next time you go to a grocery store, it might make you think a little bit about what’s happening to the planet and the packaging situation.”
Beginning from yesterday, all plastic bags were banned throughout the entire state, where, according to the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation, more than 23 billion plastic bags are used each year.
The ban, aimed at preventing single-use plastic bags from clogging landfills and littering parks and waterways, was supposed to begin on March 1 but was postponed due to the pandemic.
The pop-up will be open for three weeks from Wednesdays to Saturdays when visitors can browse the art installation in small groups in hourlong intervals.