Build-it Disks

“Bandit signs” are illegal advertising signs made of coroplast, a type of plastic that often cannot be recycled. Community members have long been concerned that these signs are encouraging illegal behaviors and predatory practices. The City of Philadelphia’s Zero Waste and Litter Cabinet recruited community groups to gather over 8,000 of these illegal signs. Trash Academy in collaboration with Tiny WPA has converted many of these signs into “build it discs” imprinted with facts about the environmental impact of plastics. The discs invite intergenerational play, including building towers, making “flow” and other fun challenges. The dramatic and colorful discs invite bystanders to engage and learn more about plastics. With a guiding philosophy of “from problem to play,” an environmentally destructive nuisance has been repurposed into a fun and exciting tool for education and community engagement.