The Persistence of Plastic: Environmental Public Art and Micro-Plastic Pollution

Microplastics are ubiquitous environmental contaminants that cause harm to the health and reproductive capacity of living creatures. As humans are the sole source of plastic contamination, changes in human behavior are vital to mitigating micro-plastic contamination. Climate Change Communicators and Environmental Psychologists have found that messages delivered in the form of the Arts and Humanities can play an instrumental role in motivating sustainable behaviour. In this exploratory study, these findings are tested in an Australian context by examining audience responses to a public work of art addressing micro-plastic pollution. In addition to confirming the findings reported in the literature, the use of a beautiful form in a work of art has been identified as a strategy that can stimulate audience engagement with environmental messaging. Beautiful form rather than a beautiful subject can engage viewers and educate through imaginative interpretation.