2025 | Reduce, Reuse, Remix: A Trash to Treasure Contest

IGC Capstone Project | Interfaces of Global Change

Reduce, Reuse, Remix: A Trash to Treasure Contest

Student Members:

• Nitheshnirmal Sadhasivam, Geosciences
• Mary Adebote, Fish and Wildlife Conservation
• Atif Ali, Sustainable Biomaterials
• Anu Rai, Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation 

Faculty Mentor:

• Dr. Hosein Foroutan, Civil and Environmental Engineering

This capstone project was a student-led arts competition at Virginia Tech designed to raise awareness about plastics pollution by encouraging creativity and sustainability. PK-12 students will form teams to repurpose waste plastics into musical instruments. Through this hands-on initiative, participants repurposed discarded plastics sourced from their homes into creative projects, emphasizing the environmental impact of waste while promoting innovation and teamwork.

Submissions were displayed Friday, October 31-Saturday, November 22, 2025 at the Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech. Students who submitted instruments showing high levels of creativity, musical functionality, and innovative use of recycled plastics received recognition for their successful work highlighting the issue of plastic waste and promotion of sustainable practices within the community. All submissions were displayed, provided they met the project dimensions (8 x 8 inches). Awards were given for Best Message, Most Creative Use of Plastic, and Community Impact. 

Timeline:

• Submissions Due: October 24, 2025, 1:30pm (Submit to the Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech)
• Exhibition: October 31-November 22, 2025 (Display at the Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech)
• Announcement and Celebration of Winners: Week of November 29 - December 5, 2025, at an event at Rising Silo Brewery

Full details about the exhibit, entry criterion, and judging rubric were found through the exhibition website.