When creativity meets environmental awareness: Students made a recycled Christmas tree from scratch

December 14, 2018

It is that time of the year when all of us prepare for upcoming Holidays, each in our own way…

Usually, the Holiday Season starts with setting up decorations sometimes in December, but a group of our students from Scientific Inquiries in Environmental Science course, led by professor Marlena Ćukteraš, started thinking about what can be done differently long before December. The idea of making a recycled Christmas tree emerged after the sea cleaning action with Green Safari association in Dubrovnik, when students were faced with the reality of immense amount of plastic waist on the bottom of the sea. Later on, the discussion about the plastic waste was started during one class, and students came to agreement to collect all plastic bottles and other plastic waist that they usually consume from buying water, juices or other items at the vending machines on our campus. Slowly, but safely, this project turned into a wonderful and creative Christmas tree, made entirely by our students and entirely from plastic waste that would otherwise end up in trash.

The creative freedom was shown at its best during the manufacturing phase, and one student even made ornaments with the 3D printing technique.

This kind of a project sets an excellent example of how objects that we take for granted and throw away easily, without thinking about their impact on our environment, can easily be turned into something beautiful and useful. We hope our students will take away a lifelong memory from this project and become even more aware of the importance of preserving the nature for generations to come.

Did students have fun along the process? Well, see for your selves from the photos :)

Well done everyone, you made us proud once again!