Themes Reflection Task

After spending time researching ‘The Wicked Problem’, which in my case was the Fast Fashion Industry polluting the Ocean with Microplastics, it has made me more aware of the power that we possess as a consumer; and as a consumer, I can choose not to support Fast Fashion brands. Imagine how big of a financial impact we could have on these businesses if we accepted social responsibility to stop supporting Fast Fashion brands. Since beginning my Better Lives project, I have already decided to no longer buy from Fast Fashion brands as I now know how they are destroying our oceans and do not want to support this.
The Better Lives Unit has also made me more conscious of how I am part of the problem, particularly as I do Special Effects Makeup. In my practice, particularly with creating Prosthetics, there is a lot of wasted product – which would inevitably end up in the ocean, adding to the pollution. The Better Lives themes have made me change my perspective on how I see myself working in the future, to the extent that I want to create Prosthetics that are biodegradable (or at the very least, Prosthetics pieces that can be recycled). I have also become more concerned with the ethics of makeup brands (with regards to their use of plastic packaging) and I know that this will change how I work in the future, as I will be more selective with what products that I choose to use.
Unfortunately, for this project I did not have access to more eco-friendly materials to make my Prosthetics, therefore I had to use other materials which were more harmful to the environment. I think the fact that I was conscious of this, is a direct result of how the Better Lives unit has changed my perspective on sustainability within my practice. However, it also made me aware of the lack of diversity of sustainable materials that are available for creating Prosthetic pieces.