““...and then we’re in a place with a sorting floor with garbage all around us. What could be more religious than that? It’s like we were in the temple of trash talking about trash.” ”
— Trash Academy

During their time at RAIR, Trash Academy used their knowledge and expertise to reimagine alternative disposal techniques for drywall after its extraction. Trash Academy joined forces with community members and activist who specialize in the reimagining of waste, to create open dialogue on the cities issues with waste management and the ways in which drywall specifically has become a problem material found in most dumping sites across the city. Through many zoom and in person meetings, the team created an infographic that explains a drywall implosion that could pose to be an effective way to deal with this material.

Trash academy also designed and created a series of recycling bins and planters made entirely out of recycled material found on the yard. The materials sourced mostly consisted of various types of plastics that were cut, bent, and pressed to fit and created the shape of the recycled forms. Trash Academy aims to design projects that deepen people’s understanding of litter, consumption, and the waste stream and have used their innovative techniques while at RAIR to continue their core mission.