Graffiti artists leave a “tag” on their particular environment. This signature is a mark which says: “I was here.” At Art Center College of Design we leave many marks on our school’s environment. Our specific learning processes include some unintentional outcomes—consumption.


As students, faculty and staff we consume on average every day:

1386 lbs. of paper, 630 lbs. of plastic, 122 lbs. of glass and 96lbs. of metal.


From Eco-Council’s recent waste-stream analysis, we can get a sense of the amount of material consumption that our specific educational processes demand. But we also commute to our school. We water our lawn and drink water from plastic bottles. We have exhaust fans and computer screens running for most of the day. Our consumption of materials, energy, water, and transportation includes choices as well as needs.

Passers-by were asked to pick up a spray can and leave their mark.