Monica Lake | Lariat Photographer
By Kat Worrall
Reporter
Some students toss out an empty cereal box and old magazines, but others consider adding some tarp, creating an outfit and winning $500.
For Project Greenway’s competitors, that is what they strive to do. From 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. today in the Barfield Drawing Room of the Bill Daniel Student Center, five teams will compete with their outfits made entirely of recyclable and sustainable materials to win a check for $500.
The event, presented by Uproar Records, is free and open to the public. Uproar artists Trannie Stevens and Manifest Music Company will perform at the competition.
“It’s a way to bring different artistic outlets together in one section,” said El Paso junior Ana-Isabel Sandoval, director of Project Greenway. “You have music that’s playing and designers and all of these cool forms of art meshing together.”
Sandoval organized the event, from finding sponsors, a venue and Uproar artists to getting designers to sign up to compete. Of the recyclable materials that will be used this year, which includes bottle caps, bubble wrap, netting, chains and more, she said most excited to see how packing peanuts and cereal boxes will be used.
Plano senior Ryan Schaap won the competition last year and is competing again this year. His team’s dress last year contained a used umbrella, inner tubes and melted vinyl records as well as a little bit of a camping tarp.
“We like to find materials that can withstand more than one runway show,” Schaap said. “The camping tarp, for instance, is completely durable. I still have the dress — it didn’t fall apart. It could get wet and it would be fine.”
This year, Schaap and his team members, Houston senior Eliza Coleman and Bay City senior Victoria Felton, are using plastic tablecloths and window screens for their main items.
Outdoor Waco will be raffling off two $20 gift cards at the competition. One will be awarded to the winner of a runway walk contest and the other to the “most interactive Tweeter” who uses the hashtag #PGW2014, Sandoval said.
Common Grounds will also be giving free Arnold Palmers, drinks made from a mixture of iced tea and lemonade, for the first 100 guests. Keep Waco Beautiful and Waco Waste Management Services will also have informational booths.
Project Greenway, which Sandoval said stands out on its own, is a chance for students to see how easy and innovative recycling can be.
“Recycling is great, but the point of this competition is ‘hey, we can make something beautiful out of a household item you had laying in your garage,’” Schaap said.
