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One man’s trash is another woman’s art

A Pennsylvania bartender makes used straws and bottles into something beautiful

Joanna Fantozzi, Senior Editor

May 9, 2019

1 Min Read
RestaurantHospitality logo in a gray background | RestaurantHospitality

Banning non-recyclable plastic straws may be on-trend for green restaurants these days. But one bartender has found a creative way to give them a second life.

Laura Dias, a former textile designer and bartender at The Austrian Village Bar & Restaurant in Jenkintown, Pa., doesn’t create art with paint, pencils, or other common mediums: She uses discarded plastic straws and bottle tops. 

After making note of the incredible amount of single-use plastic trash her family and workplace generate, Dias came up with the idea to make something beautiful out of trash.

“As a society, we face tremendous pressure in our communities to do better and rethink how we use and dispose of plastics,” Dias said. “Through some comical trial and error, I came up with various techniques to create my designs. Mainly I cut the plastic into strips, boil the strips and reshape the warm pieces with tongs into a pattern.”

Although the designs are purely aesthetic, the message behind the colorful, mainly floral pieces of art is purposeful: to show people that single-use plastic does not have to be ugly, clog up our trash heaps, or worsen our environmental impact.

“I create plastic art hoping to spark conversation,” she said.

As Dias prepares to display her artwork at local art shows, her creative statement has already made an impact — The Austrian Village is in talks to eliminate use of plastic straws altogether.

Contact Joanna Fantozzi at [email protected]

Follow her on Twitter: @joannafantozzi

 

About the Author

Joanna Fantozzi

Senior Editor

Joanna Fantozzi is a Senior Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. She has more than seven years of experience writing about the restaurant and hospitality industry. Her editorial coverage ranges from profiles of independent restaurants around the country to breaking news and insights into some of the biggest brands in food and beverage, including Starbucks, Domino’s, and Papa John’s.  

Joanna holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature and creative writing from The College of New Jersey and a master’s degree in arts and culture journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. Prior to joining Informa’s Restaurants and Food Group in 2018, she was a freelance food, culture, and lifestyle writer, and has previously held editorial positions at Insider (formerly known as Business Insider) and The Daily Meal. Joanna’s work can also be found in The New York Times, Forbes, Vice, The New York Daily News, and Parents Magazine. 

Her areas of expertise include restaurant industry news, restaurant operator solutions and innovations, and political/cultural issues.

Joanna Fantozzi has been a moderator and event facilitator at both Informa’s MUFSO and Restaurants Rise industry events. 

Joanna Fantozzi’s experience:

Senior Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (August 2021-present)

Associate Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (July 2019-August 2021)

Assistant Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (Oct. 2018-July 2019)

Freelance Food & Lifestyle Reporter (Feb. 2018-Oct. 2018)

Food & Lifestyle Reporter, Insider (June 2017-Feb. 2018)

News Editor, The Daily Meal (Jan. 2014- June 2017)

Staff Reporter, Straus News (Jan. 2013-Dec. 2013)

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