Grocery store with items made from plastic opening to public
A grocery store that features thousands of products made entirely of discarded plastic opens to the public on Tuesday
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A grocery store that features thousands of products made entirely of discarded plastic opens to the public on Tuesday.
The Plastic Bag Store is a custom-built public art installation and film experience designed to encourage visitors to think more about the enduring impact of single-use plastics.
The store in Ann Arbor, Michigan, features shelves stocked with items such as meat, eggs and cakes -- all made from single-use plastics taken from streets and garbage dumps.
The store at times during the day will be transformed into a stage for a series of short films in which puppetry and handmade sets are used to tell a story of the dangers of plastic waste and the consequences for future generations.
As the show's tagline puts it: “Part installation. Part film. All bags.”
Plastic bags are created by fossil fuels and often end up as waste in landfills and oceans.
Americans toss out 100 billion plastic bags per year, according to Worldwatch Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based environmental research organization.
Theater and film director Robin Frohardt is the driving creative force behind the Plastic Bag Store.
“I got the idea many years ago after watching someone bag and double-bag and triple-bag my groceries,” Frohardt said Tuesday. “I just was sort of struck by how ridiculous how much packaging is involved in our everyday lives.
“And it just seemed so absurd. I just thought, ‘Maybe I could make a project that’s even more absurd.’ ”
The store’s shelves are lined with items whose names are intended to mimic real-life products such as “Yucky Shards” (Lucky Charms), “Bitz of Plastic Crap” (Ritz Crackers), “Bagemite” (Vegemite) and “Filthydelphia roll” (Philadelphia roll).
One product Frohardt didn’t have to alter was baguettes, “because it was already in the name,” she said with a laugh.
The Plastic Bag Store, which runs through Feb. 5, is presented via a partnership between the University of Michigan Museum of Art, University Musical Society, University of Michigan Arts Initiative and Graham Sustainability Institute.
Tickets are $30 for general admission. Student tickets cost $12.
The show premiered in Times Square in 2020. It since has made stops in Los Angeles; Chicago; Austin, Texas; and Adelaide, Australia.
“I hope that we can continue to tour this project and bring it to different communities,” said Frohardt, who is based in New York. “My dream would be that this project becomes irrelevant.
“But it probably won't be.”