Lauren Silvera is an inspiring up-and-coming artist in Kingston, Jamaica, with her eye on the environment. Lauren and her classmates in the Art Society at Saint Andrew High School for Girls are currently selling Recover drawstring backpacks to raise money for their upcoming art show, ART EXHI 2016, which also hopes to also draw attention to Jamaica’s problems with plastic pollution

“In Jamaica there’s a major plastic issue and it stems from a poverty issue,” says Silvera, who we met last summer at the Island School when she served as the Jamaican Student Ambassador to the 5 Gyres Youth Action Summit. “All over Jamaica we sell thousands upon thousands of these juice bags we call ‘Bag Juice’. Each bag costs 20 cents USD, making it an affordable choice and easily accessible.”