A 7-foot tall Fleur de lis Litter Letter was recently created to raise awareness about items that can be recycled on the campus of Spring Hill College in Mobile making this the first Litter Letter in Alabama.

The Fleur de Lis Litter Letter is a new, interactive art installation currently displayed at the center of Spring Hill College’s campus in Mobile, Alabama. Built by Karl Broussard and Stephen Laurendine and wrapped by students of IDS394, this piece is the newest addition to a series of installations designed by Assistant Professor of Graphic Design Rachael Hatley (above, with clippers) that draws attention to ending litter, reducing waste, and improving recycling.

By filling the 7-foot tall fleur de lis—a symbol drawn from the Spring Hill College crest—with recyclables, the piece makes a statement about the solidarity of the Spring Hill College community not only with the project of recycling but with the larger cause of protecting our environment.

As with all the projects in the Litter Letter series nationwide, the fleur de lis is designed to promote community involvement as members of the Spring Hill College campus community affirm their commitment to addressing waste issues by adding their recyclables to the installation. Students, faculty and staff were invited to add aluminum cans and plastics (#1 and #2 plastics) to the structure over a three-week period in March. A formal dedication took place on Wednesday, April 5, 2017.

This is the first full academic year with the newly revamped recycling program at Spring Hill College. With its implementation, the college has increased recycling efforts on campus, including its participation in the RecycleMania competition, which concluded on April 10. During RecyleMania, the school’s weekly estimates have been about 750 lbs in bottles and cans, 150 lbs in cardboard, and 450 lbs in paper. The fleur de lis will be exhibited until the summer, when all recyclables will be removed and recycled.  The structure itself portable and reusable and will be “recycled” for future events on campus.

Since its inception, Litter Letters have been created in 30 different cities in seven states in the U.S., including many in which many Keep America Beautiful affiliates participate, as well as in several cities in Australia.