Reflection

Reflection

To complete my Girl Scout Gold Award project, I launched the "Kick Cigarette Butts" environmental campaign to raise awareness about the harm cigarette litter causes to marine ecosystems. During my research, I came across a shocking video: several fish were fighting over a floating cigarette butt, mistaking it for food. That moment made me realize how even a tiny cigarette butt can pose a deadly threat to ocean life. I've always loved marine creatures as a fish owner. Studying oceanography in high school and participating in marine science research during a university pre-college program deepened my understanding of the ocean's fragile ecosystems and sparked in me a sense of responsibility to speak up for nature through art. I led a team to collect cigarette butts and broken cigarette packs from beaches. My artwork incorporates these real objects, and I used paint mixed with polluted seawater to create the piece. At the center of the work, I painted a smoke-stained face resembling the Mona Lisa in brown tones—symbolizing how both human culture and nature are being eroded by pollution. Through my art, I hope to convey this message: protecting the ocean means protecting the beauty and future we all share.