LACKAWANNA COUNTY, Pa. — A man from Lackawanna County is on a mission to stop plastic from polluting the environment while providing free school supplies for students who need them, but he is just starting to get his business off the ground and is looking to do even more.
Joshua Davis, a Jessup native, started picking plastic up off the ground in the summer of 2020, melting it down, and using silicone molds to create something new. That eventually turned into an LLC, and now Davis makes school supplies like rulers, page holders, and alphabet letters.
"I think that using plastic to be formed into school supplies is going to create an entire generation of kids that cares," Davis said.
Everything Davis makes is by hand, so it takes a long time. That is why he is fundraising. With the proper equipment, he can work faster and make more products. The school supplies are free for students who need them, but Davis sells his stuff at Wonderstone Gallery in Dunmore and several other spots in Lackawanna County.
Beth Ann Zero thinks their visions really align.
"I really like supporting local artists and local charities, and he's kind of a combination of both," said Zero, the owner of Wonderstone Gallery.
Eventually, Davis hopes to have some sort of drop-off location in every community in Lackawanna County. He can turn your plastic into something personalized for you, or it can go to his bigger cause of creating school supplies.
"There's a lot of plastic on the side of the road because people don't see any value in it. If we can create community points where people can bring their plastic and have it turned into something that's useful to them, people will stop throwing it on the side of the road," Davis said.
He says he never intended to do this for money, so he splits the proceeds with local charities like breast cancer and suicide awareness organizations.
"He's got a big heart trying to do good. So many people talk about doing something for the environment, but so few people actually take action. So it's really cool to see somebody taking action for something that they strongly believe in," Zero said.
Taking action for the environment and students in need.
You can check out Davis' projects and his mission on his website.