NEW YORK—Underscoring sustainable hospitality and the importance of honeybees for the environment, InterContinental New York Barclay and The Center for Sustainable Design Strategies at Pratt Institute announced the launch of the Barclay the Bee comic series. Aiming to educate and sensitize children to the environment in a fun way, student artist Olga Andreyeva, a senior Illustration major at Pratt, has created sweet, savvy bees-in-the-city characters that playfully highlight the vital work of bees against the backdrop of their New York City home.
Printed locally on 100 percent recycled paper using non-toxic inks and renewable wind-powered energy, the comics, starting with book one, are for free to download from the hotel’s sustainability blog New York Barclay Buzz and also available in print at the hotel for a $5 donation to support the Honeybee Conservancy.
The first comic book, released this month, introduces the reader to the Barclay Bee character as she goes foraging in the city. Together with her young hive mate Cami, Barclay collects nectar for the hive and meets various city characters, both insect and human.
An infographic on urban beekeeping and honeybees developed by Communication Design student at Pratt, Nina Simoneaux, is on display both at the hotel and on the hotel’s blog, along with pictures and background on the characters that make up Barclay the Bee’s world.
Pratt’s Center for Sustainable Design Strategies and Research (CSDS) is the centerpiece of the Institute’s commitment to support its schools, faculty and students in developing sustainable innovation. One of CSDS’s key objectives is to create opportunities for Pratt students to apply their art and design skills to real-world projects with a sustainable mission. The partnership with InterContinental New York Barclay underscores the hotel’s commitment to support educational initiatives, said Carolyn Schaeberle, Assistant Director, Center for Sustainable Design Strategies, Pratt Institute.
Go to the InterContinental New York Barclay and Center for Sustainable Design Strategies.
