WEB EXCLUSIVE Biodegradable signs illustrated with fish stuck in single-use plastic bottles are hanging in front of the Flood Mansion and on the corner of Broadway and Fillmore Streets in celebration of  Earth Day.

Five thousand signs were distributed throughout San Francisco, Venice Beach, and Santa Monica, according to prnewswire.com.

“I was really confused when I first saw the signs,” junior Sofia Telfer said. “I didn’t know why they were there or who distributed them.”

These signs were brought out by PATHWATER’s Earth Day Fish in Bottle Campaign in order for people to become aware of packaging pollution and to get signatures from Californians to amend CA State Assembly Bill AB 1080. This bill plans to reduce the amount of plastic packaging sold in California by 2030.

“I wasn’t informed of who put the cardboard fish up around school or the purpose behind it,” Emma Hubbard, member of the Environmental Club, said. “I do think that they draw people’s attention and I hope it prompts them to wonder how they can make a difference.”

Featured on the sign is the hashtag #OurPath2050. The hashtag is a reference to a statement from the World Economic Forum which states that there will be more plastic than fish in the oceans by 2050 if current waste malpractices continue.

“At first I didn’t know what the fish image was and I had to look at it a few times,” English teacher Julia Arce and Convent & Stuart Hall Global Partners for Stewardship Member said. “I think that the fish in bottles are very powerful, disturbing, and real symbols that will make people think.”

Convent & Stuart Hall is trying to educate the community on what waste goes in each bin. Service Learning Director Ray O’Connor also makes weekly announcements about water usage, according to Arce.

“After learning about the meaning of these signs, I think it is an interesting way to get the message out,” Telfer said. “It will force people to realize the repercussions of how plastic affects our oceans.”