Cafeteria Culture

Debby Lee Cohen is a multimedia artist and zero-waste activist whose work combines creative design with environmental education and advocacy. Her practice spans giant puppets, sculptural costumes, painting, animation, scenic design, media, alternative messaging, and consulting. Cohen has designed large-scale puppets for public events, including a children’s parade at the Festival Paris Quartier d’Été in the Jardin des Tuileries and New York’s Village Halloween Parade, where she worked with collaborators for eight years.

Her projects have included an endangered rainforest puppet series funded by Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream. She also served as set designer and story advisor for HBO Family’s Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning animated special Classical Baby. Through Cafeteria Culture, Cohen develops alternative messaging and works creatively with young people to support equitable, zero-waste, climate-smart school communities and a plastic-free biosphere.

She co-directed and co-produced the film Microplastic Madness and its impact campaign with Atsuko Quirk. Cohen’s work connects imaginative art-making with practical environmental action