Have you ever heard of a living, singing plant? How about a plant that sings to bring a message across? That is what the satirical company founders of Plant Bot Genetics spoke of in Duda Hall on Oct. 20.

Company founders Jeff Schmuki and Wendy DesChene said the purpose of their company is to show stupidity of bioengineering by having “bioengineered” plants sing and dance. “We do it to support the environment,” the founder said. They also do it for the purpose of advocating support for saving the environment, such as the destruction of the honey bee population. They started the company together shortly after meeting in 2009.

  The founders are art professors by trade, so that is where the artful singing and dancing of the plants comes in to play.

During the presentation, students were educated on the dangers of the unbalanced animal population; specifically, the decrease in honey bee population. Their solution is currently the “Moth Project,” which uses scientific reasoning, support, data, and evidence to raise awareness for the growth of the moth population because moths are pollinators. Plant Bot Genetics aims to help moths pollinate more, perform research on different moth species and their differing abilities to pollinate.

In the future, Plant Bot Genetics will advocate for new and more sustainable forms of energy.

   Since Schmuki and DesChene feel that some businesses destroy the environment and take advantage of processes in nature that should not be taken advantage of, they had this to say to future business leaders and students: “When you are on your own and heading up a business, it is very important to know what is the real cost of making money; as well as determining the forms of energy being used for the products being made.”

     DesChene said to future advocacy leaders. “Whatever you do, do it and be badass about it!”