above image from How Green is Green? submitted by Ryan Sonderegger, Jamie Oelrich and Dustin Norton. Instructor: Chris North
For five weeks ART 471 students reviewed, discussed and brainstormed social, environmental and economic issues related to waste created by product packaging. Key concepts discussed included, de-materialization (dependency on the material when what you really need is the service), the true cost of a product versus perceived wants and needs, our throw-away culture and the process of understanding how choices or actions influence one another within a whole. Waste Not is a white paper of proposed solutions to this conundrum.
Three students in 471 (Shannon Crutchfield, Micah Fuller, MinJi Pak) have been selected to present their project at the AIGA SHIFT Salon. In addition, Jamie Oelrich, Ryan Sonderegger and Dustin Norton have been selected as alternates to present at SHIFT.
This class is taught by Chris North.
Please take a peek at their flickr group to read some of the discussion that happened this quarter as well. Also, please download all of the White Papers for further reading. These students are great and so are their concepts!
Download Waste Not White Papers HERE!
Continue after the jump to read all of the White Paper summaries. GOOD WORK ALL!
How Green Is Green (alternates for the SHIFT salon)
The Insane Green Posse: Ryan Sonderegger, Jaime Oelrich, Dustin Norton
This proposal asks designers to question their choice of color, specifically ink colors when designing packaging. They discovered that green is not necessarily the most environmentally friendly color and they propose the development of a new system of swatch books that would identify toxins in inks.
Waste Created by Fear of Product Theft
The What: Nate Garvison, Amanda Mansur, Angelica Mendoza
A close look at the volume of package verses actual size of product for electronic items. This team reviews the product cycles from manufacturing to distribution to retail to consumer and they offer an alternative process for purchasing product that eliminates the need for oversized, plastic shells and ultimately reduces the potential for theft.
Glass Kicks Ass (SHIFT salon presenters!)
The Alternative: Micah Fuller, Shannon Crutchfield, MinJi Pak
The amount of waste created by the soft drink industry due to plastic bottles is overwhelming. Yes, plastic bottles can be down-cycled into new products, like fabric, carpet and synthetic wood but they argue that the amount of energy used to down-cycle a product reproduced from petroleum does not outweigh the environmental and social cost.
Bottom Up
The Green Girls: Abbie Kirkpatrick, Kristina Morris, Jordan Lessler
This team has determined that waste begins by the lack of communication. More cross pollination of ideas and process needs to happen between the top of the line (CEOs, Investors, Managers), the middle (Product Designers, Buyers, Manufacturers, Distributers) the bottom (retailers) and even consumers. They borrow the idea of “social networking” to open up the lines of communication.
Innovation and Responsible Packaging
TNT: Thomas Hughes, Michael Eaton, Marilyn Quintero
What are you really paying for when you purchase a beautiful box of chocolates? Companies see excess waste (heavy boxes, ribbons, trays) as a sign of luxury. This team literally took apart the chocolate industries definition of expectation and fulfillment!
True Cost Label: Reducing Packaging Waste Through Reduced Consumption
Elizabeth Harmon
In this proposal the designer suggests that the problem is not just over-packaging but our own desire to consume too much. If consumers were educated about their choices with regard to the “true cost” to the environment and humanity they may make more sustainable purchases.
Comments