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Name: Eva Solo

Date: 21/11/19 

Professor: Marcela Godoy 

• Initial Ideation

As the end of the semester is approaching and I began thinking what sparked my curiosity this semester the most, and what I would like to look into further. 

Reflecting on my exploration for this course, the first thing that came to mind was Richard Brubaker’s talk at the very beginning. After he shared his views and progress on the waste development in China, I realised what drew me in the most, and simultaneously made me care, was the geo-location he was referencing. Living in a place so foreign from anything your past experiences have brought you leaves you with two options: immerse and try to understand, or leave. It isn’t the easiest task to quickly gather local information without the issues of language or cultural barriers, but hearing someone who genuinely cares what he does and more importantly why he does it allowed me to take that perspective on also.

Setting up the art trash installation was also very meaningful for me, as I was able to, on a small-scale, combine my previous interest of visual arts and my new curiosity about ecological awareness. Likewise, as I was able to replicate this combination while creating the trash wearable, I was able to fully be in control from the proposal to the end product which taught me more about the importance of developing meaning and doing things with a purpose.

Another really important message I continue to develop over the weeks is: consume what you need to consume. Which in turn allows me to consider the final project in the light of sustainability and actual use. 

PLASTIC, – I have never taken the time to understand a material my life basically depends on on a daily basis, and thus I can draw a loose assumption that I am not the only one. With this in mind, I want to use the opportunity of this assignment to create a project that speaks to people that don’t have the ability to obtain the volume and depth of the plastic pollution/toxicity issue at their finger-tips.

Firstly,

Art piece only using plastic / biodegradable materials and the techniques we explored during the workshops. Every time we are able to create something in the lab I get so excited and for this project, or just myself, I want to practice these techniques and create more from the plastic melting, moulding, and mixing recipes to create biodegradable material. The workshop we participated in last week was amazing and I knew I want to try and create more of the materials and see how they interact with each other. Although I am still in the ideation phase of this proposal, I think it would be a great opportunity to take the time and experiment with these materials, consider how I can not only replicate but convolute something new using the skills and the information I learned. With this piece I would like the send the message of awareness – but not just a surface level; you should recycle because it’s good for the planet – but something that could evoke empathy out of the viewer and potentially make them think about their actions.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/apr/15/lucy-siegle-ethical-art-paint

This article dived deeper into the art field and discussed how artists are now becoming more aware of the process of creating rather than just the end-product. A lot of waste can be produced while exploring your ideas, and I would want to record the process from start to finish in creating a physical piece that, to my best ability, is minimal waste, eco-friendly, and can translate an ideas clearly though just the visual.

This idea for me is something new, as I tend to lean towards abstract creations that could be interpreted in an array of directions, but considering all that we’ve covered, I think it is important this piece is very clear in its message and can be easily understood – of course following the supplementary material (background info / aim / process) for those curious to understand more. “If you can’t explain it to a five year old, you don’t understand it” is something that has stayed in my head ever since I started leading about science, and I think it is a great mark to keep in mind for this project as I think about my target audience.

Potentially even focusing in reaching the younger audience as a priority, because I believe that’s where the change has the most effect in being implemented for the prosperity of our future environment.

 

Secondly,

As I mentioned my interest in the location we currently are living in, my other idea was to conduct local research starting with the investigation of Precious Plastic and their works in Shanghai. The talk we listened to as well as the stool workshop was very meaningful to me because I saw other foreigners come to a new place and focus on problems higher than them selves. I would like to learn more about this particular operation and further see to what extent I could make this transferable globally. I say this because as I checked Precious Plastic World Map, I was actually able to locate a few spots in Lithuania but they were only messages of interest and no action. I want to explore how concepts of eco- awareness can be translated to an audience oblivious to the global issues and how groups, like Precious Plastic, was able to obtain not only a global reach – but also local effect! I would attempt and talk to as many local Chinese people as possible to see if they have ever hear of an organisation as such, and if not what their understanding of trash waste is. To further ask how people obtain information and explore the ways an audience can be expanded. I have recently visited XNode, an international start up company based in China. From that visit I saw a pattern on  startups with a focus on sustainability and were selected by XNode and why those particular companies were predicted to be successful in China. As this is more researched based, I would document the research with the final statement, and based on the results of my sample, create a way to share it that would be accessible and effective in relation to why I have conducted this study.

 

Name: Eva Solo

Date: 20/11/19 

Professor: Marcela Godoy 

Reading Response:

The Biomimicry chapter in Design Is The Problem was the most relatable text to my personal values as I believe we collectively created distance from us and nature, thus being one of the fundamental issues in ecological problems today. In the text they even highlighter ‘inspirational’ as strength of biomimicry and I could not agree more. With the abundance of technological distractions we have put the environment as a secondary priority, and movements like this one is a way to bring our values back to where we came from. It is difficult to imagine the world without the infrastructure we have, but maybe we don’t need to be cave people to be respectful of the land we inhabit. “Nature has no waste”(110) yet it birthed us, and we are creating it like it was our main priority. I like to imagine what the world looks like from a third-point, intelligent-alien type of perspective, how the landfills appear from the perspective of someone not understanding the circulation of our society’s conception habits. Through the insights from this chapter, I prioritise taking an example from nature rater than people. It is more difficult to derive your own conclusions without someone telling you how you should behave or what you should do, but what if their suggestions are bias without us evening considering it. In the text The Truth About Bioplastics, I consider what I have learnt about recycling. Before this course I ended the line of sustainability at recycling being the solution. Now I giggle at the extent of understanding that I then have, and further consider how important individual contribution is. The solutions to a more sustainable way of living exist, as well as the tests that people already attempted, but somehow this information is still a secret at the surface level and requires extensive research to be reached. At this point I consider the suggestion our guest speaker recently shared with us about creating facilities to store all of our waste till a few centuries later when we can safely discard them. It almost sounds like the only option considering the amount of waste that is currently polluting our Earth at the time I am writing this response. 

Experiment Reflection:

I was making potato starch based replacement for plastic and was very surprised by the physical qualities of the final product. The material was transparent, and flexible when very thin, as well as durable when thicker. It directly reminded me of takeaway packaging due to its physical qualities. We acknowledged a few errors in the heating process, and I am currently testing different techniques in achieving alternate results (posting a separate journal entry documenting these experiments).

I was also very interested in the coffee grounds material as it stood very durably and saw uses for it similarly to how KFC created their edible cup. I am interested to see how potato starch material could be used to contribute to my final project. 

Name: Eva Solo

Date: 06/11/19 

Professor: Marcela Godoy 

Reading Response:

From the reading from Collective Responsibility, Social Innovation in China, I understood that identifying a problem is far easier than identifying what the first steps to innovation could be when the current model seemingly works for those involved. In the context of China, the population is among the largest in the world and its developments are rapidly changing from year to year, affecting not only the locals but the global world too. The benefit of this case is that “the replication structures and processes are still in the earliest phases”(13) thus have room for improvements and adjustments. When realising that the change can be implemented in the design stages and then scaled out, one must remember that this process is much more related to science than art as Carol Chyau states. This was a new idea for me, because I considered brainstorming to be a free flow of ideas, with no boundaries, and no restrictions. When I consider her message, I realise that as much as this process should be free, it also should account the infrastructure of today’s world and its needs. Following this thought the mention of their findings that “[they] found out from [their] meetings with entrepreneurs whose organisations have foreign roots, formal or informal, the key to surviving and success in China is not just overcoming these technical barriers, but a clear path towards localisation supported by the right value proposition and strong leadership” (17) conveys a heavy emphasis to understanding the targeted market. Each community, either by country, or income levels, have differentiating perspectives on sustainability and its affect, while I propose that we should to some extent universalise them for the best possible outcome. Starting with a large population, such as the Chinese, could serve as a model of success for other smaller scale pools of people, and although this process is usually done in reverse, I think there is a lot of opportunity in these boarders to set examples for the rest.

The author of Multiple-Helix Collaboration for the Development of a Circular Economy, Mats Larsson, highlights how different types of communities should approach a change to the current lifestyles they indulge in. Education is an important element when creating transformational frameworks, because lack of information is usually the determining factor in choosing harmful outcomes. The different examples provided about Europe all involve some level of government participation. How have I not considered this before? This was the first time I understood the opportunity that can be explored with the help of the movements worldwide. I think the distance between the citizens and their authority figures is where my perspective stagnated. In most countries it is hard to express feedback to the governments, and the election process is usually driven by other factors. The urging desire for change can sometimes be expressed in obscure ways. The past US election stands as an example of this, in my opinion, because when people focus on what they don’t want they are more likely to choose an option based on negative feelings from the past. I rase the question: Why are we told that religion and politics should not be discussed openly? Why are these topics so controversial? Maybe if we approached authority with a more humane and down-to-earth perspective, we could communicate our considerations? It is difficult to reconsider the entire infrastructure of control in our world, but we could all to some extent agree that the current circulation is not something we support overall. It goes back to the ego-driven perspective, if it doesn’t ‘affect’ me than it doesn’t matter. But it does affect all of us, and in more ways than we can see on the surface level. I personally don’t understand why these burning ecological questions are not at the top of our governments’ priority list. Are they just arising, and are too new? When will we make ecological awareness a priority?

Watching the video My Perspective On Profit also made me realise how much of a privilege it is to incorporate sustainability in a company. It is a privilege to understand these concepts and better yet be active on their behave, but how do we make this universal? I understand that the need to feed one self is greater than ecological considerations, but if we wait for all of the world to overcome the poverty line, there might not be an Earth to save. We could try to balance and slowly work on all of these issues at once, which I think is the mindset we see showcased, but once again I am curious how is sustainability for the betterment of our own life-quality not emphasised to the extent that it should be.  

Workshop Reflection:

The Precious Plastic session was very informative as we got to learn on this organisation’s work directly in Shanghai. The talk covered their experimentation and impact not only on the local community, but how they share information globally with their other sites. The emphasis on teaching people how to produce this at home was something that stood out to me the most, especially considering my own final project. 

We covered different machinery, ways to fuze plastic, and the real life use of these innovations. Seeing earring or the coasters that I would want for myself further broadened my perspective on how impactful organisations as such are. Going through the process of shredding and heating and moulding the plastic ourselves made me consider 1) how much more us I can get from the materials I used to label as waste and 2) how difficult it is to produce products – which then took my back to my on going thought loop of my own consumption habits.

I looked on the Precious Plastic World Map to find a few pins in Lithuania. Although none of them were ongoing projects, they were all proposals from people with innovative ideas. A few were in my hometown, and I sent a few messages to investigate if any proposals were in action and although I haven’t heard back I see opportunity to find people to talk to when I am home and see what type of change we could implement. Lithuania being a fairly small community, and my capital a smaller percentage of that, could be a test run for me to see what type of impact I can make with all of the knowledge I am gathering oversees. 

 

Name: Eva Solo

Date: 30/10/19 

Professor: Marcela Godoy 

Reading Response:

Through this course, now more than ever, I have been thinking of ways how to change the ‘I’m just one person, I won’t change anything’ perspective. In Design For Social Impact, the authors highlight that “great concepts and great vision are not enough to make an impact” (19) and suggest how creative and unconventional ways of design can impact the outcome of a production. Concepts such as ‘fresh eyes’ introduce more perspectives and made me consider how much we need to incorporate a diverse group of individuals when ideating. Even the most impossible idea can lead to a new train of thought and should not be ruled out. Another section that grasped my attention was the design review process, because most of the time when you finalise a good idea and reach the end of production, you don’t really want to acknowledge what can be changed, so you subconsciously block your mind from reviewing your own work with objectivity. Gathering feedback from other is essential in creating a scalable production, which goes back to receiving a diverse handful of suggestions. The community, or network, is an important aspect in the design production pipeline as you must consider the motivation for social work or profits from others. Environmental issues are exponentially having a greater impact on the quality of  life and “many beautiful-looking products have an underlying ugliness that is hidden to the consumer and is often invisible to the designer as well” as it is stated in the text Bio-Thinking: The Total Beautify of Sustainable Products. When I consider sustainable products, I imagine the whole production from the ideation phase to the discarding by the consumer to be not only be environmentally safe but also useful. This can be argued because we consume a lot that we’ve convinced ourselves that we need, while in reality our lives would not be impaired without these products. I understand that a minimalist style of life isn’t for everyone, but I do think it is important to draw the line of overconsumption when it is reached. To some extent the flow of money and  creativity  of luxury commodities have tampered with (at least) the Western way of life, as success is defined by the material scope of ownership. When investing in a product deemed as something you need or luxurious, ‘how was it made?’  is usually not the first question you rase. We are collectively aware of the the mob mentality phenomenon, and the consumers are currently being consensually manipulated by those seeking money so is it the responsibility of the creators to not just inform us, but also create sustainably? At this time we are coming to a realisation that “consciously or not, the design of products and processes is the main determinant of environmental impact” and this key piece of information can be the determining factor in how the next decade  of production will affect the functionality of the Earth. If we cannot reach the empathy of people hungry for money, maybe we can find the way to show them that sustainable considerations directly affect them too? I am thinking how much value a determined ecological activist’s perspective could affect the design meetings of large corporations. As mentioned before, it is hard to admit that you are wrong (while creating something, and investing funds, and having people depend on you), but this is the product being a part of a highly judgmental society and trying to protect egos rather than the longevity of the planet. While we should focus on trying to manage the damage of toxicity, we should also remember that that isn’t the main issue, the one causing the most harm? – absolutely, but the one that started this trail of degradation. Ignorance was something that needed to be overcome, as we were not aware for how excess plastic was going to be piled up in landfills and in turn affect our health, but now we are aware, more than aware. Our world’s people have the recourses and all of the trail-and-error needed to determine what is the best steps to move forward in terms of sustainability, yet we still choose to ignore it. In my opinion, this sort of mentally comes from the detachment from nature and is our origins. I ask myself if it a ‘negative’ perspective when I consider that ‘true change can only be achieved from the destruction of the current framework’ as I want to believe the same way I was affected by educating myself, others can be too. Is it too late for individuals that already solidified their view on the world? Was it effective for me as I approached learning about the world and its functionality at an age when my brain was still developing its core beliefs? It is so beautiful to see society break preconceptions about individuality and allow people to explore themselves, but can this perspective be applied when discussing something that does not talk back and is able to explain itself? Our Earth is communicating with us – it is showing us the air pollution through fog we inhale, the trashed oceans by choking turtles, the diseases caused by the thinking of the atmosphere field, yet we still chose to ignore it till it personally affects our lives. The authors, of Design Is The Problem in the chapter Natural Capitalism, highlight a framework  that “creates a quick foundation for understanding the value of sustainability and the new perspectives around sustainable design and development” (83). They suggest 4 shifts in favour of the mentality that “we don’t have to wait for new advances to make a radical difference” (87) which makes me very hopeful. I want to use the opportunity of our NYU Shanghai community to investigate how this approach sounds to the peers around me for the reminding time at University, because attending school here has drastically changed my views on the world, and I am curious how people are going to translate their educational experience to their contributions after college. To an extent I do feel the responsibility to not only implement these changes into my life, but make this an option for a larger pool of the population.

 

 

Assignment Reflection:

Chinese Knots:

I first familiarised myself with the craft of Chinese knots after attending a workshop hosted by the Chinese Language department. The techniques were not easy to quickly grasp, but the outcome of the beautiful designs was very fulfilling. After my first experience, I attended four more of these workshops over the years and now I want to consider how it could be replicated with recycled plastic. 

To attempt this technique, a fabric like physical quality of thread needs to be achieved. An idea is to use the melting of plastic bags with an iron method to strengthen the material and then cut think strands that can be weaved together. In this process, I would predict 3-4 plastic bags to be melted together for strength while looping them together. This would also create a more three-dimensional aesthetic for the final outcome.

An interesting point: While I was researching this tradition, every single site had tutorials how to achieve the displayed result. Not only was the basic method well described, but tips-and-tricks were also usually explained in detail. With all of our discussions and now research, I do want to implement this element in my final project. To me, this represents collectivity and sharing of information. I am realising how important it is to continue the chain effect of sharing information and suggestions. Instead of avoiding the discussions of error, we can all learn, which in turn allows for more rapid progress as we all are not repeating the same mistakes over and over again.

Chinese Paper Cutting:

Another beautiful Chinese crafting technique is cutting out designs from paper. These cut outs are also at times layered to tell multi- dimensional stories. When thinking about this technique to be replicated while using plastic instead of paper, I consider the material to be thin enough to be able to cut through but durable in density. I would attempt to first create a board by cutting take away packaging, placing them together, and layering both sides with bubble wrap as a sandwich, then fusing them by melting in an oven, letting it cool down. This board then should be sanded to a a flat surface if any bumps are apparent,  and cut into them with the pre-made designs stencils. Another technique could involve fuzing bubble wrap layers together with an iron and carving the designs out from this type of a material. It would be easier to cut, but would not be as durable as the food packaging. 

 

 

Chinese Kites:

On a windy day, the sky is filled with colourful kites, and I have been noticing this trend ever since I came to Shanghai. Their intricate deigns amazed be as I was used to a simple rhombus shaped design, and these were not only detailed in decorations but took form in different shapes, and layers. I had never seen such a view, and can only draw similarities to how a bundle of colourful air balloons look at sunset. I also remember the first time I saw a dragon shaped kite, this time there weren’t a pool of people and the outlier looked like an alien object floating in the sky, till I saw the string attached to its head. This view has been something I constantly look forward to when I visit the Shanghai Museum of Science and Technology area, as a lot of people choose this location to display their kite flying skills there. 

 

 

Although the original use of the Chinese Kite Tradition was for distance measuring, in the current day they are heavily used as an attraction for kids and decorations for festivities. These kites are made up from plastic and wire and are carefully put together due to its functionality of flying. The fabric-like plastic material stands as a base for wind resistance and the wire solidifies the core skeleton that is attached to a plastic strand for holding. A lot of these decorative kites use a lot of material to create designs that dance in the wind on top of the base framework.

In order to replicate this traditional toy, three elements need to be considered: the strand for holding, the skeleton, and the wind resistance surface. For the start I would implement the Chinese Knot method I described earlier for durability and light weight. I would use plastic threads, melted in the oven, and then shape them to a cross like shape to attach the main surface of the kite onto. Keeping in mind the light-weight necessity, I would test: bubble wrap fuzzing, starch plastic solution recipe, or plastic bottles. For the plastic bottle idea: I would cut up plastic bottles horizontally and weave the strands into a formation without gaps, this would stand as a base and I would either heat or oven these pieces together, adding a outer surface of plastic bags. This ideation is very interesting to me, and I think I want to explore it further. As I mentioned I want to include some sort of a tutorial with my final project, especially considering its need, and seeing the amount of kites I encounter – this could be an idea which I share with my audience. If the handbook includes direct tutorials for kids and adults to create their kites together, and also provide some information why not only this process has an effect on the ecology, but actions as such in the grand scheme, – maybe it could be a point of consideration to implement more of the up-cycling in their daily lives. 

 

 

I was reading the National Geographic article Eat Your Food, and the Packaging Too that covered the current impact of plastic pollution and the current ways damage control is implemented. It discussed some innovative ways companies attempted to replicate the childhood dream that Willy Wonka actualised of an all edible room.

#1:

The first idea was an edible coffee cup: KFC used heat-resistant white chocolate linking and a hard cookie/wafer shell to distribute coffee, in the UK. Along side ecological considerations, they also prioritised simplicity. The quotation by Shilpa Rosenberry “this type of edible packaging is definitely aligned with the global consumer mind-set in terms of sustainability and simplifying their life” conveys awareness and the changing perspective on consumption from the masses. This aligns with the Natural Capitalism framework, because although to a certain extent we have reached a crisis (16 billion disposable coffee cups are thrown away each year) this type of thinking shows the detachment from profit being the one and only priority. Fast food companies, like KFC, are fully aware regardless of what they put out, people are still going to consume the products for convenience, especially when thinking about an addictive stimulant like caffeine.

Although I am not sure if coffee consumers are necessarily interested in having a snack after their cup, this type of thinking is very forward for societal change. 

#2:

I came across packaging that disappears and was immediately intrigued by this eye-catching title. A design firm in Sweden began dabbling with the idea of a quickly biodegradable packaging to replace plastic use and in turn waste. “An oil bottle made from caramelised sugar, coated with wax, that cracks open like an egg; a smoothie container made from seaweed that “will wither at the same rate as its content,” and a peel-able beeswax package for rice or other dry goods” seem quite farfetched without context. I was reading some of these aloud with friends and them, having no context of my interest, were laughing at the ideas and their complexity. I briefly touched upon plastic pollution and their attitude changed as they drew the links between environmental need and these products. 

I think these ideas are perfect for containing takeaway food, as the contents are consumed fast and the longevity of their packaging extends over our own lifetimes for no other need than transportation. This process aligns with the values highlighted in Bio-Thinking: The Total Beautify of Sustainable Products due its focus on the entire pipeline of production from ideation to waste. Tackling an issue that is more cost-demanding than the simple act of ignoring, portrays understanding on the effect of their productions.

 #3:

Stonyfield Organic have also approached the packaging issue of their dairy products and tested our edible packaging to their consumers in the United States. They highlighted that this progression was motivated by their mission statement focusing on healthier living, and the wasted packaging were directly affecting the state of planet they so fondly are trying to improve. Considering the Natural Capitalism framework, this company was able to target a design issue and test our solutions. Although their implemented test rounds, the idea was stopped and altered after the launch. I could draw a link to the profits and the constant demand for their products from heir loyal consumers to be an incentive to choose an easier way rather than the more ecologically-friendly one.

Reading Response

I have learned about the industrial revolution everywhere since a very young age – It leads human beings to walk into a brand new era, it increased people’s standards of living and the development speed boomed. I know that London is called the foggy city is because of the serious pollution once brought by the industrial revolution. However, I have never thought that the negative industrial revolution brought can last so long and rooted so deep. According to William McDonough & Michael Braungart, “industrialists wanted to make products as efficiently as possible and to get the greatest volume of goods to the largest number of people” (21). This kind of thinking leads to two results, while the first one is those technical developments centered on increasing “power, accuracy, economy, system, continuity, speed”, and the second one is that “Neither the health of natural systems, nor an awareness of their delicacy, complexity, and interconnectedness, have been part of the industrial design agenda” (26). The complete and utter design error leads to our terrible environment today. The cradle-to-grave model impressed me deeply since I am one of the masses who contribute to this. I am used to buying clothes from shops like H&M, where the clothes can usually be worn for one season, and next year it will be out of fashion then never get worn or be thrown away. I also often buy something online which is useless and meaningless – I just buy them for fun, they may even be crude products. After I throw them into the trash bin, they just disappear, as McDonough and Braungart have said, “Away” does not really exist, “Away” has gone away. Maybe they have already become a piece of microplastic floating in the ocean as Accumulation: The Material Politics of Plastic has pointed out. 

To solve the problem, Cradle to Cradle suggests us to take action right now so we won’t keep harming our environment and future generations. “You can continue to be engaged in that strategy of tragedy, or you can design and implement a strategy of change” (44). In Accumulation, the authors provide us with a few feasible ways and examples of people reusing plastic/ using new materials instead of normal plastic. “For example, the amassing of plastics in seas and oceans has given rise to new ways of working through plastics, such as EU pay fishermen in the Mediterranean to catch plastic, rather than fish” (208). Yet plastics are accumulating in many different ways, as they break down, enter food chains as plasticizers and generate alterations in the eating patterns of diverse organisms. 

Therefore, along with government regulations, there are also other people putting the effort into figuring out the best way to reduce plastic pollution. In my perspective, one of the biggest problems of human beings is that most of us have thought of Anthropocene: we don’t consider what will be brought to the environment when producing, and Marx excluded the non-human from his definition of human labor (215). However, now most proposals on solving the plastic problems focus on non-human labor. 

 

Rather than having crude oil as their primary substrate, biodegradable plastics are usually made from starch and cellulose – what otherwise is referred to as ‘renewable’ materials. Since these materials are derived from plants, and maybe composted or degraded through anaerobic digestion rather than put into landfill, they are seen as a possible way to address the accumulation of plastics in environments (Song et al. 2009: 2127).  

 

Same as what we do in class, this article raises the idea of making biodegradable plastic by using natural things (e.g. starch). What’s more, Murakami and Kieren Jones, develop their project as a response to the increasing amounts of plastic found in the seas and at the littoral margins. The project participants have developed a ‘nurdler’ device, a ‘sluice-like contraption’ for collecting and sorting plastic debris and microplastic pellets from the ocean, just like what we do in class (220). However, this might lead to danger. We have bacteria when creating bioplastic from tea and sugar, and they are killed because of vinegar, what if those bacteria evolves? In Accumulation, they tell a story of bacterial run amok in London, causing the whole city degrading. But so far everything about bioplastic seems to be under control – at least these material residues also provide fodder for rethinking the trajectory of our material politics, outside the closed loop of renewed capital, to a more extensive understanding of and speculative approach to the complex and collective carbon work that emerges from our lived plastic materialities (224). 

 

Final Plan

 

So according to this map that I drew my plan will mainly be the following steps…

1. Collecting – A4 paper, posters, other paper-related materials
2. Making – use the materials I have collected to remake new papers （and when blending them, the time will decide how it looks, and if there remain any patterns or not)
3. Application – different applications, including souvenirs, notebooks, printing paper, and some planning application: usable materials (e.g. for laser cut), waimai box, reusable flower pot…

Following these 3 steps, I will test my hypothesis:

 By remaking paper, it will gradually build a circle of paper using inside the school, as well as contributing to other areas that can use remade materials. 

A list of items/machines I need:

1. paperssssssss
2. blender
3. mold (I think I am going to use laser cut or the digital fabrication machine) 
   

   Digital Fabrication Machine will be a good choice for me to make the mold

    

4. heater/dryer/iron
5. sponse&bath towel&huge paper towel (maybe the kind we use in the toilet)
6. windowscreen
7. cooking spray

 

Why I include a waimai box in my project applications is that when I ordered a salad waimai, the container they use is special. It is soft, proteiform, and not water-proof. I examined it and found it pretty interesting, but with the time goes the sauce in salad almost soaked through the box. There is a recyclable sign at the cover of the box, but personally speaking, I don’t think the dirty box can be recycled again – it is also difficult to be cleaned. This box provides me with some inspiration, but I don’t feel like it is truly a successful example. 

 

 

 

 

Name: Eva Solo

Date: 23/10/19 

Professor: Marcela Godoy 

 

PROJECT TITLE:

Safeguard

PROJECT STATEMENT:   

Safeguard, a fashion wearable created from recycled materials, is a piece calling the attention humans of the danger they create for Mother Earth. The instinct to protect the human body is a survival mechanism preinstalled into each and everyone of us, and I invite the viewers to take the same extent of care when interacting with our collective household of our planet. Recycling waste isn’t the end goal that will convolute ecological change, but it is an obtainable start to implement a change in society’s perspective on their existence, purpose, and legacy.

RESEARCH

Through the investigation of waste circulation, in the Yuntai apartment building complex in Puxi, one of the trash collectors shared how grateful she was for finding this niche of work in collecting raw materials and selling them. Although she expressed how difficult her job is on a daily basis, the payoff is fully supporting her and her family’s needs. On multiple occasions she reiterated “塑料是我的保护“ meaning “plastic is my protection“, which then lead me to explore how a material deemed as worthless due to its purpose being fulfilled in one lifecycle to some, can support others financially in a brand new lifecycle. Richard Brubaker shared insight knowledge about how the community of trash collectors interact in China, and noted that the price of materials varies purely based on who is brining the material to sell at the night markets. This field of work does not have guidelines to follow in order to make profit, but rather is effective to those who can strategise, calculate, and adapt. The trash collector, I was communicating with, said her routine immensely changed after the new waste regulations were implemented in July and the pricing of styrofoam and plastic fluctuated as more people were disposing their materials correctly into the bins at the set times, and on some days she could not find anything lying around. Her strategy was telling the residence of the complex that instead of having to worry about when they have to take their plastic waste outside or what bin to place it in, they could just leave it by the door and she will gather them every morning before 7am. In this case, it is a mutually beneficial relationship as the residence don’t have to log their recyclables outside and she can continue to resell them every night. Her story is very surprising to me as I had no previous familiarity in such type of independent work and I wanted to create a wearable in representation of her culture.

Something else that serves as protection for humans and is made up from different types of plastic is a bullet/stab – proof – vest. Solders, police, security personnel, – all depend on this invention to be their protection, similar to 余, for survival. The irony in us protecting ourselves with plastic and then simultaneously destroying our Earth with that same material made me further consider how our rapidly developing society has all together forgotten the care our planet needs to thrive, grow, and develop. We are more focused on the industrial or technological advances that can stimulate profits on a grand scale. We consume without consideration, so I tested myself in the Ecological Footprint Calculator to see how many planets do we need if everyone lived like me.

The result came out at 4.5 Earths, which makes me reconsider some of my daily activity and how I can alter them for a more sustainable and minimalistic approach. Their affiliate link allowed me to explore some of their recommendations particularly tailored to my answers such as how to prevent food waste and energy conservation. Although they noted that recycling isn’t the end-point for a societal change, it is an important step in altering the perception to our consumption. Through recycling people are made much more aware of their consumption habits and the extra steps needed to discard waste often results in more conscious-based decisions when spending funds. 

SIGNIFICANCE   

Through this project I am exploring a raw man-made material that serves both as protection and destruction for our Earth and its residents – plastic. Through the shape of a bullet proof vest I am calling the attention of the viewers to associate reckless consumption to danger on a grand scale. The incorporation of an abstract depiction of our earth as the focal point, layered with the well-recognised symbol of recycling, symbolises that the same way we protect our vital organs in our human bodies, we also must protect the place we inhabit with the same strive. Having a visually bold piece catches the eye, and in some cases draws the viewers to investigate further on the intent of its creation and the purpose – which is my goal progressing into the design and production phase.

For the full effect of this piece, I would create an installation of an army-aligned mannequins wearing the vests hovering over a dense plastic waste cloud. The message would translate to us, as humans, having the power to not only take care of our ego-centric needs but in turn be able to conserve our planet from the tremendous amount of useless consumption we partake in. The commentary about being in control not only for yourself, but for the collective results in ripper fruits for everyone. If we all put away our selfish needs for one hours a day, and take the time to learn, understand, and then behave motivated by ecological awareness we could transform the Earth within our lifetime for the better. My wishes are very grand, and to some labeled as unattainable, but through my creations I will continue to speak on what resonates with my moral compass, and hopefully sometime in the future be able to introduce some of these concepts even to the most sceptical on the topic.

DESIGN & PRODUCTION

As I selected a design of my liking and incorporated the elements from my research phase, I gathered recycled poster material from around our campus and began prototyping. This phase was approached with an understanding of waste production, and keeping in mind the intent of this project, I made sure to reuse tape, cardboard, and paper to create the least amount of waste possible while still being able to explore enough and adjust my design.

After the measurements were locked in, I made my way to the sewing machine and tested out different patterns for the straps. I chose a bright green thread and focused on a simple yet bold design by repeating the lines close to one another, especially for the back strap which I wanted to hold a lot of visual weight. Toying around with the idea of protection meant the aesthetic of my creation needed to convey a level of confidence / trust. To the best of my ability I kept my hands steady while working with the sewing machine to create straight lines and a clean aesthetic. Not yet being a mater of this skill, I needed to adjust where and how I was going to attach the separate pieces to mask minor defects for the final showcasing.

Layering the pieces together needed a firm adhesive to keep them as stable as possible and I turned to hot glue to set them in place. Copper wiring that was left over from a different project allowed me to install the adjustable back strap by its bendy yet firm physical form. The recycling sign was intended to be sown on the front piece, but this method lacked the spotlight attention I wanted for the focal element thus I chose to create a more three-dimensional sign with texture using the layering of glue and paint. The colour of the recycling sign isn’t green as I chose to use green for the abstract depiction of the Earth, which to me aligns with the concept of recycling not being the final solution – and the state of the Earth being the primary focus. 

Adjusting the vest of the mannequin also took a few trails, till I chose to place it right over the chest where the human heart is: The Earth birthed us, and now it is our turn to take care of our host. The crossed straps in the front are also symbolic to the idea of being choked – not having the ability to breath – like our land suffocated with landfills.

The Earth is so beautiful and clean from the pictures NASA provides for us, but my interpretation of the black and green paint swirling on top of the ellipse is a foreshadow commentary on what the plastic pollution is currently doing. If we keep up the tempo of this level of waste toxicity our Earth won’t have the blue oceans and green fields, all we’ll have is residue of fallen urbanisation and mountains of trash exceeding the Everest. 

Manifestation for a better quality of life for us, as well as our plant, doesn’t end in our thoughts – it should result in action. Through this process I was deeply considering how our society can shed the ‘I’m just one person, it won’t make a change’ mind set, and although I do not have a cohesive answer just yet, I am one step further on the ladder of discovery.

For the final display idea, I imagined four direct spotlights: one from the top right corner, one from the top left, one from the bottom right, and one from the bottom left. As my chosen materials have the property of being reflective – the light placement would illuminate the focal design element, and translating the message of protection of ourselves being important (as the vest protects the body) but also a call for the need to prioritise the protection of our Earth, with a suggestion to start with consumption awareness through recycling waste.

 

CONCLUSIONS:

The aim of my production was to symbolise the protection our planet needs by translating the message through a visual humans can resonate with.  With the goal of grabbing attention through the bold design of a bullet-proof-vest, the emphasis of the focal element invites the viewers to consider their footprint on the Earth we inhabit. The placement of a vaguely distinguishable Earth on top of the faded recycling sign allows for recognition and attempts to provoke further questions. When a concept taps into a person’s empathy, they are more likely to react to the issue at hand which is translated by the message of using plastic to protect our bodies, thus the need to protect the Earth from the plastic. Although I spiralled to numerous considerations and thought loops of the meaning of this piece, I do recognise that the fairly simple design does not translate all that I would want it to. I mentioned the benefit of having an installation and how that would further push my ideations to the audience, but the piece still needs verbal explanations to fully connect the dots which I see as a place for improvement. Ideally I would want this piece to stand on its own and capture the message without my explanation, which could mean adding more design elements, even potential text references – in short explaining what each design decision symbolises. Further adjustments would include an even bolder aesthetic: adding multiple chest crossing straps that wrap around the neck to further develop the idea of a suffocating planet. If I had the opportunity to create my own display mannequin, I would explore how I could shape a human body with the texture of the Earth further symbolising the need for its protection on a human reliability level. We are the Earth and the Earth is us, and I am very grateful for the opportunity to develop some of my newly born thoughts through art and share them with my community.

SafeguardVideo

Experiment results and process:

In last week’s class we learned how to use the wood cutter. We learned that when compared to the laser cutter, its advantage is that it is useful for cutting larger chunks of wood. An IMA fellow showed us how to use the slicer software and vector software Rhino to create the design, which we wish to cut out and then send it to the woodcutter for printing. I learned that this is a rather fast but noisy process and will most likely not use this machine for my final project. However, I will be using the laser cutter to create a sign for my final project.

The wood cutter is to be used in the process of creating the stool, which we started a couple of classes ago. We learned that we had to cut out specific pieces to make them fit together and then measure them in an accurate way so that there is enough space between the pieces. The wood must also be kept firmly in place by the supports of the machine, so as to prevent it from becoming dislodged during the cutting.

Plastic alternative updates:

As for the update on our previous project with the potato starch, the project is rather disappointing since we did not heat it at the right temperature and the mixture was firm and burnt at some places and then soft and sticky at others. My partner Eva and I decided to replicate the project with the right measurements of both glycerol and the heating duration, during the coming week.

I have decided to take a different approach towards my final project. I have decided that the delivery packaging project has enormous scale and would take a long time to implement, exceeding the time frame of the class. I might pursue this project as a personal venture sometime, however for the time being I do not have the funds to pursue it. My new project idea is an art installation that will create a visual representation of ocean pollution and raise awareness about this issue in an eye-catching way. I was inspired by the following art projects, one by Taiwanese students from the National University of Arts and the other from Josh Kline’s Skittles installation which I saw in New York’s MoMa museum, during my time studying away in New York.

Popsicle Art:

https://popupcity.net/pretty-polluted-popsicles/

Josh Kline’s Skittles:

https://www.moma.org/magazine/articles/51

I plan on creating an installation similar to these two, as they were effective in drawing my attention to the water pollution issue and successfully and tastefully portrayed the severity of the issue, through visual representation of the various items discarded in our waters.

My hypothesis is that people care about and appreciate art and that they would be affected by such an installation and prompted to learn more about how to mitigate the impact of water pollution.

The following images I found online inspired to create such a final project.

The first one is art created from plastic pieces and various discarded thread and wires. The other idea I had was to create an installation similar to the water dispenser one, where people could interact with my project and pour themselves a glass of the “water” of the future. I think that this will make people think about the severity of the issue, through tasteful art.

 

The last image is one of my favorites because it shows how trash art is incorporated into the streets of a small Brazilian town. To me, this shows that today’s generation pays attention to the pressing social issues of today and values their representation through art.

Bottle Installation

• Tanzania: Wine Bottles
• Create an installation of used tequila/wine bottles. 
• Up Shanghai
• Sustainable Women in Shanghai Conference
  • Finding different ways to use wine/tequila bottles.
    • Different workshops, events, etc. 

Bubble Tea Cups:

• Change or create a system to make reusable cups ft. retractable straws. 
• Kaffeeform x Coffee Cups  https://www.kaffeeform.com/en/shop/ 
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMX7aQpIwl4