• WHAT IS YOUR DESIGN RESEARCH QUESTION?
Has environmental awareness entered people's lives? Yes, we are exposed to many things that are relevant to this idea every day: Apple, the company that owns the iPhone we use, is introducing their recycling system, the refuse collection point in the flat I live in is implementing the principle of sorting, and even many supermarkets and fast-food restaurants are using biodegradable materials for their food packaging. It may seem as if we are surrounded by environmental awareness in our lives. However, the World Health Organizations' Global Air Quality Report for 2022 states that 99% of the world's population breathes air that exceeds the WHO air quality limits and that we are not living in a better environment. I wondered why the fact that we already live so environmentally friendly is a drop in the bucket for the state of the planet's pollution.
• PRIMARY REASEARCH?
In surveying the data, I found something that surprised me: food waste accounts for 10% of the total greenhouse gas emissions in atmospheric pollution (2021 Food Waste Index Report). I realized that although food waste is officially a hot topic in society today, I had never really been aware of it in my life, let alone that it could cause such serious pollution, and that my understanding of environmental protection was limited to endangered animals, fossil fuels and other more distant things. Is my case a special case?
On the basis of the 'Footprint' project website in the US, which describes food waste as 'unconscious', I conducted a small-scale study of people's understanding of environmental protection. As I expected, most people were willing to do their bit for the environment, volunteering, picking up litter, planting trees and even marching for the cause, but they also produce food waste 'unconsciously' every day. （） Why is it that people think about the long term, the big picture, but ignore the things that are relevant to their lives when it comes to environmental issues? In my project, I want to explore these questions in depth as a designer.
• WHAT THEMES ARE YOU PLANNING ON EXPLORING?
Therefore, I will use the topic of food waste as a diversion to explore the relationship between people, food and the environment through an in-depth study of how food waste is created and how it develops. I hope that this design will give people a new perspective on the impact of our unconscious waste on the global environment, as well as prompt them to appreciate the hard work of recycling. I also hope that the design will provide more possibilities and references to address food waste.
• WHY IS THIS AREA OF DESIGN IMPORTANT TO YOU AND YOUR FUTURE AS A DESIGNER
The concept of sustainable design has been promoted by various national governments (policies), renowned companies (green industry chain) and art schools (art projects). As it develops, the concept of sustainable design is bound to have an even more profound impact on the future of the environment, economy and society, and is an important component of a future in which human society and the natural environment live in harmony.
In the context of the development of sustainable design, Victor Papanek
in his publication 'Design for the realworld' emphasizes that the greatest role of design is as an appropriate element of social change, while he advocates that design in the UK considers the use of the earth's limited resources in a serious way and serves to protect the earth's environment, which is highly compatible with my own understanding of design. This is highly compatible with my own understanding of design. For me, the essence of design is to serve people and solve problems. As a designer, I have a duty to explore this issue and to offer new possibilities for future solutions to food pollution.
• HOW DO YOU PLAN TO CARRY THIS OUT?
A combination of first-hand and second-hand research.
By Observation and documentation.
For a week, I sat at ECA Cafe and McDonald's observing the diners that passed by every day and the food they wasted. Why do people waste food? Why do people waste food and how is it wasted? Which foods are more likely to be wasted? Is there a relationship between wasted food and how many people share a meal? Do people dispose of their plates on their own when they leave the restaurant?
For example, when people are sitting close to me, I do not perceive the reason audibly; when people are sitting far away from me, the position of the food left on the table reflects the relationship between the people sharing the meal in another way; when someone notices that I am watching them, they quietly clean up their plate and leave......
• WHAT RESEARCH METHODOLOGY WILL YOU USE AND WHY?
1. Literature Research
This will help me to understand more about the complex reasons why people waste food and the far-reaching effects it can have beyond environmental pollution, as well as allowing me to think about solutions in a multi-dimensional way that will inspire the development of my project.
2. Documentary
It helped me to understand the process of food waste and how it turns into waste, from where it is generated to the rubbish bin to the transfer station to the incineration plant and finally to the waste gas.
3. Questionnaire
The questionnaire will cover the questions I need to know as well as the text of the 'online interview'. It will be broad enough to allow me to understand as much as possible about the psychological changes in the process of wasting food and to make the results as general as possible.
4. Observation and documentation
I observed and understood the diners from the perspective of a bystander, providing a third-party perspective on the act of 'waste', which helped me to understand the act more fully and provided me with ideas for visualizing the act of this theme.
5. Case studies
Learning from similar case studies or summarizing problems can help me to plan, develop and reflect on my own projects and help me to be more effective.
6. Experimentation
(TBD) If I can come up with a solution to a problem, I will carry out a systematic simulation to test the practicality and usability of the solution and to help me improve it further.
• WHAT EXISTING OR INITIAL RESEARCH HAVE YOU UNDERTAKEN TAKEN? (50-100 WORDS)
• PROJECT PLAN AND TIMELINE (50-100 WORDS）
Week 2-3
Defining the general direction of the theme/reading period/refine thesis topic.
Week 4-6
Read and record existing literature/Identify relevant primary sources /Questionnaire/observation to detect the nature of the law.
Week 7-9
Continued literature review and further research based on preliminary findings.
Week 10-11
Visual/material/form/case study
Week 12
Identify bugs and remedy them.
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