*Under Construction*
My Role: Visual Designer, Design Researcher
Tools: InVision, Adobe Illustrator, InDesign
Mission: As part of my coursework at SUNY New Platz, I conducted a research project focusing on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #12, Sustainable Consumption and Production. My research question is: How do people in New Paltz perceive sustainable packaging? My research question affects the consumer and their choice when it comes to purchasing one item over another, specifically relating to food. This topic interests me because I have always found alternative ways of packaging goods interesting and I care very much about the impact of single use packaging on the environment.
Research: After choosing SDG #12, I brainstormed a research question to narrow my topic focus. My initial research questions was "What are New Paltz’s main sustainability goals/ issues? How can 3D printing be used to solve this issue?" Based on my research question, I found four articles pertaining to my subject that I further analyzed. After reading more about 3D printing and recycling, I contacted two local professionals who could give me valuable information regarding my topic.
Interviews:
I set up an interview with Aaron Nelson, the director of the MakerBot Innovation Center, Co-Director of the Digital Design and Fabrication Program, and Assistant Professor of Art, and Laura Petit, a local environmental advocate and the head of the town of New Paltz recycling center. I compiled questions for both of them and conducted my interviews.
Key Takeaway (Aaron Nelson): When it comes to recycling, materials are not always sorted properly and end up becoming contaminated and have to be dumped into a landfill.
Key Takeaway (Laura Petit): Recycling is NOT sustainable. Markets for plastic are disappearing, the statistics state that only 10% of the material being sent out is actually being recycled, and we can't keep using a material that has no end use or market.
Observation: After conducting my interviews, I decided to narrow my scope to the local level and focus on the types of packaging at local grocery stores. My observation goal was to see which local grocery store had more sustainable packaging options. I visited both Tops and Health and Nutrition (a local health food store), and took notes. Next, I charted my findings to compare results.
Key Takeaway: Health and Nutrition has more options than Tops when it comes to product packaging, giving the customer more choices when it comes to deciding which type of packaging they would like to purchase.
Infographic: Based on observation results, I created an infographic to visually display my findings. (Disclaimer: Tops and Health and Nutrition are both local grocery stores.)
Additional Research: Next, I analyzed four more articles.
Survey: SurveyMonkey Link
Data Visualization (Based on Google search): Take into consideration hybrid material, human presence, Form/shape, color/graphics/text
Conclusion: A designed object I would like to prototype is an alternative set of functional, yet sustainable packaging to various products in a grocery store based off of people’s interactions with them. I would like to design an experience where there is a grocery store that doesn’t have any packaging at all and observe/note how people interact with the products. I also think this would show what products need packaging and what products do not need packaging. My goal is to understand people’s interactions to create sustainable functional packaging that improves a users experience with various items. My audience/user would be residents in the New Paltz community. My design would make it possible for product packaging design to be improved, the sustainability aspect of packaging to be improved, and to determine whether or not packaging is even necessary for some products. This connects to my SDG because it is a representation of responsible consumption and production because waste could be minimized and packaging production could be changed and improved to benefit the environment and the user.