Future Experiences - Plastibank and The Exchange Machine
Plastibank’s mission is to empower individuals and communities that have been victims of plastic pollution. Plastibank’s product The Exchange Machine allows users to participate in a material stock market where they can deposit their plastic waste and receive financial credit in return.
Plastibank - The Global South
Plastic pollution is rife throughout the Global South. It has become the Global North’s dumping ground. Communities have become landfill sites where both people and environment suffer. Currently there are many countries and villages extracting valuable materials from these landfill sites however, at great cost to their health and of the surrounding environment due to the toxic fumes encountered when excavating these materials. Furthermore, the individuals involved in the removal of materials are exploited as they are paid a miniscule amount when they deposit their collection to material suppliers.
Plastibank - Redefining Economics
This quote by Dr Mia Perry co-director of the Sustainable Futures in Africa (SFA) set the tone for the entire project. Given that my domain to design for was ‘Economies’ it was an appropriate statement to act as the catalyst for this project. It inspired me to seek alternative currencies and to disrupt the idea that a nation’s value is solely based on Gross Domestic Product.
Plastibank - Presenting at the Work In Progress Show
Presenting my concept in a Work In Progress exhibition, at the Lighthouse gallery in Glasgow, allowed me to gain further insight and feedback from our partners at the Sustainable Futures in Africa, as well as friends, family and the general public. Presenting the project in this format allowed it to be viewed and treated as a design proposition rather than a response to an academic brief.
Plastibank - The Impact of Plastibank
Plastibank is the stepping stone for generational change. It is more than just a brand, it is a new sustainable way of living. Recycling waste material was uncommon and seen as unimportant in many developing nations but that has changed. Plastibank is a new economic system that financially rewards users for collecting plastic waste, which can then be reused to limit the amount of natural resources being transformed into virgin plastic. Finally, Plastibank allows for the creation of new sustainable jobs that benefit the community and the world.
Self Initiated Project - Sonic Spectacle
Sonic Spectacle looks to create a new way of communication through the medium of an aural sensory experience.Situated in Glasgow, sonic spectacle shows an individuals or communities impact / contribution on the future of their city through sonification. The aim is to incentivise citizens to participate more in future decisions creating a participatory democracy as well as allowing Glasgow City Council to better understand the citizens needs.
Sonic Spectacle - Glasgow 2050, Tomorrow’s world today
Throughout my research I came across insights that highlight Glasgow City Council’s methods of obtaining user research. This is mainly gathered from local meetings between the citizens of Glasgow and the City Council. However with limited presenting time and seat availability there were many individuals not able to make it to the presentation or ask important questions. I then began to think of ways to make local events / meetings more inclusive and available to everyone.
Sonic Spectacle - If these walls could talk
Sketching allows me to quickly ideate concepts, not only to visualise what that concept would look like but to develop my own understanding as to how users could interact with the design. This is especially important as I was exploring the various ways of turning users interactions into data loops as well as utilising sound as a material to further enrich the users experience.
Sonic Spectacle - A journey to the audiovisual
The video shows that the more inputs (noise) made by people's interactions with the design intervention, the more strands begin to grow and develop. therefore creating an expansive network of data that will continue to feedback, loop and evolve. This offers Glasgow City Council the opportunity to gain valuable insight to what the citizens of Glasgow really want for the future of their city. Thereby creating a participatory and collaborative future.