CAPSTONE PROJECT
Due to the increasing use of electrical and electronic devices, electronic waste or e-waste has become a major concern. The article “Young Americans Are the Biggest E-Waste Contributors” states that 60% of young adults aged between 18 - 29 has no idea what e-waste is. A large portion of them regularly contributed to e-waste and were unaware of the environmental effect caused by e-waste, or that it can be recycled. People might feel that their individual efforts in e-waste recycling won’t make a significant difference in the broader context of waste management and environmental conservation. Especially when it comes to small electronics, there is less motivation to properly dispose of and recycle them. Some of the obstacles to e-waste disposal/recycling include the inconveniences of recycling e-waste, ethical problems with e-waste exportation, and lack of education on the importance of proper disposal/recycling. Finding ways to acknowledge and encourage people to dedicate to the recycling of e-waste is critical.
WHAT CAN WE DO AS DESIGNER?
- Provide eletronci waste recycling information to broder audience through creating campaign.
- aiming to increase the public awareness of the importance of electronic waste recycling through the campaign.
- initiate fundraising to help the New York Department of Sanitation in their pormotion activities.
DESIGN SOLUTION ︎︎︎
A Series of Campaign that ultilize design psychology and storytelling to successfully raise public awareness and promote e-waste recycling services.
This is the first set of the campaign, posters using agamograhp technique which allows audiences to see different images from different angles. With this technique, these posters showcase the before and after effects of a world that is being polluted, with children holding their aspirations of who they hope to become in the future such as “study whales”, “plant trees”, and “play with monkeys”. These statements with the different environments in the background evoke empathy toward children whose dreams will never come true if the environment is destroyed by e-waste.
These posters will be displayed in big scale, on the street where audiences can be engaged and take time to have fun with the agamograph.
Heat-sensitive map located in the playground for parents and children interaction.
This is the second set of the campaign, a heat-sensitive map that is designed to engage parents and children in a meaningful exploration of e-waste cycling services across New York City. Located in playgrounds, parks, and kindergartens, these interactive maps serve as focal points for both interaction and education. The concept was largely inspired by the concept introduced by Maria Montessori, an Italian physician and educator best known for her philosophy of education.
This is the bottom layer of the map which will be shown after heated.
The last piece of this campaign series is an installation, the Trail of E-waste, created with AI tool Midjourney. This innovative installation, situated in natural settings like forests, offers the public a glimpse into a future overwhelmed by vast quantities of e-waste, conveying the powerful message, “When there is no more ground.” Through this immersive experience, I aim to capture public attention and foster a deep understanding of the grave consequences of e-waste pollution.
EARLY STAGE: RESEARCH
Most smartphone batteries can’t be easily replaced when they stop holding a charge, new laptops don’t accept old cables, and software companies push upgrades that won’t run on old devices. “Our products today don’t last as long as they used to, and it’s a strategy by manufacturers to force us into shorter and shorter upgrade cycles.”
“When we buy something new, we get rid of what’s old. That cycle of consumption has made electronics waste the world’s fastest-growing solid-waste stream.”