STUDIO PROJECT • FALL 2022
According to the FDA, the average American generates 4.4 pounds of trash daily. Constantly on the go, we’ve become disconnected from our waste, casually discarding it without considering its impact. However, there are opportunities to be more intentional with the materials we use.
“Don’t Waste Your Waste” visualizes a week's worth of my trash to help viewers confront their own daily waste habits. By highlighting material, compostability, and weight, the design serves as a reminder that our choices can contribute to a positive change.
Data collection
RECORDING MY TRASH
I tracked everything I threw away for a week, recording factors such as item name, origin, color, material, whether I recycled or not, disposal location, disposal time, weight (g), and how the object was used.
Ideation
INITIAL SKETCHES
I explored how my data could be conveyed using different encoding methods. What message did I want my design to communicate? What key data should I include? How could I represent the passage of time? And what shape would be most readable? From this process, I identified three core principles to guide me:
Intuitive
The design should be easy to understand at a glance, allowing viewers to quickly grasp the values being compared.
Inspiring
How can I infuse purpose into the design? The final result should motivate viewers to take positive action.
Dynamic
How can I convey the passage of time in my design?
Concept
In spring 2023, I started a garden in my backyard and researched the composting process. Reviewing my waste data, I realized much of it was compostable food scraps and paper. Given my weekly waste, I wondered how much compost I could have by the next gardening season.
Final design
The final design is a dynamic timeline that reflects my personal journey over a week of waste. How can we transform something as burdensome as trash into an opportunity?
Circle sizes vary based on the weight of each item, with compostable materials represented by filled circles, giving them greater visual weight. The interplay of size and color creates a twinkling effect, with the heavier compostables standing out the most.