Well-intentioned, but missing the point!
I saw this on the way to work this morning in central Copenhagen. It’s well-intentioned service design but it simply doesn’t work! Ironically the green recycling bin doesn’t solve the problem; it’s just a quick fix.
Instead, lets adapt solutions to human behaviour. If we apply persuasive design that encourages people to act in a more sustainable way – not to dump their newspaper in the recycling bin after a two-minute read but to leave it in a designated pile for reuse – we will achieve much more. After all, reusing is more sustainable than recycling.
How’s that for morning philosophy!
Category: Service design, Street innovation, Sustainability, Trendspotting
Mikal, this photo is very interesting and clearly shows the challenge you identify. A thought, if indeed design has the power to effect behavioral change by virtue of the nature of the profession, then goals for sustainable initiatives (not just products) need to consider what you are suggesting re: persuasive design, as a critical condition for the system design’s success not just a beneficial outcome.
How and where do we begin in the design process to address these issues?
Date: April 2nd, 2008 at 11:11 Name: niti bhanI get your point in this, I’m just not sure if the problem is what you suggest it is. Did you in fact check the newspapers in the paper bin? My guess is, that they are from the day before or even older. I think it’s the guy who comes every morning to refill “A” pile that’s to blaim. When he comes in the morning he takes the papers that’s left in the “A” pile and puts them into the paper bin “B”. Just my guess, I could be wrong.
But still it’s a interesting photo that explains your point very well.
Date: April 2nd, 2008 at 12:54 Name: Rasmus LynggaardHi Mikal – long time no see or hear.
I see your point, but in your case there is only one newspaper “dispenser” on the street.
I call your attention to London and a picture I took about a month ago.
http://customdesign.dk/images/PICT6815.JPG
It shows several (up to 11) newspaper holders with a leftover stack of newspapers. The situation is the same – here the bins just don’t come large enough.
Another point about these containers: Why do they all look the same? What makes one stand out from the others?
Another small comment about your points.
In the London underground, where a lot of the papers end up, their is a sharing culture. Very few people actually take the free newspapers out of the train again. They leave them for other people to reuse, and more than once I’ve had the oppertunity to kill some dead time with a leftover paper.
Over ‘n’ out!
I hope you are all well and keep up the good Designit spirit
Kind regards
Date: April 11th, 2008 at 02:03 Name: Thorlak FinkThorlak