Pop Tops
Have you ever noticed that plastic water and soda bottles are recyclable but their plastic tops are not? That really annoys me — why can’t the entire package be reclaimed?!
On a 3daysofdesign podcast episode, product designer Øivind Alexander Slaatto made a comment that stuck with me. When asked about his inspiration, he said he reflects on everyday life, observing people and his own frustrations. I really appreciate how he framed his work as first solving something irritating, instead of starting with making or selling something beautiful.
On a parallel track, LEED and BREEAM effectively measure and assess the sustainability of built environments. But what if there was a scale rating the varying degrees to which all design can solve problems? It could be similar to the global farm animal welfare standards, where each level builds on the previous:
Level 1: No cages or crates
Level 2: Enriched environment
Level 3: Outdoor Access
Level 4: Pasture-raised
For sustainable design, the levels could be aligned with the number of problems solved, for example:
Level 1: aesthetic improvement
Level 2: clarifies information
Level 3: reduces waste
Level 4: is regenerative
Of course aesthetics matter, but they are a basic requirement for good design. As the number of solutions increases, so does the design value… and my interest. I want to do more than “decorate”. I want to improve the world around us, and elevate how we feel.
I tentatively accumulated some plastic bottle lids during the pandemic, but had Level 1 ideas to use them for some kind of outdoor art. It wasn’t inspiring enough, so I moved on to another project and abandoned the whole idea.
Now, I’m revisiting this frustration and material with expanded curiosity. How can I use them to solve multiple problems with an elevated aesthetically result? Focusing on the garden, what other problems would I like to solve? Can they be combined to create screens or trellises for produce? Garden tools? How about supporting endangered insects by giving them shelter or nesting opportunities? or water receptacles?
This exercise may never make it past my own backyard, but you never know.