Overview
As part of the University of Pennsylvania's Executive Program for Social Innovation Design, I tackled the challenge of reducing household waste. My approach began with developing generative interview questions to explore people's behaviors, attitudes, and challenges related to sustainability and waste management.
Problem to solve
I interviewed Portland apartment dwellers aged 25-40 and found common obstacles preventing them from reducing household waste:
Many apartment buildings don’t offer composting.
Without personal vehicles, transporting compost or refillable containers is inconvenient.
Sustainable options are often more expensive, making them less accessible for budget-conscious individuals.
How might we create transit-accessible, affordable solutions to help reduce household waste?
Ideation
After synthesizing my research, I brainstormed and sketched potential solutions. I evaluated each idea based on three key criteria from the program:
Does it meet the needs of the target audience?
Is it feasible within the next five years?
Is it an innovative approach?
From this process, I narrowed my ideas down to five and developed a storyboard to visualize them. I then created a prototype to present to my participants for feedback.
Key Learnings
While the concept resonated with my audience, scaling the supply chain and managing production costs proved challenging. During this project, I also discovered a local zero-waste shop that offers free delivery on orders over $50 within a specific radius. While not the most affordable option, it aligned with the other needs of my target audience by providing a convenient and sustainable option.
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