seaweed to residence-developed foodstuff among the options at Hong Kong layout exhibition

An different to plastic noticed at the layout exhibition in Hong Kong. Ooho: edible, biodegradable packaging designed from seaweed.

Just when individuals have been ultimately finding the concept about lessening waste, Covid-19 washed up a tsunami of single-use plastic.

Regional NGO Greeners Action has approximated that for the duration of the pandemic, in Hong Kong by yourself, far more than 100 million pieces of single-use plastics have been disposed of each and every 7 days – double the amount of money from a 12 months before.

It is well timed, then, that the problem “Can we dwell in a planet devoid of plastic?” has been posed at Hong Kong Style and design Institute’s (HKDI) latest exhibition, “Design Does* – For improved and for worse”.

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Held at HKDI Gallery in Tseung Kwan O, pursuing a stint at the Style Museum of Barcelona, the exhibition explores how design and style tackles the issues confronted by society – including sustainability, connectivity, marginalisation, consumerism, innovation and new components – although showcasing eight jobs conceived by designers from about the planet.

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The pandemic has led to a ‘tsunami of solitary-use plastic’. Photo: Shutterstock

Addressing the trouble of plastic air pollution, United kingdom start out-up Notpla (previously Skipping Rocks Lab) offers non-polluting options these kinds of as Ooho, an edible, biodegradable packaging manufactured from seaweed. After launching with h2o bottles and sauce sachets, the founders are performing on packaging for cosmetics and toiletries, and have recently formulated a seaweed coating to make paperboard takeaway foodstuff containers water resistant and oil-resistant.

The company generally takes advantage of brown seaweed extract, which it describes as a great useful resource mainly because it grows up to two metres a day, “and the packaging is circular mainly because you can eat it, or character would make it disappear really rapid”.

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Described as an exhibit in communications layout, Pig 05049, a 2007 e book by Dutch author Christien Meindertsma, describes 185 goods that an actual pig (tagged with the number 05049) contributed to right after its slaughter. Apart from predictable foodstuffs, some of the astonishing benefits involve ammunition, educate brakes, automobile paint, bone china, cleaning soap and cigarettes. Meindertsma has reported she was primarily fascinated in expressing the implications for conservation efforts – the very first move staying to “know exactly where our things appear from”.

“I have always been intrigued in raw products, and to lay bare advanced and at the time concealed procedures,” she says.

In a few a long time spent investigating pig quantity 05049, Meindertsma fulfilled aluminium mould makers and ammunition producers, among others.

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For Much better and For Even worse: Pig 05049 aided develop 185 items such as ammunition, prepare brakes, auto paint, bone china, cleaning soap and cigarettes.

“What was striking is that the farmers essentially experienced no clue what was produced from their pigs, but the individuals, as in us, also experienced no concept of the pigs remaining in all these products and solutions,” she states. “As people, we have a total level of disconnect, bodily and psychologically, from the production of objects we use on a every day basis.

“So, Pig 05049 in a way reveals the strains that hyperlink uncooked products with producers, merchandise and customers that have turn into so invisible in our more and more globalised world.”

An additional show examines the problem of foods stability. Noting that a 70 per cent maximize in the international food stuff supply will be vital to feed a projected 9.1 billion individuals by 2050, Spanish commence-up Eco-friendly in Blue (previously Aquapioneers) has designed kits designed for people who are living in flats to increase their own create at household.

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Tapping the craze of drinking water-based mostly horticulture, Green in Blue (previously Aquapioneers) claims that almost all sorts of crops are suited for aquaponics, together with herbs.

Tapping the pattern of water-based mostly horticulture, the organization claims that almost all forms of crops are acceptable for aquaponics, including herbs, leafy greens, tomatoes, aubergines, peppers and zucchinis, all of which it promises “increase better and a lot quicker in aquaponic techniques than in soil”.

On now, the “Design Does* – For much better and for worse” exhibition operates till 10 January 2021. Details: hkdi.edu.hk/hkdi_gallery

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