Andy Grossman / Strategist; Master of Industrial Design

Terra Hall Recycling Initiative (on-going)

Tackling the problem of waste disposal at UArts: confusion. This design intervention focused on my University's design studio at Terra Hall. Dissecting behavior, attitudes, policy and practice, my colleagues and I sought to understand what past recycling efforts had been made as well as how the current academic body currently treats their waste; all this in order to educate and create better student options in the near-term and for the greater University body in coming semesters. Two colleagues and I constructed an organizational structure prototype that utilizes the waste collection bins already available, thereby saving the school thousands of dollars in new bin costs. One such example uses text, color and shape to differentiate between trash and recycling receptacles. Working closely with the Green Group we secured the support of our University and submitted proposals to implement our recycling system campus-wide. Our signage and protocol is currently in use throughout Terra Hall and has received very positive feedback. Since the UArts recycling program officially launched in December 2010, the University collected over 79,700 lbs of recyclable material as of May 2011.