Current Issue- As there is clothing donation bins in several residential buildings. Often, they are too big to placed in laundry rooms, so that less opportunities for people in residential buildings to donate more conveniently, and therefore, decrease in donations. In addition, 386 million lbs of clothing in nyc is thrown out annually. How can I recycle those clothings more efficiently and provide them to people who need them.
Design Strategy- I would like to focus on more efficient way of donating clothing, with the goal that every residential building can host a donation bin in their laundry room, or other appropriate spaces. Models of trash compactor, space bags are my inspirations to make a more compacted clothing donation bin. Whether then a sole product of a donation bin, it can be combined with a money donation machine, and a tax deduction receipt dispenser to motivate people to donate. Afterall, it doesn't only need to be in residential buildings, but as well as laundry mats, companies, etc.
Hi Kimberly,
ReplyDeleteYou have several very interesting ideas here, and I want to more about what you intend to do and how it will be supported by rigorous, quantitative design research. I think your idea of creating a kind of currency that is given in exchange for old clothing donations is smart. We know that outdoor litter of soda cans was significantly reduced when the law was created that stores had to refund .05 dollars for each can or bottle returned. So, incentives of this kind work. In addition to cleaning the streets, systems of this kins also provide informal employment for the homeless, providing a small amount of money that they can use for renting a room, getting some food, etc. By duplicating the success of can and bottles, perhaps your idea of creating coupons that can be exchanged for other things might also lead to a win-win situation.
I am less clear about how the vacuum bag idea will work, but I am intrigued. I think you are suggesting a kind of compactor for clothing, to make it possible to store greater volume in a small space. Will this damage the clothing? How will it work? I want to know more!
I am not sure what you have in mind with