Circular Urban Plastics is a game that sensitises actors and gives them the responsibility to prevent the negative consequences of urban plastics.
Plastic waste is an enormous, wicked problem. Plastic can be found everywhere, even in your city. As the Ellen MacArthur Foundation once said, "The ocean is a new plastic mine." I believe, as designers, that we should look even closer than the ocean and solve the problem from its core. "The city is the new plastic mine."
So, for my research, in solving the waste problem from its core, I defined my research question.
"Can we address the actors of the plastic production process as consumers about the problems and search for alternatives together?"
Actors from different backgrounds should be brought together around the table to brainstorm alternatives. The challenges must be tangible on the table. In this way, those responsible are confronted with reality. For instance, plastic waste can serve as a discussion starter for the search to create alternatives.
The actors must become aware of the consequences of their choices and create opportunities to transform the current production process into a better alternative.
They must be exposed to existing examples and alternatives and respond to them.
"As a designer, my challenge is to reach the higher actors from the plastic production process."
Gamification
Complex issues must be presented to the actors simply. Through the design strategy of gamification, the actors can sit around the table together and meet in an alternative way. They are challenged to come up with totally free ideas in new situations with small game pieces that could represent reality.
Circular Urban Plastics is an informative, serious, and realistic game. It involves all responsible actors in a tangible brainstorm. Circular Urban Plastics is made from recycled plastic waste. Through the game, actors of different backgrounds get to sit together and playfully create free ideas.
The game tries to create alternative production models for players through informative maps. The actors get to play different roles. The game is based on existing policies like circular economy, life-cycle assessments, recycling, etc. Every player is responsible for their waste. In this way, they will become aware of their responsibility.
I believe that it's essential to work as a team; that's why the game includes a wasteland that plays against all players. The players are challenged to fight the wasteland as a team because they will not make it alone.
Circular Urban Plastics is a game that sensitizes actors and gives them the responsibility to prevent the negative consequences of urban plastics.
Through Circular Urban Plastics, I believe that actors get encouraged to create new alternatives, using a game-based method. The actors in the production system are made aware of the problems surrounding urban plastics.
