User-centric Design: An Approach to Reducing Environmental Impact

With our developing understanding to the extent of the stresses that we are placing upon our planet, we are gradually increasing our efforts to tackle some of the issues that are concerned with the growing threat that is extreme climate change.

Particularly within western civilisation, we are aware of how certain aspects of our lifestyles are directly related to the detrimental impacts upon the environment. Certain environmental matters are dealt with by higher authorities through punitive measures. However, there are other areas where we can have a helping hand, but these rely on the individual.

Unfortunately, not every person feels inclined for one reason or another, to reduce their environmental impact where possible. Some reasoning can be attributed to lack of understanding, habitual behaviour, and a perspective of nonchalance towards participating in such exercises. However, there are other limiting factors that can prevent those who are actively willing to partake.

Bearing this in mind, Agouti Design, a small design consultancy based in Devon, has recently been looking to tackle an ongoing problem related to the amount of household waste that is sent to landfill. Despite many local authorities enthusiastically working towards reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill, Agouti Design Devon has taken an approach that addresses an underlying problem that stems from the user.

Having studied typical household factors including living spaces and waste disposal trends, Agouti Design Devon has come up with a product design concept that radically tackles the common issues that users currently have with waste disposal. The idea incorporates a spatially efficient method of disposal that would not normally be achieved by having the same amount of bins, whilst providing the user with great ease of operation, and having the potential to enhance the way in which waste and recyclates are currently collected.

Agouti Design Devon and their product design concept is one of many innovative ways in which environmental issues may need to be addressed in future to create an ergonomic and effective transition to a more environmentally pro-active existence.