Recently The Indo Projects did an installation for the WPB contest which explored our collective culture of FAST consumption (which you can still VOTE for by the way). This simple installation has triggered amazing conversations about how behavior change can actually be inspired. Some say this installation was a ‘cute’ way to display trash and perhaps doesn’t actually get people to change their consumption patterns. Some suggested that more facts needed to be displayed to show people how many cups were dug out of the dumpster in a matter of days and how that impacts the environment and our well being.
There is no one answer when figuring out how to change people’s behavior to be more conscious and to thoughtfully regard the environment on a regular basis. I do know that every thought and action counts.
This project inspired conversations with local business owners that heatedly discussed the implications of using styrofoam cups and how some people were extremely upset that they would think of it. However, most of these businesses, while booming, can’t afford to raise the price of their goods any further to incorporate better solutions such as biodegradable cups or ones from recycled materials. SOLUTION? Perhaps a choice is needed and customers can either get styrofoam, they can bring their own, or can pay 25 cents more for another option.
From this installation, dialogues were created with store owners to discuss these problems. We have gotten feedback from the community that they were surprised at how much was collected in just 3 days from a few key locations; inspiring them to rethink their own habits. People also started to discuss if this is the right message: should it shame people more by pointing their habits out to them blatantly? Should they leave feeling badly and want to change?
All of these amazing questions and conversations lead to a huge success. One simple window display in a vacant storefront has elicited all these questions, all these thoughts and perspectives on one huge huge problem… our fast culture and its impacts.
By voting for this project now, you can help more of these displays to be created triggering even more conversations and debates and hopefully some thoughtful self-induced behavior changes to a more conscious culture for the future.
