As the over all winners of this 3 day competition we won a mentor ship with Laurie Foon, (creator of Startfish clothing) and was great to see how businesses need a creative edge to become successful. Also it was great applying sustainable processors to everyday activities.
"No frills,Just refill" With some social innovations to the way we purchase milk at our local supermarket we could cut back the carbon emissions of plastic bottle production and transport miles. Introducing a self-service milk station that brings back glass bottles that are 100% reusable and recyclable into supermarkets.
Last month creative design students from Massey University in Wellington spent three frantic days dreaming up ways to save the planet – with a new take on the humble glass milk bottle coming out on top.
The students’ projects were submitted to the “Eco-Innovations” design competition set up by Earth Hour to highlight the critical thinking and creative practices that can lead us down the path to a more sustainable future.
Yesterday a panel of expert judges including photographer Anne Noble, architect Ian Athfield, and fashion designer Laurie Foon decided the winners from nearly 20 entries.
The winning entry, titled “No Frills, Just Refills” is a social and product innovation that revisits the old fashioned refillable glass milk bottle. Karl Thiart, 4th year design student from the winning team said, “By changing the way we purchase milk at our local supermarket we could cut back the carbon emissions of plastic bottle production and transport miles. We designed a self-service milk station that brings glass bottles that are 100% reusable and recyclable back into supermarkets, and is fun to use.”
Laurie Foon, whose company Starfish focuses on sustainable products said, “This design solution brings the ideas of sustainable purchasing to the mainstream and revisits the nostalgia of the beloved milk bottle. A perfect, efficient solution for the inefficient daily cycle we have currently – our family would use it – when can we start?”
WWF’s Executive Director Chris Howe concluded: “Eco-innovations is a hugely exciting and important initiative because it calls on New Zealand’s young creative minds to offer solutions for a more sustainable future. We really hope some of these designs one day see the light of day and that the exposure for these young designers helps set them on a path to successful careers in as sustainable business innovators.”
Visit www.wwf.org.nz/earth_hour/eco_design_competiton/ to view the winning designs and all shortlisted entries.
