The Leftovers were tasked by the Green Office Utrecht University with addressing the challenge of improving waste separation on campus to support the Science Park’s goal of achieving 100% circularity by 2030. Through surveys conducted around campus, we gained insights into user habits and identified common points of uncertainty. Despite the presence of bins for organic waste, paper, plastic, and general waste, many users were unsure about where certain items belonged.
Our aim was to create a simple, quick to notice, and effective solution. Brainstorming with the end-users in mind, and the Design Thinking methods, we developed a prototype that extended the current bins. This prototype featured clear boxes above the bins to highlight commonly confused items, providing a gentle reminder or indication of where to dispose of them. With the assistance of Lili’s Proto Lab, we constructed a two-meter-high prototype, which we presented to our stakeholder, The Green Office UU, at the Prototype Party. We were happy to able to combine our strengths and different perspectives to create this prototype together. Once again, Leftovers are never a waste.
