1) How do you as an artist/designer feel that systems thinking and mapping can help you in skillfully and creatively meet the challenges presented by the topics we have covered in class so far? (Sixth Extinction, Great Acceleration, Long Life Design and the Anthropocene).
For my beauty box company, we decided to do a sustainable packaging to reduce waste in beauty industry. We’ll explore healthy materials to be considered for the packaging, and also ask people to “submit” their used beauty products packaging/jars/bottles to make an exhibition to raise awareness.
2) Start your research for your Systems Map/Model. Decide on your object and post a list of at least 20 systems you will include in your systems map. These 20 systems should include:
What locations/geographic regions are interconnected through the process of making this object? What materials are synthesized to create it? What different timescales are interconnected through its production? What feedback loops and causality does its existence create for humans, air and water systems? What new systems might emergefrom this object’s interaction with others systems over time? Which systems might be affected by the Anthropocene/climate change?
packaging material, where the materials come from, what labor involved in the mining, where to produce/manufacture, what labor involved in the manufacturing, what materials are used in the process of manufacturing, what emissions are caused in manufacturing, ink material, where the ink comes from, is it poisonous or not, what are used in the process of making such ink, what emissions are caused in making such ink, what kind of process to put colors and logos onto the packaging, is this process safe and sustainable, packaging size, where the packaging are discarded, whether recyclable or not, who designed the packaging, what are special considerations put onto the packaging…
Draw and post a rough sketch of your design plan. What media will you use (Illustrator, 3D model etc.)?
I’ll use iPad to draw the map.
3) Post a works-in-process image of your kombucha leather. How is the project going? Do you see growth? Please note, if you don’t see growth, check out a heat mat from the Making Center or move your project to a warmer location.
It’s going well! My room temperature is about 21~22 celsius degree. And I went to making center to checkout a heat mat but they said the mat could only be kept for 4 hours and could not be taken out of the building. So I was worried that it might not be warm for the leather to grow. But it’s actually growing well. And I’ve been leaving a dim light on every night since the start of the project. This is also my first time opening the lid to check because I thought the light/air might interrupt the growing process. But overall it’s growing well I guess!
4) Choose your location and conduct your first FNBK observation (documentation will be due 3/7).
Madison Square Park, 2/28, 10:20.
Air Quality 58, moderate
Temperature 32F, feels like 28F
Wind speed 4|8, NE
Humidity 48%
UV index: Low risk
6:31 sunrise, 17:45 sunset
410.81 ppm
