Sustainable Systems: Becoming Nonhuman/Designing Nonhuman

From A Rat’s Perspective

I am a rat and I live in the subway right below Union Square. I often come up to the park to scavenge for some food. In the subway, we often have to stay on the tracks because humans are always on the platforms and the food we find on the tracks are can be scarce or not the best for us. The food in the trashes of Union Square Park is the best. People leave a lot of goodies for us in the trash cans or sometimes even on the floor. The best part is when they have the farm markets set up. That’s when we get the best of the best. However, it can be really hard when it gets crowded. People don’t like us so we often have to hide or run away. Even the other animals in the park don’t like us that much. There is a dog park in the park and people often bring their pets with them. When that happens, it’s the worst because there’s a higher risk of them attacking us than humans. I really wish there was a way we could come to find food and not worry about our safety.

The Design Idea

There should tubes installed right below the surface of the park that start from the subway. The tubes would lead to special “trash” containers which would be just for compost and food waste so that rats can travel safely to get their food and so that people don’t make a scene when they see a rat.

Photos from the Site

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