A Spring 2019 DLab Case Study
Though easy, efficient, and cheap, single-use packaging is a threat to the environment and to the future of the Earth. Plastic is incredibly harmful. Its creation causes carbon emissions and it never truly has an “end” as a product. Whether these plastics are put in the trash or recycled, they will eventually end up in the landfill where they can sit for 400 to 1,000 years before breaking down into microplastics. Those microplastics then make their way into the streams, oceans, and eventually to humans.
The Re-Coop Design Lab team has been dedicated to finding a way to bring the first two R’s, reduce and reuse, into the forefront. This led the team to the Boise Co-op, a community-owned, natural grocery store located in the Treasure Valley. They created the Re-Coop system, a closed loop program where the community donates containers that will be reused as vessels for bulk shopping. By doing this they hope that the community will adopt the system and carry it on for a brighter future.
Design Team: Faith M., Greta B., Liam N., Lucy S., Opal A.
