Instructions

Part 1: Generate Ideas/ Brainstorm

Now that you've learned about the impact of packaging and how to make bioplastics, take 15 minutes to come up with 6-10 bioplastic packaging ideas that can help create a future with less waste from consumer goods. The more ideas the better!  

Brainstorming can be a great way to generate numerous ideas in a short time.  This involves getting a group of people together so you can all throw ideas into the melting pot.  Try it with friends or family if you can!

Try to re-imagine current packaging and think about how you might design out waste - for instance, if plastic yoghurt pots were made of organic plastic, they could be used as plant pots and put in the ground after use, where they would biodegrade... 

Brainstorming Tips

1.  Wild ideas lead to creativity: Do not filter anything out at this stage, even if it doesn't seem "practical" or "possible." Keep an open mind - ideas can become more specific and feasible as we develop them further. At this stage, anything is possible.
2.  Aim for as many ideas as possible: Whatever comes to mind, get it down on paper or typed into a meaningful document - make sure you're creating a record of what you're thinking. These thoughts can be words, visuals, ideas, images, materials, objects, places - at this stage, it doesn't matter.
3. Inspiration can come from anywhere: Look around your home, your school, your neighbourhood and local shops and businesses for inspiration.  Go back to the bioplastic precedents you looked at in Step 1 and consider how others are using bioplastics in novel ways.

Part 2: Sketch

After you finish brainstorming, take a moment to look over your list and reflect. Select your favourite idea and draw a detailed sketch of your proposed bioplastic-based packaging idea. 

Use detail, colour, and add descriptions to the drawing to help a viewer to easily understand your concept. 

To learn more about various types of sketching, and useful techniques, watch the short video in the Resources tab above, produced by our collaborators at NuVu in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Record Your Work

Take a picture of your detailed sketch.  You'll be sharing that image when you submit your project at the end of the challenge.  

Bonus: If you'd like to make a physical prototype of your idea, that's great!  It's not a requirement to complete the challenge, but if you do make one, we'd love to see it, so take a photo and send it to us along with your sketch!

>> Proceed to Step 5 (Submit!)

<<To return to the Challenge steps, click here.