Inspired by educator and systems thinker Linda Booth Sweeney:
“Education in how living systems function should be a fundamental part of 21st century schooling and anyone’s lifelong learning plan,”¹ the Zoo Poo and You studio aims to engage people in learning about and understanding the complexity of ecological systems and how they are entangled with and impacted by human activity.
The Melbourne Zoo is a significant living case study of zero waste to landfill practice. The Zoo waste management team regularly provides tours to local government and business groups. However this amazing story is largely unknown to everyday visitors of the zoo.
The Zoo Poo and You studio aimed to engage visitors of Melbourne Zoo in learning about and understanding the zoo as a living case study of zero waste to landfill practice, as well as the complexity of ecological systems and how they are entangled with and impacted by human activity.
Students used mapping and visualisation to make sense of the flows of materials and waste and onsite composting of organic materials. But also the interaction of zoo visitors in the system that conflicts with broader society operating under a different paradigm of waste management. (See more here: http://desis-lab.org/zoo-poo-and-you-studio/). These insights helped students to consider how they might communicate these rich complexities and hidden stories to the public.
Using mapping and visualisation to make sense of the flows of materials and waste and the interaction of people, students have gained insight into the successes of a relatively enclosed system, including the onsite composting of organic materials, but also the challenges of a broader society operating under a different paradigm transgressing the ideals of the zoo practicing as a zero waste to landfill enterprise. From these insights students are developing interpretive and playful artefacts to educate zoo visitors in the fascinating behind the scenes of the zoo.
¹ http://www.lindaboothsweeney.net/learning
From Week 02 Zoo Waste Management Site Visit “What Stood Out for You”
Food Cycle
I think it’s genius that the mulch and compost created is a closed loop. The compost goes to Weribee Zoo, the food is grown, the food is eaten, pooped out, and so on and so on. It’s a nice visual cue too for further designs.
– Nadia Raineri
Zero Waste Goal
I admire Melbourne Zoo’s goal to produce zero waste by 2019. It have definitely challenge my perspective on what waste is to me, and the effort we can make individually on recycling.
– Ding Hou Edwin Ang (Edwin Ang)
Passionate
The guys working with the composting process were extremely passionate with what they do. It takes a certain kind of person to do what they do for the environment. You can see their intentions genuine and that they really care.
– Erin – Wen Zhen Tan
Bins
What stood out for me was people putting things in the wrong bins. I thought a lot about how much time and energy is used trying to sort the waste when there are specific bins designed for people to put things in. I wonder a lot about why the message just isn’t getting across and why people don’t take the time to stop and think for a moment about what they are doing. I wonder if people would take the time if it somehow impacted them directly. Something to perhaps think about for the coming weeks.
– Nadia Raineri
Microbial Systems within HotRot
What we didn’t get to see is (well of course we can’t) the microbial processes that’s happening within the HotRot. I’m wondering if there’s any documentation on this process at the Zoo. Perhaps what’s fascinating is the mutual symbiotic relationship between keepers and animals is quite synonymous with the guys and the microbes. The circle of life analogy comes into play.
– Erin – Wen Zhen Tan
Different kind of waste are recycled
Almost all the waste is recycled at the zoo… Plastic, concrete, steel, organic [materials]. They want to achieve the zero waste policy before the 2019…
– Hans Christian Jacobsen
The endless possibilities with the end-product
All the things you can make with the ZooGro, and the cycle of life of the product, inside and outside the zoo…
– Hans Christian Jacobsen
Students developed interpretive and playful interfaces and activities to educate zoo visitors in the fascinating behind the scenes sustainability of the zoo. The proposed projects were as diverse as playgrounds (Slide and Grind by Michaela McCaw), children’s play zones (Compost Factory by Hana Nadira), an app that supports adventure and discovery through the zoo (Waste Matters by Manuely Avila), new educational cafe centres, sculptural and informative compost bins (by Yukie Ueyama) and diverse forms of digital games and tactile interactive displays (Turning a New Leaf by Erin Tan, Kirsten Carless and Jennifer Mai).
