scale
CONTENTS FEATURES
04
About Scale Forward by Hsiao-Yun Chu
20
Trash Kingdom by Cristina Bejarano Cobo
54
Unboxing: A Virtual Experience by James Lundgren
30
Savior of the Day: Design by Aitalina Indeeva
62
The Dark Side of White Snow by Karan Sanjivbhai Shah
POSTCARDS
06
Cause and Effect by Jessica Noriega
40
Logo Trends by Huilin Wang
70
The People’s Urinal by Scott Drapeau
82
Día a de Los Muertos by Jessica Noriega
86
The Manguaré by Cristina Bejarano Cobo
92
Burn Winter While Eating Pancakes by Aitalina Indeeva
96
The Marvelous Chinese Dust Cover by Huilin Wang
100
Fika[fee-ka] by James Lundgren
104
Banarasi Paan by Karan Sanjivbhai Shah
108
Japan’s Fertility Festivals by Scott Drapeau
SCALE 2019
San Francisco State University Graduate Journal of Design
ISSUE 3
4
I Do and I Understand
The origins of Scale were twofold: to have graduate students practice research and writing about design-related subjects, and to do so in a project based way. Project based learning is an active learning strategy which engages students to tackle realworld problems in a collaborative environment. As such, it is a much more realistic representation of the dynamic, working world of design than more traditional teaching strategies (e.g. lecture, homework, lecture, homework), which seem almost static by comparison. Project based learning always brings to my mind a quote attributed to Confucius: “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.”1 Doing, which we can also call “active learning,” is fundamental because it requires us to translate theory into practice. Babies don’t learn to walk by simply watching other people walk. They have to attempt, experiment, fall down, get up again, all the while growing and adjusting until this process becomes second nature. It’s one thing to imagine writing and laying out an entire journal of design. It’s quite another thing to actually implement this.
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As a teacher, it’s interesting for me to watch students’ collaborative and leadership styles emerge when I stand back and let them take over the implementation process. In a traditional classroom environment, the instructor is actively moderating and controlling the schedule and students are responding to prompts and cues. But with the project based model, which prioritizes engagement over direction, I’ve observed students coming together more organically as a team: negotiating tactfully, making decisions collaboratively, using humor, sharing tasks, and developing trust in one another’s judgment over time. These observations speak to one of the unique strengths of San Francisco State University in general and of our graduate program in particular; unity in diversity. Our graduate students hail from China, India, Siberia, Colombia, New England, and the Bay Area; speak different languages; have varied life experiences and interests. But our students are unified in their common interest toward a graduate degree, and highly supportive of one another as peers and collaborators. In the course of producing Scale, students have developed not only their hard skills in writing and design, but also their soft skills, like actively navigating through problems together and finding a unique voice in the team. This issue of Scale represents the unified vision of a diverse team. We hope you enjoy it.
Hsiao-Yun Chu Associate Professor, Graduate Coordinator
1
There is some debate as to whether Confucius actually said this. Some people attribute this saying not to Confucius but
to Xunzi, a 3rd century BC Confucian scholar. Other people claim that the translation from the Chinese is inaccurate. For more on this debate, see https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/226886/origin-of-i-hear-and-i-forget-i-seeand-i-remember-i-do-and-i-understand
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CAUSE AND EFFECT An in-depth look at the effects from texting while driving by Jessica Noriega
were on their way to celebrate their high school graduation when a head on collision with a tractor
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In 2007, five teens from New York
trailer caused the death of all five. In 2015 Charles Mauer and his 10-year-old daughter Cassy, were on their way home from the library when Rose Bollig, a 17-year-old slammed into their vehicle. Neither one survived the accident. In May 2017 Natasha Bogg drove over a marked lane and hit three teens who were walking on the sidewalk. Two were killed and the third was severely injured. These accidents all have one thing in common: they were caused by distracted drivers. These deaths could have been
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prevented had the driver not been texting or posting on social media while driving. Using a mobile device while driving has serious consequences. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported 3,450 people died in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers in 2016. When driving, one needs to be ready for the unexpected and with the distraction of a handheld device one is less likely to see the unexpected. Driving is a task that requires your full attention, mentally and physically, and multitasking cannot and should not be done while driving a motor vehicle. There are three categories of distraction—visual, manual, and cognitive—that divert the driver’s attention from the task of driving. As soon as the driver reaches for their mobile device these distractions kick in: Visual—the driver has taken their eyes off the road to look at their device; Manual—the driver has taken both or one hand off the steering wheel to hold the device; and Cognitive—the driver is concentrating on the conversation instead of the driving environment. A study done by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) revealed that sending or receiving a text takes a driver’s eyes off the
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road for an average of 4.6 seconds. It takes 4.6 seconds to drive across a football field at 55 mph. In essence reading a text message while driving is equivalent to driving across a football field blindfolded. Studies also show that driving with a distraction increases the risk of an accident by 23 percent. The awareness of one’s environment completely diminishes when one is distracted by the phone. Below are some statistics on texting while driving: •
The CDC reports approximately nine people are killed and more than 1,000 injured daily in the United States in incidents reported as involving a distracted driver
•
NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) reports approximately 660,000 drivers are using cell phones or manipulating electronic devices while driving
•
A survey conducted by AT&T revealed 97% of teens say texting and driving is dangerous
•
A survey conducted by AT&T revealed 77% of teens have seen their parents or friends texting and driving
•
In a survey done by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety 40% of drivers reported having read a text or an email while driving, and nearly a third reported typing one
•
According to the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute Texting while driving is six times more likely to cause an automobile crash than driving when intoxicated
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FEATURES | CAUSE AND EFFECT
The “2018 Distracted Driving Report� conducted by Motus, showed that smartphone ownership went from 55 percent in 2013 to 77 percent in 2017. In parallel the number of accidents escalated from 5.7 million to 6.4 million, an increase of 12.3 percent. While statistics show the dangers and impact of texting while driving, the use of mobile devices while driving continues to be a problem in our society. Although various awareness campaigns and laws have been implemented to address the issue, research continues to show an increase in the number of fatalities caused by texting while driving. NHTSA reported that 3,450 people died alone in 2016 as a result of distracted driving. Existing apps and campaigns to discourage texting while driving have failed in promoting change in this behavior because of technology addiction and ineffective marketing. This article will cover what has been done to try to prevent this negative behavior and what
should be done to promote a positive change. Cellular and smart phones are a crucial part of our daily lives because they allow us to communicate with family and friends, surf the internet, and stay up to date through applications and social media. Although cell phones are essential tools they have become a safety hazard when used while conducting a motor vehicle. In response, many local governments and states have passed laws that ban or restrict SCALE 3 | 2019
the use of a mobile device while driving. Current laws in the United States that target the use of mobile devices while driving include: •
Hand-Held Cell Phone Use: 16 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands prohibit all drivers from using hand-held cell phones while driving. All are primary enforcement laws— an officer may cite a driver for using a hand-held cell phone without any other traffic offense taking place.
•
All Cell Phone Use: No state bans all cell phone use for all drivers, but 38 states and D.C. ban all cell phone use by
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FEATURES | CAUSE AND EFFECT
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novice drivers, and 20 states and D.C. prohibit it for school bus drivers. •
Text Messaging: Washington was the first state to pass a texting ban in 2007. Currently, 47 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands ban text messaging for all drivers. All but four have primary enforcement. Of the 3 states without an all driver texting ban, two prohibit text messaging by novice drivers.
In addition to state laws being in effect several companies have developed apps to prevent distractions caused by mobile devices while driving. Life Saver This app auto-detects driving and blocks texts and calls. An auto response is sent to inform people that you are driving and that you will contact them once you arrive safely at your destination. The app is GPS based which generates data to show where you are most likely to engage in the negative behavior and allows others to see where most offenders are. This app has a driver portal dashboard that can be used by parents or business owners to
track driving behaviors. Parents can have peace of mind by being notified when their teen arrives to their destination. AT&T drive mode This app turns on when the vehicle is moving more than 15 mph. All calls, alerts and text messages are blocked. An auto reply is generated to inform people you are driving. Even though the phone is locked the driver with one simple touch will have access to music and navigation. It helps keep young drivers safe by alerting parents when drive mode is turned off or auto mode is disabled. These apps try to encourage drivers to break away from the negative habit of distracted
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FEATURES  |  CAUSE AND EFFECT
series of videos, billboards and radio ads
campaigns were implemented to raise
to spread the message. A website is also
awareness on the issue.
available with tips, facts and videos that
AT&T- “It Can Wait” Campaign
can be shared to Facebook and Twitter.
In 2010 AT&T launched a campaign
Despite the efforts in attempting to
with the slogan “It Can Wait” to raise
prevent texting while driving, these
awareness in the dangers of texting and
apps and campaigns have not been
driving. Their target audience was young
successful. All apps can be disabled,
drivers. AT&T launched this campaign
or alternatively never downloaded in
with two goals: to reduce the number of
the first place. A survey conducted by
accidents caused by distracted driving
AT&T demonstrated that 95% of drivers
and to demonstrate that texting and
disapprove of distracted driving, yet 71%
driving was as dangerous as drinking and
engage in smartphone activities while
driving. They delivered their message
driving. Many are aware that distracted
through a series of videos that showed
driving is wrong, so why do they still do it?
accident survivors and those that did
Technology Addiction
not survive. People were invited to take the pledge to never drive distracted and a series of posters, stickers and billboards were displayed. Several other phone companies like Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon joined the campaign.
People are constantly checking email, active on social media, video streaming, browsing the internet, online shopping
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driving. In addition to apps the following
and texting. Digital Trends revealed the United States was the highest consumer of monthly data, spending the most
“Stop the Texts. Stop the Wrecks.”
time per day on their phone. Americans
Campaign
spend 4.7 hours a day on their phones,
This texting and driving prevention
the average person is awake for 15 hours
campaign by the National Highway
a day, that means approximately one
Traffic Safety Administration (USA)
third of their time is spent on phones.
and the Ad Council started in 2012. It
“The early science suggests that heavy
demonstrates to drivers that no matter
users of technology, of smartphones,
how safely they think they can drive
for example, become very anxious when
distracted, the behavior is dangerous
they’re not using the technology,” says
at all times. Their goal is to make their
60 Minutes producer Guy Campanile.
message simple and easy to understand
Our culture has become addicted to
for the general public. They launched a
their phones that ignoring their phone
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while driving has become impossible. In a survey conducted by AT&T 89% of teenagers felt obligated to respond to a text message within one minute or less. As stated in an article written by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. “ The fear of missing out (FOMO) has become pervasive in society. Teens and adults text while driving, because the possibility of a social connection is more important than their own lives (and the lives of others).”
Ineffective Marketing Campaigns have failed to connect with teens due to ineffective marketing. Most awareness campaigns and apps have not reached their target audience because they have not directly engaged with them. Campaigns have attempted to reach teens by using adolescents in their videos and billboards. However, there has not been a strong presence on social media or in school environments. The majority of teenagers spend 6-8 hours
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at school yet the topic of texting while driving was not brought to their attention in the
“THE FEAR OF MISSING OUT (FOMO) HAS BECOME PERVASIVE IN SOCIETY. TEENS AND ADULTS TEXT WHILE DRIVING, BECAUSE THE POSSIBILITY OF A SOCIAL CONNECTION IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THEIR OWN LIVES (AND THE LIVES OF OTHERS)” - JOHN M. GROHOL, PSY.D.
school environment. According to a report conducted by Common Sense Media teens spend typically 9 hours on social media. However, no campaign has used this as their platform to reach their target audience. In addition, the apps that have been developed have used parents as their customers. For example, texting and driving app websites display messages such as:
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•
Drive Safe Mode - “Control and monitor your teen’s mobile use while driving”
•
Life Saver- “For Parents and for fleets”
•
Drive With Sentinel- “Protect your teen from texting, speeding, and other unsafe
FFEATURES E A T U R E | S CAUSE | C A UAND S EEFFECT AND EFFECT
habits -even when you’re not in the car”
Solutions Distracted driving due to texting and social media use is a real problem which contemporary apps and campaigns have failed to fully resolve. The following solutions could encourage a positive change in texting and driving. Educate teens in school Most teens are not aware of the statistics and how big the impact of texting while driving could be. Relying on parents to educate their children or leaving it up to teens to educate themselves has not been a success. Teens need to be educated on the statistics about distracted driving and its consequences as well as measures to take on how to prevent distracted driving. Schools should incorporate this in their school events, host educational workshops, or have two assembly’s a year that educate teens on texting while driving. During these assemblies or events, it would be essential to have survivors or relatives of people that died because of distracted driving as guest speakers. Posters and digital displays with messages about texting while driving around campus could also
Celebrity endorsed campaigns An article published by NewPort Academy, speaks about the influence celebrities have on teens. “For better or worse, celebrities have a powerful impact on how teens view
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help deliver the message.
themselves and how they see the world. In fact, it’s easy to underestimate how much celebrities influence teenage attitudes and behavior. Celebrities can have a positive influence on youth. In fact, they can serve as role models” (Monroe, 2018). Celebrities have a big impact on society and are followed by many. As seen by the millions of followers these celebrities have on Instagram: •
Kim Kardashian -131 M
•
Kylie Jenner- 129 M
•
Justin Bieber- 106 M
Campaigns have to make use of the large number of followers celebrities have and the influence they have on society. Having celebrities spread the word by giving speeches on the impacts of texting while driving, posting videos on social media about the topic, wearing t-shirts that promote “not texting while driving” or similar slogans. “Celebrities have the power to influence millions of people around the world with a single post” (Us
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Magazine, 2017). If teens see celebrities supporting the campaign, they are more likely to think it’s something “cool” they need to start doing too. Promote disconnection from devices Research done on the impacts of technology on human experience by Dr. Richard House, demonstrated that “A lot of smartphone use seems to be habitual, automatic behaviors that we have no awareness of” (Gregoire, 2015). Everyone views being on your device as something that’s common, it’s a habit that people are not aware of. Campaigns’ should promote the idea that being off your device is something positive such as - a time where you could “unplug” to gather your ideas, think and reflect. This would relay the message that it’s not always good to be connected to technology, that sometimes one needs to disconnect and allow one’s mind to be free. It will also make smartphone users aware of the negative habit. Social Media A survey conducted by Common Sense showed that in 2012 34% of teens used social media multiple times a day, that number has increased to 70% of teens in 2018. Teens are constantly posting and checking social media. They spend the majority of time on social media, making social media the perfect avenue to influence teens. The survey also revealed 44% of teens use Snapchat, for that reason targeting teens through Snapchat would have a good outcome. Snapchat could have filters that promote safe driving, and
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FEATURES | CAUSE AND EFFECT
teens could post a snap to let friends know they are supporting the campaign. Incorporating the ideas listed above into existing solutions could help create a positive change in texting while driving. Existing solutions could have a big impact if they work in partnership with schools, celebrities, and social media and introduce new messages into the campaign. Research continues to show an increase in the number of fatalities caused by texting while driving but there hasn’t been an increase in promotions to help spread the word of this negative behavior. Nine people in the United States die daily because of distracted driving; this is something that could be prevented by engaging and educating teens. Helping teens understand how deadly and dangerous distracted driving is will not only help save lives today, it will also help prevent future generations from engaging in this negative behavior. Texting while driving has serious consequences and should be taken seriously. Safe driving campaigns need to use more contemporary methods of reaching young people in order to get these messages across more clearly and effectively than they have in the past.
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REFERENCES Seppa, N. (2013). IMPACTFUL DISTRACTION: Talking while driving poses dangers that people seem unable to see. Science News, 184(4), 20-24. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.jpllnet.sfsu.edu/stable/23599367 Abouk, R., & Adams, S. (2013). Texting Bans and Fatal Accidents on Roadways: Do They Work? Or Do Drivers Just React to Announcements of Bans? American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 5(2), 179-199. Retrieved from http://www. jstor.org.jpllnet.sfsu.edu/stable/43189434 Andrew.currin.ctr@dot.gov. (2018, December 20). U Drive. U Text. U Pay. Retrieved from https://www.nhtsa.gov/ risky-driving/distracted-driving Hooked on your phone? (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hooked-on-phones/ Miranda, L. (2017, March 13). How Fashion Nova Built An Entire Fashion Company Completely On Instagram. Retrieved from https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/leticiamiranda/fashion-nova Hudson, B. (2015, October 19). Charges: Girl, 17, Was On Facebook Seconds Before Double Fatal Crash. Retrieved April 22, 2019, from https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2015/10/19/girl-17-charged-in-sherburne-co-crash-that-killed-2/ Texting to blame for crash that killed 5 teens? (2007, July 14). Retrieved from http://www.nbcnews.com/id/19764563/ ns/us_news-life/t/texting-blame-crash-killed-teens/#.XI7HqihKhPY Woman Who Struck, Killed 2 Teens While Texting Behind The Wheel Sentenced To Prison. (2018, June 15). Retrieved from https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2018/06/15/texting-while-driving-teens-killed-sentencing/ Monroe, J. (2018, August 29). How Celebrities Influence Teens and Why it Matters. Retrieved from https://www.newportacademy.com/resources/empowering-teens/celebrities-influence/ HOOD, K. M., KOWALCZYK, C. M., HOPKINS, C. D., & PADGETT, D. (2017, December 30). A Multi-Method Approach
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to Understanding Behavior Change. The Case of Texting and Driving. Retrieved from http://marketing.expertjournals. com/23446773-510/ Apps to Fight Distracted Driving. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.dmv.org/distracted-driving-apps.php Driver Behavior & Performance Archives. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://aaafoundation.org/category/driver-behaviorperformance/ Rodriguez, K. (2018, April 30). The Most Influential Celebrities on Social Media. Retrieved from https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/pictures/the-most-influential-celebrities-on-social-media/ Gregoire C, Gregoire C. You Probably Use Your Smartphone Way More Than You Think. HuffPost. https://www.huffpost. com/entry/smartphone-usage-estimates_n_5637687de4b063179912dc96.Published November 5, 2015. Accessed April 12, 2019. Wallace K. Teens spend 9 hours a day using media, report says. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2015/11/03/health/teenstweens-media-screen-use-report/index.html. Published November 4, 2015. Accessed April 15, 2019. Social Media, Social Life: Teens Reveal Their Experiences (2018) | Common Sense Media. Common Sense Media: Ratings, reviews, and advice. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/research/social-media-social-life-2018. Published September 10, 2018. Accessed April 15, 2019. Americans Spend An Alarming 4.7 Hours On Their Phones. Digital Trends. https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/
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informate-report-social-media-smartphone-use/. Published June 14, 2015. Accessed April 15, 2019.
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TRASH KINGDOM The mismanagement of trash in Kenya
by Cristina Bejarano Cobo
from Britain in 1963, Kenya has experienced economic growth by promoting domestic and foreign
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Since gaining independence
investment in agriculture and industry, buoyed by growth in highly-profitable sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, and financial services. Economic success accompanied by political and structural reforms have made Kenya a hub for financial, communication and transportation services in Eastern Africa and raised the country’s per capita income from $104 in 1963 to $1790 in 2018, in inflationadjusted dollars1. 1
‘Gross Domestic Product Per Capital for
Kenya’. FRED,Economic Data. https://fred. stlouisfed.org/series/PCAGDPKEA646NWDB
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The increased spending power of Kenyans, as reflected in greater consumption of goods and services and a higher standard of living, is not without its costs. In particular, waste management has not kept pace with the economic growth. In Kenya, as in much of Africa, less than 10% of the total waste produced by the household, industry, and agriculture is collected. Among low-income households, 93% of waste ends up in open dumps with another 3 % going into landfills. Government resources for waste administration and services are woefully insufficient, directed only to waste collection, and targeted to only the most developed cities. Over 90% of the country lacks any waste management services whatsoever, and the little that is collected is not properly processed, recycled, or disposed of2.
IN KENYA, AS IN MUCH OF AFRICA, LESS THAN 10% OF THE
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TOTAL WASTE PRODUCED BY THE HOUSEHOLD, INDUSTRY, AND AGRICULTURE IS COLLECTED
In Nairobi, one of the most developed of Kenyan cities, only 60% of garbage is collected, and then only to be dumped into one of the world’s biggest landfills—a 30- acre dumpsite centrally located in the Dandora slum. In 1977, the City Council of Nairobi, with the help of World Bank financing, established Dandora to provide better conditions to Nairobi’s least fortunate inhabitants—urban slum dwellers. The dumpsite, created as a temporary solution, has become the world’s biggest
2
Current statics and studies only include Kenya’s major cities, leaving out the rural and peri-rural towns where laws
and regulation are not follow or practice. See NEMA (National Environment Management Authority, Kenya) report in ‘The National Solid Waste Management Strategy’ on page 14: Most towns and cities have inefficient waste collection and disposal system. For instance, a study done for Nairobi indicates that about 30-40% of the waste generated is not collected and less than 50% of the population is served. (Habitat s). In Nakuru, it’s estimated that 45% of the waste generated is collected and disposed at Giotto Dumpsite, 18% is recovered and the rest accumulate in the environmental. 3
‘Allure of Dandora’s mega bucks garbage collection business’. https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2000096244/
allure-of-dandora-s-mega-bucks-garbage-collection-business. 4
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https://www.jobandsalaryabroad.com/en/kenya/english-truckdriver-kenya.html
FEATURES
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TRASH KINGDOM
dumpsite, and the slum surrounding it the biggest in Kenya. Considered full in 2001, it continues to fester and grow, making it one of the most dangerous places in Nairobi for contamination due to toxic fumes, poisoning of the rivers and groundwater—and crime. Gangs shake down the truck drivers who come to the site, extorting a dumping fee of about 300 Kenyan shillings3, about $3 USD, one-third of the truck driver’s salary of $9 USD per day4. Slum dwellers scavenge the site for food and bits of metal they can sell to recyclers—if it is not stolen from them first. Epidemiological studies on the slum children revealed respiratory ailments and toxic blood lead levels in half the children tested, with 30% showing red blood cell abnormalities due to heavy metal poisoning. Livestock is sickened by drinking poisoned water and foraging for food in contaminated soil.
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TRASH KINGDOM
In this “perfect storm” of population and economic pressure and the absence of regulatory enforcement, the Dandora Dumpsite has become a giant cauldron of industrial, agricultural, domestic, and medical waste, a poisonous soup of lead, mercury, cadmium, PCBs, and untold other hazards to the health of humans, animals, and the environment. Far from Nairobi’s slums and the Dandora Dumpsite, rural Kenyans do not have dumpsites at all, and instead, trash accumulates outside their houses, where it is either left to the elements, buried, or burned. There is no knowledge of an alternative, and as a result, livestock grazes and scratch in the rubble, and children play in or around it. Plastic, cardboard, scraps of metal, organic and inorganic waste—it is all treated the same.
FAR FROM NAIROBI’S SLUMS AND THE DANDORA DUMPSITE, RURAL KENYANS DO NOT HAVE DUMPSITES AT ALL, AND INSTEAD, TRASH ACCUMULATES OUTSIDE THEIR HOUSES, WHERE IT IS EITHER LEFT SCALE 3 | 2019
TO THE ELEMENTS, BURIED, OR BURNED.
But this is not the traditional husbandry of the land that has sustained pastoral Kenyans for centuries, long before the British Empire established the East African Protectorate in 1895. The resources that sustain life—land, water, animals—are fully utilized and nothing goes to waste. When a cow is killed, every part of the animal will be used: flesh and blood for nutrition; bones, cartilage, and skin for tools, construction materials, shelter. Yet all the garbage that lies in stark contrast with these frugal and utilitarian ways reveals the speed with which resources and habits of consumption have changed, without time for the culture to accommodate it without harm to themselves. The notion of reusing, repurposing, and recycling is not unfamiliar to Kenyans, rather, it is imbedded in their traditional ways. The problem is the missing link between the waste they are now exposed to and accumulate, and what must be done to treat it. The effect of globalization and commercialization has taken the greatest toll in developing societies. With access to cell phones and the internet, as incomes rise in countries with developing economies, its citizens are seen as market opportunities, prospective
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consumers of good and services.
National Environment Management
Unfortunately, access to treatment,
Authority (NEMA) gave until April 30,
recycling, and repurposing of waste has
2018, to bottle manufacturers to set up
not kept pace. Access to education about
collection points for plastic bottles and
waste and environmental knowledge is
educate Kenyans about proper disposal
sparse in a world where people are viewed
methods, but the plan was not followed7.
as markets and not as ecosystems5.
Communities themselves are essential
The government of Kenya is not unaware
to the success of any waste management
of the problem and not inattentive to the
programs. As such, programs are being
magnitude of the challenge it faces. Laws
proposed by governments, NGOs,
and regulations on waste management
and the private sector that educate
have been in place since 1970. Kenya
and train community members and
instituted a national ban on plastic bags
involve them in plans to put collection,
in 2018, and the government is working
recycling, and repurposing programs
with manufacturers to use recycled
in place. Training is as broad based as
materials . Yet, the problem grows
classifying waste, deploying safe disposal
faster than what the infrastructure
practices, potential uses for repurposed
can contain. For those looking for
materials, and markets and market
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6
solutions, the argument is strong that the responsibility cannot lie only at the feet of the government, but should
Most developing countries don’t have any organized
5‘
extend to those who view the country as
means of controlling solid waste. Garbage is rarely
a marketplace and income opportunity.
even collected on a regular basis. Regulations vary
There are calls for companies with
often a small bribe from an apprehended illegal trash
products to sell to create strategic
dumper will trump enforcement of official regulations,
plans that cover the sales cycle all the
open dumping allowed. Frequently, a lack of funds
anyway. Laws are often lax—burning of garbage and
way through collection and recycling
prevents municipalities in such countries from ever
programs to ensure that waste from
system, in the first place.’ https://www.climate-policy-
their own products will be sent out of the country as recycled material or
being able to even create a proper waste management watcher.org/waste-management/garbage-challengesin-developing-countries.html 6
NEMA Website. https://www.nema.go.ke/index.
properly managed for landfill disposal.
php?option=com_content&view=featured&Item
Despite efforts, the government
id=101
of Kenya is struggling to put these aspirational practices to work. Kenya’s environmental regulatory agency, the
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from country to country and from town to town, and
FEATURES | TRASH KINGDOM
7
https://www.nation.co.ke/business/Plan-to-ban-
plastic-bottles-stopped-days-to-deadline/9964535466-t01dt0z/index.html
strategies for new products from repurposed materials. Empowering communities not only creates employment; it gives people ownership of the solutions that are appropriate for themselves, their families, and their communities. The county, Uasin Gishu, at the center west of Kenya, is an example of how these programs can succeed. The county officials participate in a sensibility campaign developed by the German Hanns Seidel Foundation, tailoring a mentorship for the people who surround the town’s dumpsite, which created a focus on specific issues that concern their future by organizing waste management, collection, and recycling. Some county residents are now making a living from waste. This case has called the attention to the Kenyan government who wants to invest in systematizing waste management, training in safety precautions, and modeling the management process, with the goal of creating a national awareness and an example for other communities to follow8. Private companies have a role to play in helping communities organize recycling, repurposed materials, and opening up new markets with the wisdom of the communities. In the end, these effects on the environment can be expected to persuade consumers favorably and in turn, will affect market potential. As the piles of garbage grow, it can be
should not be discounted. Initially, the wheels turn slowly, but moving things forward to a more sustainable environment will create momentum, with the hope that, eventually, every participant in each part of the equation will be affected positively.
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frustrating to think about the slow pace of mitigation, but moving in the right direction
THE NOTION OF REUSING, REPURPOSING, AND RECYCLING IS NOT UNFAMILIAR TO KENYANS, RATHER, IT IS IMBEDDED IN THEIR TRADITIONAL WAYS.
8
https://www.kenyacic.org/sites/default/files/publications/Live%20Green%20-%20Issue%203.pdf
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REFERENCES (n.d). National Solid Waste Management Strategy. Retrieved April 16, 2019, from, www.nema.go.ke website: https://www. nema.go.ke/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=41&Itemid=184 (n.d). EIA/SEA reports, regulations, publications, guidelines, legislation, policies, permits & forms e.t.c. Retrieved April 16, 2019, from, www.nema.go.ke website: https://www.nema.go.ke/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=112&Item id=126 (n.d). Guidelines, Plans & Strategies. Retrieved April 16, 2019, from, www.nema.go.ke website: https://www.nema.go.ke/ index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=134&Itemid=237 Otieno, B. (2018, April 29). Plan to ban plastic bottles stopped days to deadline. Retrieved April 16, 2019, from www. nation.co.ke website: https://www.nation.co.ke/business/Plan-to-ban-plastic-bottles-stopped-days-to-deadline/9964535466-t01dt0z/index.html Silpa Kaza, Lisa Yao, Perinaz Bhada-Tata, and Frank Van Woerden, ‘WHAT A WASTE 2.0. A Global Snapshot of Solid Waste Management to 2050’ Kenya Tackling challenges caused by rapid urbanisation. (n.d.). Retrieved April 16, 2019, from www.wsup.com website: https://www.wsup.com/where-we-work/kenya/ Odula, T. (2018, December 08). Africa’s solid waste is growing, posing a climate threat. Retrieved April 15, 2019, from https://phys.org/news/2018-12-africa-solid-posing-climate-threat.html Live Green, Issue 03, JAN - MAR 2. ‘Waste management in Kenya’
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Kenya: Much Has to Be Done. (2018, October 15). Retrieved April 15, 2019, from https://global-recycling.info/archives/2309 Barczak, P. (2015, April 20). Dandora Landfill in Nairobi, Kenya | EJAtlas. Retrieved April 16, 2019, from https://ejatlas.org/ conflict/dandora-landfill-in-nairobi-kenya Conrad, D. (2017, January 05). Buried in Dandora: Voices of Nairobi’s Waste Management Disaster. Retrieved April 15, 2019, from https://pulitzercenter.org/projects/kenya-nairobi-dandora-waste-management-public-health-poverty-sanitationcrisis David Conrad and Micah Albert. Project ‘Buried in Dandora: Voices of Nairobi’s Waste Management Disaster’ Ndiso, J. (2019, March 08). Awash with plastic bottles and lacking a law, Kenya struggles to... Retrieved April 16, 2019, from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-un-environment-plastic/awash-with-pla stic-bottles-and-lacking-a-law-kenyastruggles-to-recycle-idUSKCN1QO1ZF Tilahun Nigatu Haregu, Abdhalah K Ziraba, Isabella Aboderin, Dickson Amugsi, Kanyiva Muindi, Blessing Mberu. ‘An assessment of the evolution of Kenya’s solid waste management policies and their implementation in Nairobi and Mombasa: analysis of policies and practices’ Nagda, N. (2013, November 02). Dandora Dumpsite - Ambassador report - Our Actions. Retrieved April 16, 2019, from https://tunza.eco-generation.org/resourcesView.jsp?boardID=ambassadorReport&viewID=2090 Koross, K. (2013, October 26). Allure of Dandora’s mega bucks garbage collection business. Retrieved April 16, 2019, from https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2000096244/allure-of-dandora-s-mega-bucks-garbage-collection-business Gumbihi, H., & Odongo, D. (2016, February 21). How rogue clinics dump foetuses and hospital waste in Dandora, Ruai and Eastleigh areas. Retrieved April 16, 2019, from https://www.sde.co.ke/thenairobian/article/2000192435/how-rogueclinics-dump-foetuses-and-hospital-waste-in-dandora-ruai-and-eastleigh-areas Nairobi Rubbish Tip Major Hazard to Children and the Environment. (2007, October 08). Retrieved April 16, 2019, from https://kenvironews.wordpress.com/2007/10/08/nairobi-rubbish-tip-major-hazard-to-children-and-the-environment/ Micah Albert. (n.d.). Retrieved April 16, 2019, from https://pulitzercenter.org/people/micah-albert
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FEATURES | TRASH KINGDOM
SAVING THE DAY: DESIGN Keeping cultures alive through design
by Aitalina Indeeva
develop economies and expand boundaries; nevertheless, they are also partially responsible for
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Globalization and the mass market
how our world is slowly turning into an incubator, where not only our appearance but also our thinking becomes the same. This is not an entirely bad thing as it has certain advantages. There’s no need to worry about what to wear, think, and to buy: everything has already been decided. However, if a quarter or even a third of the population of seven billion people are converging to be the same, then what would be the point of this development if we lose our individuality and become like
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32
everyone else? You can purchase trending
for the same things under different
fashion pieces from Zara or order an iced
names, packages and brands. Perhaps
vanilla latte at Starbucks from almost
that is why it is so important to support
anywhere in the world even if you haven’t
local brands and businesses.
been in the countries of their origin.
At the same time, some aspects of world
The main goal of multinational
politics and economics lead to the threat
corporations is to earn a large profit with
of extinction of indigenous cultures.
minimal cost. In order to accomplish this
Globalization plays a significant role
they often use cheap labor and materials
in this. The UN reports that over the
sourced from developing countries.
next 100 years, about 90% of world
Small companies and businesses may
languages may disappear (un.org,
find it difficult to compete with such
2019), which indicates the eradication
goods, therefore they are gradually being
of entire cultures including their art,
squeezed out of the market. In 2016, the
folklore, crafts, and rare customs. Co-
European Commission reported that
founder of Vanishing Cultures Project
multinational corporations controlled
Nina Wegner believes that the cultural
more than half of international trade
diversity of the world is diminishing,
(Kordos, Vojtovic, 2016). The speed
despite the fact that the world needs the
with which big corporations absorb
perspectives and wisdom of indigenous
local companies and businesses is a
people. Indigenous people have lived
concern. In 2015, a democratic social
by different rules for many generations
justice organization Global Justice Now
and created their own technologies and
compared the wealthiest economies in
ways of life, different from modern ones.
the world and found out that among 100
As National Geographic Explorer Wade
of them, 69 are corporations and only 31
Davis said “All these peoples’ cultures
are countries (Dodwell, 2016). In 2000,
teach us of other ways of being, other
in the report of the Institute for Policy
ways of thinking, other ways of orienting
Studies, it was mentioned that out of the
yourself in the earth. And this is an idea,
world’s 100 largest economic entities
if you really think about, that can only fill
51 were corporations and 49 were
you with hope” (Davis, 2003).
countries (Anderson, Cavanagh, 2002).
In an attempt to unify lifestyles, we
In 15 years, the number of corporations
lose what differentiates us from each
increased by 14 companies. Soon,
other - culture. If we all think the same
several dozen companies will control the
way, then we will approach the solution
whole world, creating trends and fashion
of problems in the same way which will
FEATURES | SAVING THE DAY: DESIGN
lead to stagnation. The development of civilizations always took place while absorbing smaller ones and creating something new. According to Joseph Levenson and Samuel Huntington, “a weaker society absorbs the more dominant society’s culture and vice versa” (Lee, 2001). What if in a hundred years, all indigenous cultures are merged into a dozen dominant cultures? The modern civilization of consumption and the mass market economy can lead to less cultural diversity in the world. Each indigenous culture has something unique. We need to use their unique experiences, for example being closely connected with nature and knowledge. That is why the preservation of cultural practices and traditions should be an important part of the development of the world.
“ALL THESE PEOPLES’ CULTURES TEACH US OF OTHER WAYS OF BEING, OTHER WAYS OF THINKING, OTHER WAYS OF ORIENTING THINK ABOUT, THAT CAN ONLY FILL YOU WITH HOPE” - WADE DAVIS
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YOURSELF IN THE EARTH. AND THIS IS AN IDEA, IF YOU REALLY
Like anything in this world, culture needs to evolve and adapt to modern realities. Lack of development will not only lead to stagnation, but also to the disappearance and absorption by more dominant cultures. So, the question is, how can culture be preserved? What would help in accomplishing this? The strategy of preserving culture, passing knowledge to subsequent generations, sounds good, but current strategies of cultural presentation are not enough. Of course, we need museums with exhibitions, including history, clothing, recipes, industries, and crafts. However, they alone will not promote interest in culture. The publication of books and articles also has a visual function. We need to increase interest in the culture so it will survive. In this case, the design can contribute to the development of culture and its dissemination, trying to generate interest in art and a desire or wish to know more about it. Design touches so many
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aspects of culture. It can influence paintings, crafts and textiles. In a globalized world of consumerism and mass production where cultures continue to disappear, design can help to preserve traditions and promote culture. One of the ways to preserve art is to bring together the talents of designers and traditional artists who can bring traditions into the contemporary context. One of the most successful projects was started by the National Taiwan Craft Research Institute. Their goal was to give new life to traditional Taiwanese crafts. The website of the program, called “Yii”, stated that their purpose was to create a dialogue between craftsmen and designers of Taiwan as well as to promote Taiwan’s traditional art (Introduction of Yii, 2019). Traditions of the country combined with contemporary design is how the brand Yii was created. Now it represents a collection of products created by designers produced with the help of Taiwanese craftspeople. Icon magazine wrote about a stackable Loop Chair inspired by ancient Chinese scrolls and made from bamboo. Another masterpiece was made by designer Pili Wu in partnership with craft artist Jian-An Su. They combined an Ikea lamp with a porcelain cover containing carved tigers and dragons inside (Chin, SCALE 3 | 2019
2010). Designers of this project explored modern ways to revive fading Taiwanese craft traditions. Some people create their own brands on the basis of traditions. Hong Kong businessman, Sir David Tang, was the first one who combined Chinese heritage with fashion, creating the brand “Shanghai Tang” in 1994. As written on the company’s website, Shanghai Tang is “inspired by the Chinese cultural icons of the 1930s Bund, an entertainment playground and a glamourous time when the city was famous for its architecture, fashion, music and commercial activities - a global hub of cultural interaction and vibrancy that lives on today” (Shanghai Tang, 2019). Sir David Tang started to make luxury Chinese clothing with the concept that the items were not “Made in China” but rather “Made by Chinese”. Shanghai Tang introduced authentic Chinese luxury to the world with traditional clothing and patterns (Image on the left: Shanghai Tang ad campaign). Recently the company was bought by Italian businessman, Alessandro Bastagli, who wants to introduce this store to the new markets (Deng, 2018). Russian designer Irina Batkova has a similar story. She created a company that sells silk scarves with patterns dedicated to national heritage and cultural diversity of Russia. In her interview, she said that the idea of her company is to rethink Russian cultural traditions, modernize and expand them (Sirinbird, 2019). Batkova’s idea was based on Pavloposadkiy scarves which were well known Russian scarves produced since 1795.
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FEATURES | SAVING THE DAY: DESIGN
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FEATURES | SAVING THE DAY: DESIGN
Famous ornaments arose from everyday peasant life: in the image on the right there are flowers, carved patterns of plat bands and spinning wheels, homespun embroidery, and elements of iconography. She uses silk for scarves and shawls, which is different considering traditional Russian scarves were made out of wool and cotton. The material adds value to the items, but her patterns teach people about Russian culture such as works of the famous painter Wassily Kandinskiy, fairy tales, Soviet cartoons, nature, the first flight to space and the alphabet. Sir David Tang and Irina Batkova used modern approaches to create interest in traditional culture. Tel Aviv designers Ami Drach and Dov Ganchrow of the project “Man Made” used technologies to update the human’s oldest tools with the help of computer scanning and 3d printing (Stamp, 2014). They scanned Acheulean hand axes which are large, chipped stones and designed nine add-ons for different uses (Hirst, 2019). Hand axes were made about 1.76 million years ago and were used by our ancestors from the Lower Paleolithic period (Early Stone Age) till the beginning of the Middle Paleolithic period (Middle Stone Age) (Hirst, 2019). The flint hand axes were three-dimensionally scanned at the Jerusalem’s Institute of Archaeology, then designers knapped flints and created files to 3D
hand axes (Caula, 2014). This example shows how new technologies can update a wellknown design. Traditional objects can be rejuvenated with life with an updated aesthetic and new features.
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print in polymer to give the oldest tools a redesign to become contemporary prehistoric
Indigenous people care about preservation of their culture. For example, a survey conducted in 2017 showed that more than half of the indigenous people in Manitoba, Canada are concerned that indigenous cultures and traditions may gradually disappear (CBS News, 2017). Now, indigenous designers fight back, using their collections to share their culture. Indigenous Fashion Week is held in Canada, supporting young indigenous designers to express themselves and their culture. Designers from different tribes combine their cultural heritage with new ways of craftsmanship, such as silk screen and 3d printing. They reclaim their heritage throughout their collections, finding inspiration in traditionally meaningful elements (Allaire, 2018). Now, it’s time for other countries to follow the footsteps of Australia and Canada and host Indigenous Fashion Weeks. Preserving culture brings to mind some examples of cultural appropriation. Large companies sometimes borrow some parts of indigenous cultures without indicating any connection with them. Now, ethnic characteristics such as unique patterns or graphics have become trendy and fashionable. These beautiful patterns have great meaning to
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indigenous people, but unfortunately very few people understand the true meaning of them. In 2013, Nike announced the release of Pro Tattoo Tech Tights on its website. The company mentioned that its leggings are inspired by tattoos of the people of New Zealand, Fiji and Samoa. These were black tights with white lines that resembled Pe’a tattoos. The Pe’a is the name of the traditional male tattoo (tatau) of Samoa. These Pe’a tattoos cover the body from waist to knees and are made only for men as a symbol of courage. Nike designed these pe’a leggings for women. The real Pe’a composition was developed over thousands of years and the meaning of it is a combination/mix of the patterns, person who wears it and the artist who created it (Tatau Samoa Introduction, 2019). It is much deeper than just beautiful and aesthetically pleasant patterns. The indigenous people blamed Nike for offending their cultural values. The leggings were beautiful, but the sacral meaning of the pattern was lost. As a result, Nike pulled the products from stores and issued a formal apology (Tuleja, 2017). In order to preserve the heritage of different cultures, companies should not appropriate from them without proper respect and sensitivity for their traditions. Design can help to SCALE 3 | 2019
preserve culture but it should be done in a responsible way, hopefully one that contributes
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to cultural understanding with a combination of the right attitude and using new technologies, we can hope to achieve the preservation of culture.
FEATURES | SAVING THE DAY: DESIGN
REFERENCES Allaire, C. (2018). How 6 Indigenous Designers Are Using Fashion to Reclaim Their Culture. Retrieved from https://www. vogue.com/article/indigenous-fashion-designers-cultural-appropriation-activism Anderson, S., & Cavanagh J. (2002). Of the world’s 100 largest economic entities, 51 are now corporations and 49 are countries. Retrieved from https://www.corporations.org/system/top100.html CBC News. (2017). Fear of losing culture rises among Indigenous people in Manitoba. Retrieved from https://www.cbc.ca/ news/indigenous/more-than-half-manitoba-indigenous-culture-eroding-1.4156978 Davis W. (2003). Dreams from endangered cultures. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/wade_davis_on_endangered_cultures Deng H. (2018). The Rise and Fall (and Rise?) of Shanghai Tang. Retrieved from https://jingdaily.com/rise-and-fall-ofshanghai-tang/ Designboom. (2014). Man-made contemporary prehistoric hand-axes by Ami Drach and Dov Ganchrow. Retrieved from https://www.designboom.com/technology/man-made-contemporary-prehistoric-hand-axes-dov-ganchrow-05-30-2014/ Designboom. (2019). Yii design: ‘ikea plus tertial’ by Pili Wu. Retrieved from https://www.designboom.com/design/yiidesign-ikea-plus-tertial-by-pili-wu/ Dodwell, A. (2016). Corporations running the world used to be science fiction - Now it’s a reality. Retrieved from https://www. globaljustice.org.uk/blog/2016/sep/12/corporations-running-world-used-be-science-fiction-now-its-reality Hirst, K.K. (2019). Acheulean Handaxe: Definition and History. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/acheuleanhandaxe-first-tool-171238
Behavioral Sciences, 230, 150-158. https://ac.els-cdn.com/S187704281631120X/1-s2.0-S187704281631120X-main. pdf?_tid=bdf9c177-fcb9-4887-879d-12cf5a54259c&acdnat=1552347629_b1ec58bf21a436bab62ed4345d51c5ba Lee, H-I. (2001). Cultural Confrontation and Compromise: The Response of Non-Western Societies to Western Political Ideas. The International Journal of Peace Studies, 6(2). http://www.gmu.edu/programs/icar/ijps/vol6_2/Lee.htm
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Kordos, M., & Vojtovic, S. (2016). Transnational Corporations in the Global World Economic Environment. Procedia - Social and
Pasefika Culture. (2019). Tatau Samoa Introduction. Retrieved from http://www.pasefika.com/Culture/Article/15/sa/ Tatau-Samoa-Intro” PBS NewsHour. (2014). Conservators shine new light on irreplaceable art. Retrieved from https://www.pbs.org/newshour/ show/conservationists-shine-new-light-irreplaceable-art Shanghai Tang. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.shanghaitang.com/en-us/our-story Sirinbird: Silk songs of a fairy brand on a Russian fashion market. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.vokrug.tv/article/ show/partners_71521/ Stamp, J. (2014). Designers Remake Our Oldest Tool Using Our Newest Tool. Retrieved from https://www.smithsonianmag. com/arts-culture/designers-remake-our-oldest-tool-using-our-newest-tool-180952451 Tuleja, E.A. (2016). Intercultural Communication for Global Business: How leaders communicate for success. Retrieved from https://books.google.com/books?id=_kQlDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA65&lpg=PA65&dq=nike+indigenous+patterns&source=b l&ots=DeneERVPX1&sig=ACfU3U13M7YJYEMLWxkZKIrcq62hbEZA1g&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjqubaykYDhAh UGJDQIHZsOAMoQ6AEwC3oECAEQAQ#v=onepage&q=nike%20indigenous%20patterns&f=false United Nations. (2019). Culture. Retrieved from https://www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/mandatedareas1/culture.html Waldemar, K. (2019). New Conservation Techniques in the Digital Age. Retrieved from https://www.gallerysystems.com/ new-conservation-techniques-in-the-digital-age/ Wegner, N. (2012). How Indigenous Cultures Can Save the Modern World. Retrieved from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/ nina-wegner/how-indigenous-cultures-c_b_1234915.html Yii. (2019). Introduction of Yii. Retrieved from https://yii.ntcri.gov.tw/home/en-us/IntroductionofYII
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LOGO TRENDS The simplification trend of logos in the digital era
by Huilin Wang
known brands and then look at their logos. What does one find? One may not be able to tell what
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Make a list of the most widely
each element of the logo stands for, what the brand’s features are, or the stories behind those brands. However, if one takes a step back, it is surprising how many logos look similar even though they are from different companies. “…unless your logo design is particularly unusual, the chances are that someone, somewhere will have had a similar basic idea. This is especially true when it comes to simple shapes, monograms, and visual metaphors” (Carson, 2019). Compared to the old logos, one can generally tell what has been changed dtypes are
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changed: from serif to san serif, those with multicolor are changed to a solid color, names are removed, and so on. There are fewer illustrations or decorative elements within a logo. “Many large companies are freeing their logos of minor details, so we can say that the simplification trend is here to stay. The main idea behind simplification is that the logo must stay perfectly readable across different surfaces (printed materials, screens, etc.)” (Bhatti, 2019). How did this simplification trend form? Is it a good thing or bad thing for companies to redesign their logos by going with the flow? The purpose of this article is to talk about the logo simplification trend and to discuss how some logos benefit from it, while some others don’t, by studying and analyzing some cases with the elements of market responses, recognition or popularity of brands, and so forth. The article will try to show what types of logos would benefit from simplicity and minimalism, and which would not.
LEARN ABOUT LOGOS Imagine a customer walking into a grocery store looking to purchase some milk chocolate, SCALE 3 | 2019
and finding that store only has Cadbury and Milka. Both companies produce this kind of flavor and they both have purple packaging. So how does one make their decision about which type to pick? Perhaps by looking at their logos, right? In the moment when one sees that logo, the memory of having a good experience of this brand’s chocolate would be aroused and the subtle feeling of trust to this brand would also become evident. “Logos, as visual representations of brands, are capable of reminding customers of a brand’s functional benefits and/or communicating such benefits to them” (Fischer, Schwartz, Richards, Goldstein, & Rojas, 1991; Loken, Joiner, & Peck, 2002). The whole process takes less than two seconds. A logo bears a great deal of information with its tiny figure; it attempts to convey the whole image of a brand in an extremely short time. So what exactly is a logo, and how does it work?
“LOGOS, AS VISUAL REPRESENTATIONS OF BRANDS, ARE CAPABLE OF REMINDING CUSTOMERS OF A BRAND’S FUNCTIONAL BENEFITS AND/OR COMMUNICATING SUCH BENEFITS TO THEM.” - FISCHER, SCHWARTZ, RICHARDS, GOLDSTEIN & ROJAS
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FEATURES | LOGO TRENDS
“A logo (also known as a mark, brand mark, trademark, wordmark, logotype, symbol, or brand icon) is a graphic and/or typographic mark that identifies your organization. It is only one element, albeit a very important element, of your organization’s brand identity and helps with recognition, differentiation, and recall” (Halstead, 2012). In short, a logo acts like the face of a brand where consumers get their first impressions of a company, it’s product, and the packaging. While one is choosing merchandise, the packaging can be the element that catches their attention. And after one has knowledge of a brand, a change to its logo can also grab their attention. Most people don’t feel comfortable the moment they face great changes. “In general, the stronger our associations with a brand, the more negatively we react when its logo changes. It comes down to identity, says Karen Winterich, an associate professor of marketing at Pennsylvania State University” (Entis, 2015).
Remember how everyone reacted when Instagram had released its new logo in 2016? The marketing technology company Amobee Brand Intelligence analyzed the sentiment of posts about the new logo: 53% negative, 33% neutral and 14% positive (Cohen, 2016). The New York Times called the response “The Great Instagram Logo Freakout of 2016” and the magazine called the new logo a “travesty” (Stack, 2016). In fact, some people loved the old Instagram logo so much that they would buy
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outdated products that had the original logo printed on them, like t-shirts, polaroid cameras, cushions etc. The same thing happened to Starbucks, Supreme, and Coca Cola, to name a few. “A 2013 study published in Psychological Science shows that logos and branding can have a profound influence on decision-making. Authors Marios Philiastides (University of Nottingham) and Roger Ratcliff (The Ohio State University) found that visible logos and branding on clothing items carried significant value – ultimately biasing decision-making processes in favor of preferred brands” (psychologicalscience.org, 2016). The phenomenon shows the evidence that redesigning a logo
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LOGO TRENDS
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can be risky in terms of the market response. Thus, a logo takes a very important role in representing a brand. Which one is more important? Brand or logo? First of all, we need to be clear that they are not the same thing. In Marty Neumeier’s book, The Brand Gap, he states that “A brand is a person’s gut feeling about a product, service, or organization” (Neumeier, 2003). So in other words, a brand is the spirit that comes from people, while a logo is the impression that gives to people. “The logo is the tip of the brand iceberg. It’s the visible part above the water line, but what it represents is so much bigger” (Halstead, 2012). A logo is not only the signature or face of a brand, but it also shows attitude, the process, and direction of its development, etc. to its audience and the market. Once again, a logo takes more responsibility than one can imagine.
Simplification Trend The logo trends in the recent years have been changing. “The simplification trend has been popular for years now, but still shows no signs of abating” (May, 2018). Google, Starbucks,
and Mastercard etc. keep dropping some elements every time they redesign their logos. And there are a couple of reasons why this trend is so ubiquitous. One of the most crucial reasons is that the convenience of the Internet flattens the world, and people are bombarded with a constant avalanche of information. This requires businesses to convey their concept, the spirit of their brands, etc. in a clear and fast way. These symbols need to be highly readable and legible. The indispensable tools for people in the digital age are the computer, smartphone, and other digital gadgets. “Devices and screens are getting smaller, which means designers have less control and a brand’s logo is jockeying with buttons, icons, and other UI elements. And to play well with others, simpler and stronger is better” (Halstead, 2013).
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LOGO TRENDS
Moreover, especially for business, the ways of consumption have been diversified; people do shopping both online and offline, so businesses would also develop their online market. In 2021 over 2.14 billion people worldwide are expected to buy goods and services online, up from 1.66 billion global digital buyers in 2016 (statista.com, 2017). Therefore, the responsive logo, a kind of dynamic identity that changes its look when users resize their browser window, is not a fresh term, and its existence is necessary. When redesigning a logo, companies need to take this into consideration and design a set of logos in order to help
Who Has Simplified Their Logo? There are many ways to simplify a logo. A very notable change is turning the typeface from serif, which is good for printed material, to sans serif. Sans serif fonts, on the other hand, are not only more legible on screen, but also have a modern feel. For example, Google, Spotify, Pinter-
develop a logo that’s not only beautiful but thoughtful” (Bosler, 2015). Some companies would either remove their icons or their names in order to simplify their logos. The result is only one or a few elements remain. Take for example the logo of Starbucks and how it has evolved. The initial logo had a very delicate mermaid drawing on it, the second one was during the period when two companies merged and they made it more contemporary and displayed the brand’s name. The new logo, that started in 2011, removed both its name and outlines. Before 2011, Starbucks reused the concept of the brown logo, but was rejected by consumers. The current generation knows the memorable elements of the Starbucks logo that includes the
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clients have a wider scope of application.
rainbow of connotative possibilities and
color green and the mermaid. Starbucks is a well-known brand all over the world, and it is still recognizable from the logo. Starbucks changed their logo step by step, little by little, so it wouldn’t shock people.
est, and Airbnb logos all use sans serif
Another brand that redesigned their
typefaces. By modifying the type, they
logo is Burberry. Burberry is an old Brit-
present a new, fresh look and feel to
ish brand, and the original logo was de-
the consumers. Not all brands work this
signed around the early 1920s, and con-
way when redesigning their logo. No
tained an equestrian knight, delivering
matter how designers “play” with the
the message of purity and grandeur. As
type, “it will have more value to both the
for the new logo design in 2018 the icon
client and audience if a designer fully
was removed, and the typeface changed
constructs a deeper message through
to Sans Serif. Even though “the minimal-
the typography. Explore the typographic
ist logo treatment was roundly panned
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by the brand’s online fans” (Griner, 2018) the annual report about its 2018 revenue from the Burberry official website didn’t fluctuate too much compared to the one in 2017. When it comes to Mastercard, what comes to mind? Looking back at the logos it has used since 1968, all of them contain the brand’s name with some decorations between the red and yellow circle. But the latest redesign was a very bold action coming with a really innovative idea. “First, the logo was dropped from its name, and all it has now are the original elements of its brand; The red and yellow circle. What’s more surprising is they have a sonic identity that will be used in a more deliberate way” (Lane, 2019). People get its idea directly through sound, which meets one of the aspects of forming the logo simplification trend. “We live in a time where, increasingly, we communicate not through words but through icons and symbols. Mastercard has had the great fortune of being represented by two interlocking circles, one red, one yellow, since its founding in 1966” (Lane, 2019) said Michael Bierut, a partner at Pentagram design studio
.
There’s no doubt that many companies or brands are on the path of simplifying their logos,
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but unlike Starbucks and Mastercard, some redesigns have not been widely accepted by the public. Young and Ciummo stated in their article that packaging redesign often comes with a small decrease in sales, but this tends to be temporary and has never been as severe as the 20% decrease experienced by Tropicana. Tropicana’s redesign was a great failure. Although the reasons were complex, the logo was undeniably a part of it. They launched their new look on January 8th, 2009, then returned to the original logo about a month and a half later. The new logo was more simpler with a modern font. Compared to the original one, the new logo was less fun, and the public found it less attractive and disappointing. Because of this “unit sales dropped 20%, while dollar sales decreased 19%” (Zmuda, 2009). Simplified logos bring a feeling of being clean, fresh and modern but there are risks involved. Colors, points, lines, and planes play important roles in logo design. The simplified method has been used so widely and frequently that logos are becoming less and less distinctive, which is a somewhat unavoidable problem. Logos that share similarities not only confuse people but even cause disputes among brands. An example is PayPal and Pandora. In May 2017, PayPal sued Pandora over their strikingly similar logo. The suit, filed in a Manhattan federal court, claimed that the confusion over the two logos “has interfered dramatically with PayPal users’ experience” as Inside Radio reported on May 22nd. PayPal stated that they lost customers because of that. Julie Scelzo, executive creative director for Pandora told fastcodesign.com that their new logo had been revised more than a hundred times before finalizing it. Even though they reached a settlement agreement a few
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FFEATURES | LOGO E A T U R E S | C ATRENDS USE AND EFFECT
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months later, the whole mess brought harm to both brands’ reputation, market, and their users. Intentionally or not, it’s inevitable that simple logos start to look similar. Last but not least, from personal experience, it’s sad to see all the logos becoming similar. It’s like their characteristics are fading, and we as customers are exploring the brands by looking at their impersonal identities. Wouldn’t it be better for brands to present their spirits in a diverse way and deliver their ideas by different means?
The core of minimalism application in logo redesign “Minimalism is about designers expressing only the most essential and necessary elements of a product or subject by getting rid of any excessive and, therefore, unnecessary components and features” (Schenker, 2018). In this process, designers have to refine the significant factors of a brand, and then convey its spirit through as few colors, dots, lines, or geometric shapes; or deliver the perceptible visual communication which has the functions that stimulates human senses or memories just by seeing it. Therefore, simplification is not just a move that takes this or that off. Designers are supposed to give meaning to every single element, parallel to the theory of the German philosopher, Hegel Georg WF. Hegel, who said “What is rational is real, and what is real is rational” (Hegel, 1821). “A great logo focuses on one clear concept. Good designers think about what they can sub-
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FEATURES | LOGO TRENDS
tract from a logo, not what they can add” (Hawkins, 2012). Taking serious consideration and thinking before stepping into the simplification trend is vital, otherwise brands won’t benefit from the action. If you don’t get the core of minimalism when simplifying a logo, all the reductions would be meaningless, or could even cause trouble stemming from the new logos. There are many guides to teach one how to follow the trend and simplify design logos. For example, “removing shadows, gradients, textures; try limiting your number of colors; limit your number of fonts and choose stronger, more distinctive typography” (Jason, 2013). There are some considerations when designing or redesigning a minimal logo. The Portuguese graphic designer, Pedro Almeida, has a great project called Power of Brands – Minimal Logos. In this project, Almeida showed the identities of the brands by keeping the brands’ colors, then transforming the logos into some simple shapes. When people see his work they are still able to tell what colors and shapes belong to what brand. However, the key point to this result is not only the talent of the designer but also knowing how to maintain the significant elements of established, recognizable logos all over the world.
simple logos for them, designers might deliberately add some complex visual components to make their works become more vivid. It all comes down to balancing minimalism and effectiveness.
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In this case, if a new brand is up and coming and the clients ask designers to create
The method of simplification is a subject relevant to philosophy. “Rob Garner, senior designer at 23Red, puts it: ‘I’m very wary of trends when it comes to design. These often ignore brand values, allowing communication to be absorbed into life’s wallpaper where nothing really stands for anything. It becomes more about feeling safe in similar surroundings’” (May, 2018). Indeed, simplifying a logo is not a blind act that puts lines or dots randomly together. The trend can help designers gain a better understanding of the temperament of this era. And with that said, only when a simplified logo design conveys the brand values, will it truly succeed in connecting with viewers. In other words we should take it seriously and use a light touch, but not make it merely a fashion trend.
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FEATURES | LOGO TRENDS
REFERENCES Carson, N.( 2019, January 29). 8 Famous Logos That Look Unbelievably Similar. Creative Blog. Retrieved March 23, 2019, from https://www.creativebloq.com/features/8-famous-logos-that-look-unbelievably-similar Bhatti, F. (2019, February 10). Top 13 Logo Design Trends in 2019: Insider’s View and Infographic. Retrieved March 23, 2019, from https://medium.com/@bhattifaizan/top-13-logo-design-trends-in-2019-insiders-view-and-infographic4a913a273c08 Fischer, P. M., Schwartz, M. P., Richards, J. W., Jr., Goldstein, A. O., & Rojas, T. H. (1991). Brand Logo Recognition by Children Aged 3 to 6 Years. JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 266, 3145–3148. Halstead, J. (2012, December 13). Brand vs. Logo: The Mystery Solved. gist brands. Retrieved March 23, 2019, from https:// gistbrands.net/brand-vs-logo/ Entis, L. (2015, September 11). Why We Hate Logo Redesign. Entrepreneur. Retrieved March 23, 2019, from https://www. entrepreneur.com/article/250559 Cohen, D. (2016, May 13). New Instagram Logo Gets Most Negative Reaction. Adweek. Retrieved March 23, 2019, from https://www.adweek.com/digital/amobee-brand-intelligence-new-instagram-logo-sentiment/ Stack, L. (2016, May 11). The Great Instagram Logo Freakout of 2016. The New York Times. Retrieved March 23, 2019, from https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/12/technology/the-great-instagram-logo-freakout-of-2016.html Philiastides, M. G., & Ratcliff, R, (2013, May 21) Influence of Branding on Preference-Based Decision Making. Association for Psychological Science, 24(7), 1208-1215. Doi: 10.1177/0956797612470701 Neumeier, M. (2003). How to Bridge the Distance Between Business Strategy And Design. The Brand Gap. P2
creativebloq.com/features/logo-trends Halstead, J. (2013, April 25). Branding Trends: Why Are Logos Getting Simpler And More Minimalist?. gist brands. Retrieved March 23, 2019, from https://gistbrands.net/logos-getting-simpler/ Bosler, D. (2015, Jul/Aug). Type Speak. Communication Arts, 57(3), p24-28, 0010-3519
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May, T. (2018, December 26). 6 Huge Logo Trends for 2019. Creative Blog. Retrieved March 23,2019, from https://www.
Griner, D. (2018, Aug 3). Burberry Gave a Famed Designer 4 Weeks to Redesign Its Logo, and Here’s What We Got. Adweek. Retrieved March 23, 2019, from https://www.adweek.com/creativity/burberry-gave-a-famed-designer-4-weeks-toredesign-its-logo-and-heres-what-we-got/ Lane, C. (2019, February). The Sound of Mastercard. logolounge. Retrieved March 23, 2019, from https://www.logolounge. com/articles/sound-of-mastercard Schenker, M. (2018, Jan 30). The Minimalist Design Trend: Why Less is More. Creative Market. Retrieved March 23, 2019, from https://creativemarket.com/blog/minimalist-design-trend Hawkins, J. (2012, October 16). Does This Logo Make Me Look Cheap?. Skyhawk Studio. Retrieved March 23, 2019, from http://skyhawkstudios.com/ Halstead, J. (2013, May 1). 10 Tips to Simplify Your Logo, gist brands. Retrieved March 23, 2019, from https://gistbrands. net/10-tips-to-simplify-your-logo/ Number of digital buyers worldwide from 2014 to 2021 (in billions). (2017, July). Retrieved March 23, 2019, from https:// www.statista.com/statistics/251666/number-of-digital-buyers-worldwide/ Zmuda, N. (2009, April 2). Tropicana Line’s Sales Plunge 20% Post-Rebranding. Retrieved March 23, 2019, from https:// adage.com/article/news/tropicana-line-s-sales-plunge-20-post-rebranding/135735 Lane, C. (2019, January 18). Mastercard’s New Symbol Brand. Retrieved March 23, 2019, from https://www.logolounge. com/articles/mastercardrsquos-new-symbol-brand Hegel, H. W. F. (1821). Elements of the Philosophy of Right. Grundlinien der Philosophie des Rechts (1821), Vorrede: “Was vernünftig ist, das ist Wirklich; und was wirklich ist, das ist vernünftig.”
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UNBOXING: A VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE A look into the transformation of packaging design fueled by e-commerce by James Lundgren
packages were shipped through the Amazon Prime program throughout the year of 2017
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In 2017, more than 5 billion
(Carman, 2018). It has become evident that online business continues to grow steadily. With this shift, we’re also seeing the in-store shopping experience go through a transformation. In 2018, online sales within the US were found to be growing at a rate of 15% from the previous year (Ali, 2018). To reap the benefit of this immense growth, companies are transitioning from brickand-mortar business models to e-commerce platforms in order to meet the ever-changing needs of consumers. Some well established retail companies are adopting a
55
hybrid approach in an effort to maintain their physical store locations which provides multiple avenues to interact with customers. Target and Walmart are examples of this in that they offer customers the opportunity to order the items online and pick it up in their store. An aspect to consider when looking at this shift in business is the changing demographic which is mainly Millenials who, “are the largest living population group in the
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FEATURES | UNBOXING: A VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE
U.S., accounting for nearly 30 percent of the population in 2016” (Gopal, 2019). According to Gopal, this generation has grown up with technology and feels comfortable utilizing it for online purchases of consumer goods since they are “price-sensitive and want personalized shopping experiences.” While this online shopping growth does have its upsides regarding increased convenience, an aspect overlooked is energy consumption associated with e-commerce. With products having to be shipped between multiple distribution centers, as well as the frequency of returned items, increases in energy consumption are inevitable. Reductions in energy waste can be made through various restructuring of transportation processes, packaging restrictions, return methods and other areas. Changes in structural packaging, such as reduced footprint and improved protective packaging, can provide cost and energy savings in addition to improving customer understanding of environmental considerations. The transition from traditional brick-and-mortar retail model to e-commerce has resulted in various demands for delivering products in an efficient manner to the millions of online customers. With this change, new opportunities arise for companies to reduce their environmental impact and to interact with customers using
provide online customers with an enhanced experience, thereby reducing overall energy consumption associated with e-commerce. Energy waste is a concern as we see a rapid shift from brick-and-mortar to e-commerce.
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innovative methods. Augmented reality is an environmentally conscious solution that can
Let’s dive into some general background information regarding the differences in logistic distribution methods between the two business models. For the conventional brick-andmortar business, goods are supplied from a manufacturing vendor, palletized and placed in cargo containers to be delivered to a distribution center where its then delivered by automobile to the physical retail store locations in bulk. From that point, consumers are expected to physically go to the store location to shop for their product and return home. There are minimal transportation costs associated with this method because items are shipped in bulk to one location. “The main reason e-commerce does not save energy, even in rural areas, is because of the multipurpose use of automobiles; E-commerce does consume less energy in the case of single-purpose shopping trips by automobile” (Williams, Tagami, 2002). So while e-commerce does offer convenience for the customer, what’s the cost? If we look at energy consumption associated with purchasing a book, a research study showed that the energy usage at a national level is almost the same; “5.6 megajoules(MJ) per book for
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58
e-commerce and 5.2 MJ per book for
easier to transport from supplier to retail
traditional retail” (Williams, 2002). So in
store. For e-commerce distribution
this particular case it is relatively close,
networks however, it requires designing
but e-commerce is still consuming more
for the most rigorous conditions as
energy. Important factors that determine
the item is often shipped on its own
efficiency within the e-commerce
through multiple distribution centers
distribution network include packaging,
and handled roughly by courier services.
use of courier vehicles, number of
With this in mind, packaging is reduced
deliveries per trip and the energy
down to the necessary protective
consumed within people’s homes during
components such as foam or corrugated
that time-frame. If we look at the specific
inserts. The packaging needs to protect
area of energy usage for distributing the
the items from drops, stacking, vibration,
book, the difference between the two
moisture and a multitude of other
is quite evident, “the result is 3.9 MJ for
factors. One of the main e-commerce
e-commerce and 0.8 MJ for traditional
companies has recently implemented a
retail for the combination of a large
plan to encourage this positive change.
box plus wraparound package or paper
To save costs and reduce environmental
bag, respectively” (Williams, 2002). It’s
impact, Amazon has established ships in
not surprising that e-commerce does
own containers (SIOC) and frustration
in fact consume more energy than bulk
free packaging (FFP) programs to
shipping, but it’s mainly due to the space
simplify the steps to fulfill customer
taken by packaging each individual item
orders online. SIOC packaging means
as well as the additional step to the
that the product has retail packaging
customer’s home. Efficiency is constantly
removed, the item’s package is designed
being monitored in the logistics realm
as a single shipping carton box and
of e-commerce and with that comes the
by doing so it drastically reduces the
evolution of packaging.
amount of packaging. FFP goes a
Designing structural packaging for
few steps further in that it requires
retail differs greatly from designing for
all components of the e-commerce
a direct-to-consumer business model.
packaging to be fully recyclable and
In retail, products are bundled and
easily opened in under 120 seconds.
packaged securely on pallets where they
From July of 2019, Amazon will require
make their way through the distribution
vendors who still utilize retail packaging
network onto the safe vicinity of a store
for e-commerce items to either
shelf. With this style, delicate items are
update their packaging to meet these
FEATURES | UNBOXING: A VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE
regulations, or incur a fee of $1.99 to each item (Pierce, 2018). As an incentive, those who successfully update packaging before the deadline will be a given credit for cooperating swiftly. This future change results in packaging being reduced down to the bare minimum. So far during previous years, this change “has eliminated 244,000 tons of packaging materials, avoiding 5 million shipping boxes to date” (Price, 2018). Without graphics and a proper un-boxing, the experience is far from memorable. With products arriving to a customer’s doorstep in plain brown shipping boxes, companies are now being urged to rethink the packaging experience. That excitement we once enjoyed is no longer part of the process. To engage with the product and what it offers, utilizing augmented reality to enhance the customer’s initial interaction might just be the answer to this developing problem. Companies across the consumer market are seeking innovative ways to engage customers with positive experiences to negate the lack of packaging due to the evolving e-commerce regulations. By bringing awareness to customers of the actions taken by a company to reduce environmental impact, immense value is added. Not only is it a step forward for society and the environment, it gives customers a new immersive experience. “AR (augmented reality) calculates the position and angle of (the) camera image in real time while adding corresponding images. The virtual world scene is superimposed on a screen in (the) real world for real-time interaction” (Zhang, 2018). Augmented reality has already been implemented on multiple platforms by various companies and has received positive
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FFEEAATTUURREESS | | CCAAUUSSEE AANNDD EEFFFFEECCTT
customer feedback. “Network virtual try-on is a new way of online shopping. With the development of e-commerce, it broadens the external propaganda channels of merchants to enhance the interaction between consumers and merchants. Virtual try-on fills the gap that the goods cannot be tried on in traditional online shopping” (Zhang, 2018). By shifting customer focus from packaging experience to a digital virtual experience, brand value can be retained. Shopify has an application that allows vendors to upload computer generated models of their products so that customers can view all details of the product before placing an order. This eliminates the need to be physically in a store because it grants the customer with the ability to interact with a product in a digital environment. Not only does the interface between digital and real world offer the customer a way to gauge how items fit into their space, it allows companies to transform customer’s rooms into a showroom. Brands potentially have the ability to display a full line of products on the walls of customer’s homes using augmented reality. This reduces the costs and energy wasted associated with storefronts and provides people with an immersive and convenient shopping experience. As we see the use of augmented reality expanding, the possible applications are vast. The environment of the retail store is transforming and with that, SCALE 3 | 2019
the way we engage with products.
REFERENCES Ali, Fareeha. (2018). US e-commerce sales grows 15% in 2018. Retrieved from https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/ article/us-ecommerce-sales/ Carman, Ashley. (2018). Amazon shipped over 5 billion items worldwide through Prime in 2017. Retrieved from https:// www.theverge.com/2018/1/2/16841786/amazon-prime-2017-users-ship-five-billion Gopal, G., & de Madariaga Azcuénaga, I. (2019). Direct-to-consumer strategies for CPG manufacturers: Brick-and-mortar options give way to personalized services for a variety of goods. ISE: Industrial & Systems Engineering at Work, 51(1), 34–39. Retrieved from http://jpllnet.sfsu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login .aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,coo kie,url,uid&db=a9h&AN=134288274&site=ehost-live Price, T. Rowe. (2018). Thinking Outside the Box. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/brand-studio/trp/ thinking-outside-the-box/ Pierce, Lisa McTigue. (2018). Amazon incentivizes brands to create Frustration-Free Packaging. Retrieved from https:// www.packagingdigest.com/sustainable-packaging/amazon-incentivizes-brands-to-create-frustration-free-packaging-2018-09-18 Williams, E., & Tagami, T. (2002). Energy Use in Sales and Distribution via E-Commerce and Conventional Retail: A Case Study of the Japanese Book Sector. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 6(2), 99–114. https://doiorg.jpllnet.sfsu. edu/10.1162/108819802763471816 Zhang, B. (2018). Augmented reality virtual glasses try-on technology based on iOS platform. EURASIP Journal on Image & Video Processing, 2018(1), 1. https://doi-org.jpllnet.sfsu.edu/10.1186/s13640-018-0373-8
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THE DARK SIDE OF WHITE SNOW Rapidly growing tourism and its adverse effects on nature
by Karan Shah
settled areas in the world, standing at 18,875 feet from sea level. The city of Leh is located in
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Leh-Ladakh is one of the highest
Jammu-Kashmir state of India, very close to the Khardung La Pass, which is one of the highest drivable road ways in the world at 17,582 feet from sea level. This area is well known for its scenic beauty, Buddhist monasteries, and unique culture and traditions. The region attracts tourists, motorcycle enthusiasts, and organizations from all over the region. Bikers plan tours for the season and visit in large groups of 30 to 100 bikers (Kunal, 2019).
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According to the India Census in 2011,
government has opened about 22 new
the population of Leh-Ladakh is 133,487
offices and check-posts in and around the
civilians and about 35,000 Indian Army
district, providing employment to the local
personnel (Census, 2011). In 2017, Leh-
youth (Katherine, 2014).
Ladakh had more than 45,000 tourists in
Leh-Ladakh shares borders with Pakistan-
the month of May when the area opened
occupied-Kashmir, Pakistan and China.
for tourism. The total number of tourists
After the Kargil War in 1999, regular
for the season was expected to be about
patrolling and firing increased from once
313,000 in the three months following
a month to three times a week, resulting
May, which is 10 times the figure of 2008
in increasing tensions between India and
(Karthikeyan, 2018).
Pakistan (Christine, 2019). Along with the
After the famous Bollywood movie,
increase in tension between India and
3 Idiots, was filmed in Leh-Ladakh in
Pakistan, the safety of locals and tourists
2010, domestic tourism arrival rose to
is in jeopardy.
55,685 people. Whereas foreign tourists
In addition, the increase in the number
numbered 22,115. As of August 2011,
of vehicles and tourists is contributing to
arrivals stood at 148,588 with 118,732
air pollution and a scarcity of water in the
domestic tourists and 29,856 foreigners,
arid region. In a 2014 survey, the Ladakh
that is 113% increase in Leh-Ladakh
Ecological Development Group (LEDeG),
(Karthikeyan, 2018).
a grassroots organization that has been
The expansion of tourism in Leh-Ladakh
working in the region since 1983 on
has come with its share of benefits
sustainability for Leh-Ladakh, found that
and drawbacks, inviting the question
375 hotels in the town were extracting
of whether the short term gains are
852,000 liters of water a day, even with
worth the long-term impact. Due to
60% of Leh-Ladakh’s 20,000 households
the increasing number of tourists,
using bore wells to draw water.
the economy and living standards of
It is not uncommon to see at least 300 cars,
the locals in Ladakh are improving
carrying 1,500 people, visiting the famous
significantly. According to a local
Pangong Lake every day. The increase in
newspaper, annual growth of income of
pollution has damaged the cycle of rain,
households rose by locals by 30% from
and temperatures swing between minus
the previous year 2009 to 2012. This
35 degrees Celsius in winters to plus 35
has improved the quality of education
in summers, while snowfall has decreased
and health care has improved (Shyam,
to 40% in last 10 years (The Third Pole,
2012). With increasing tourism, the state
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FEATURES | THE DARK SIDE OF WHITE SNOW
2018). According to Sonam Wangchuk, an activist and a scientist in Leh-Ladakh, the number of cafes and tourists coming to the lake increases with the temperature. “I end up spending most of the evenings picking up plastic bottles and trash left behind by tourists during peak season,” said Sonam. A tourist in Leh-Ladakh uses about 75 liters of water a day where a local uses about 21 liters. Even a single bottle of water for tourists has to be imported from as far as 1000 kilometers, which means the carbon footprint of anything that is consumed by a tourist here is triple the amount from any other hill station. And since Leh-Ladakh is on a higher point, the biodegradable compost process is slower because of the lack of oxygen on the hills, and recycled waste has to be sent out in trucks which results in more pollution (Scoopwhoop, 2018). Since the state government and the federal government are not run by the same party,
“I END UP SPENDING MOST OF THE EVENINGS PICKING UP PLASTIC BOTTLES AND TRASH LEFT BEHIND BY TOURISTS DURING PEAK - SONAM WANGCHUK
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SEASON.”
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they do not work well collaboratively and so local NGO’s have to step in to counter the environmental issues in Leh-Ladakh. One such NGO is the Ladakh Ecological Development Group (LEDeG) which focuses on renewable energy, livelihoods and urban environmental issues. The current on-going projects of LEDeG are micro-hydro power units and solar photo-voltaic power plants, passive solar housing, promotion of solar devices, and income generation projects with women’s skills on handicrafts and food processing. They also run projects in Leh town around urban environmental issues such as promoting sustainable use and management of groundwater and urban water health.
66
FEATURES | THE DARK SIDE OF WHITE SNOW
Luckily, Leh-Ladakh has a lot of sunshine during the daytime, even when the temperature drops dramatically overnight. Thus, LEDeG’s passive solar architecture is focused at drawing sunlight during the day to be used for heating the interiors of the houses and hotels through specially designed and insulated walls, large south-facing solar paneled windows for direct gain, insulated roofs and floors to cut down on the use of electricity in the houses. Helena Noberg Hodge, an economist, has started a movement against the condition of Leh-Ladakh on Indiegogo. She is raising money to go and work with the International Society for Ecology and Culture on globalization education and sustainable development. LEDeG, along with Helena Noberg Hodge, have started to create and distribute parabolic dish cookers and photovoltaics with the help of donations from private sector firms and the government (The Right Livelihood Award, 2017), which help in reducing the consumption of fuel and using solar power to perform daily chores. Non-profit organizations, activists and locals of Leh-Ladakh have been working on the betterment of the district for the past 20 years, even though the rapidly increasing tourists continues to damage the unique and historic place. It is the
to the place and its scenic beauty and it’s authentic traditions. Some of the possible reforms are to inform civilians through the medium of videos, pictures, informational campaigns and articles regarding the current scenario before they
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government’s duty to educate the citizens about the damage that is caused
enter Leh-Ladakh, on a mandatory basis. Controlling the number of tourists or tourist vehicles can help in decreasing the daily growing pollution. Enforcing more rigid laws and spreading awareness about elements that harm nature and the place itself, could successfully keep tourists from contributing to the pollution and degrading of Leh-Ladakh.
67
REFERENCES Kunal Kapoor, 2018. Fierce and phonomenal, summing up the Leh-Ladakh motorbike ride. (http://www.thrillophilia.com/blog/the-experiences-of-a-leh-bike-ride-by-a-spanish-wanderer-tomas/) Census, 2011. (https://www.census2011.co.in/census/district/621-leh.html) Karthikeyan Hemalatha, 2018. Ladakh’s soaring popularity as a tourist paradise has left the arid region water-starved. (https://scroll.in/article/872942/ladakhs-soaring-popularity-as-a-tourist-paradise-has-left-the-arid-region-waterstarved) Shyam G. Menon, 2012. Two Sides To Ladakh Tourism. (https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/variety/two-sidesto-ladakh-tourism/article23070241.ece) Katherine Sherratt, 2014. Social and economical characteristics of Ladakh, India. (https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/~/media/ shared/documents/Events/Past%20Meeting%20Resources/Himalaya%2014%20Cultural%20Background%20to%20 Ladakh.pdf) C. Christine Fair, 2019. India’s and Pakistan’s lies thwarted a war- for now. (https://www.theatlantic.com/international/ archive/2019/03/india-pakistan-kargil-kashmir/584392/) Scoopwhoop, 2018. Killing Ladakh. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRcMHxz0Hfg) Helena Norberg-Hodge / Ladakh Ecological Development Group. (n.d.). Retrieved April 22, 2019, from https://www.rightlive-
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lihoodaward.org/laureates/helena-norberg-hodge-ladakh-ecological-development-group/
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THE PEOPLE’S URINAL Diving into the current state of urinal design
by Scott Drapeau
floor, overflowing trash bins, clogged toilets and puddles of murky fluids, in other words a public restroom.
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Toilet paper scattered across the
A space that is too often found in disarray and riddled with bacteria infested surfaces. In a BBC article discussing the issue of urine ‘Splashback’ in the public bathroom, Professor Truscot stated “We’ve all been in disgusting toilets with puddles on the floor - these places are a breeding ground for bacteria” (Morgan, 2019). In their current state and function, public urinals are not promoting the desired outcome of maintaining a sanitary shared environment. By designing urinals that promote better behavior, we may be able to improve the sanitation of public bathrooms in the long run.
71
A Brief History According to StateMaster.com, in 1866 Andrew Rankin introduced “an upright flushing apparatus.” There are a range of urinal designs. From a shared trench to accommodate several people at the same time to a urinal design that starts chest high and ends with a drain at floor level. The contemporary half-body sized units are mounted lower for shorter people and higher for average/taller people. For privacy and sanitary reasons “The single unit model became popular at the expense of the more collective trench model and continues to be the dominant form” (Howe, 2019). Towards the end of the 19th century the idea of bringing the urinal into the private office, billiard room, or smoking room was pitched by J.L. Mott Iron Works in New York “offering a porcelain-lined device that could be folded up into the wall like a Murphy bed” (Morse, 2003). An in-depth image search yielded little results. On the other hand there have been residential installations. “(A) professional photographer in Atlanta, had a home urinal installed when he and his wife built an addition to their house three years ago. The
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floor-length fixture has its own alcove, with an arched, tiled ceiling that nicely picks up other architectural accents of the home” (Morse, 2003). It’s an interesting perspective seeing how people have taken something intended for public use and installed it in the home with the attention that a toilet gets, by placing it in a tiled, arched, alcove. One can almost imagine this becoming a norm.
What is Working? Urinals allow for a greater number of people to use the men’s restrooms at once because they take up less space than a bathroom stall. Both the efficiency and the convenience are two reasons why urinals are found in many public men’s restrooms. There are other benefits and add-ons in the public urinal space which have also made the experience more pleasant.
Odor Control The author has utilized many urinals boasting urinal cakes that help in combating odor. These urinal cakes are a combination of either a rubber or plastic material and in the form of a flat sheet or the more traditional round chemical puck. These are chemically activated when they become wet. Urinal cake companies, such as Uline and Waxie have introduced additional deodorizers that counter the ammonia smell and replaces it with smells like cucumber-melon.
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FEATURES | THE PEOPLE’S URINAL
Metered aerosol air fresheners that are attached on the wall above or near the urinal also help control the odors in shared restrooms. This apparatus releases a deodorant into the air, rather than into the urinal.
Splash Control via Urinal Cake The spiked mat design has aided in the reduced splashback of urine. Professor Hurd states “Aiming directly at a vertical urinal wall - a 90 degree angle - causes a nasty kickback, as does aiming directly at the toilet water” (Morgan, 2019). The “spikes” in the spiked mats act like tetrapods of the ocean. “The tetrapods are designed in such a way that they dissipate the force of incoming waves by making the water flow around rather than against them” (Brighthub, 2019). The spikes act very similarly; they break the stream of liquid and tame it as it makes contact with the spikes.
Proper Location According to the Guide to a Better Public Toilet “A urinal should not be set closer than
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FEATURES | THE PEOPLE’S URINAL
450mm from its centre to any side wall, partition, vanity or other obstruction, or closer than 900mm centre-to-centre between adjacent fixtures“ (Toilet.org.sg, 2019). Adhering to these specifications should give ample room for patrons to use neighboring urinals.
Water Usage, or Lack Thereof Water conservation is discussed by contributing editors at ZME Science in the article Waterless Urinals: Saving Water And Money From Going Down the Drain. They state that “More than 160 billion gallons of water are flushed down the drains each year due to urinal usage. That’s as much as 700 liters per urinal per day” (ZME Science, 2016). Their answer to saving water in the men’s bathroom is by switching to waterless urinals. “Despite the long-standing association between a flush of water and the freshening of urinals, eliminating the need for water actually allows these urinals to have fewer odors and makes them easier to clean. With a sealed waste water outlet, waterless urinals prevent the possible escape of the unpleasant odors that can arise from sewer lines. They also eliminate the need for a flush handle, a common means for spreading bacteria to hands” (ZME Science, 2016).
How They Are Now and What Needs to be Addressed Design The current design of a urinal consists of a vertical tub mounted on the wall with smooth curved surfaces to facilitate flow into a drain. Some of the tubs are short and bucket like,
“ELIMINATING THE NEED FOR WATER ACTUALLY ALLOWS THESE URINALS TO HAVE FEWER ODORS.” -ZME SCIENCE while many are similar to baby wash basins flipped vertically. Some urinals contain graphics inside the tub to help users with their aim. The visual element is the topic of discussion in the article Aiming to Reduce Cleaning Costs which states “It turns out that men, in their urinal behaviour, cannot resist peeing on things, especially if they look as though they might wash away.” The article goes on to say “if there is a problem with splashing, we advise our clients to place a small piece of wood—about the size of a cigarette butt—into the urinal. As men have the tendency to aim at the little piece of wood, the splashing is reduced significantly” (Evans-
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Pritchard, 2013). Placing an image or
shoes. But facility managers should be
object in the urinal for a person to aim
concerned about urine splashback as
at makes sense, as long as placement
well. This is because urine also splatters
doesn’t enable splashback.
on walls, surrounding partitions, and
Splashback
floors” (waterless.com, 2016). To prevent
In the article The Unfortunate Physics of Male Urination, Alex Mayyashi states “When men urinate standing up, pee ricochets off the porcelain beyond the toilet or urinal...When pee hits the porcelain at a 90 degree angle, the splashback is terrible.” This means that if the inside of a urinal can avoid a 90 degree surface the splashback can be
slick floors the people at waterless.com recommend the use of microbial floor mats. This is not only to prevent slipping and keeping your soles dry, but also “When the urine is still wet, it can...draw soils and dust to it. And as this soiled urine accumulates in grout areas in floors or on walls, it can discolor the grout and, because grout is porous, become a home for bacteria and other pathogens” (waterless.com, 2016).
reduced. Trying to imagine what a urinal could look like that completely avoids a 90 degree angle could mean the unit is long and tubular, like a longer version of the Steward waterless urinal, by Kohler.
The use of microbial mats placed under a urinal keeps the area cleaner, odor controlled, and safer. If users know their feet will stay dry and steady do you think their mentality might be more at ease and
However, when one area of design is changed, it could affect something else such as a proper reservoir or catch to prevent dripping.
more willing to get closer, thus aiding in keeping things dryer and cleaner?
Urinal - The Word The name of the urinal is derived from
“SPLASHBACK IS TERRIBLE.” -ALEX MAYYASHI
the word “urine.” In Dan Morse’ article For Stand-Up Guys… he talks of “B.A. Farrell,(the) owner of the Total Concept, a home-design business in Raleigh,
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Floor Protection
N.C.,(who) says that women often can’t get
“Urine splash back is a problem for
Mr. Farrell has begun telling clients to call
many men because it invariably means
the device “a rose” (Morse, 2003). The idea
that, while using a urinal, some urine
here is to change the name to something
splashes back on their clothing and
not referring to urine or other excrement.
FEATURES | THE PEOPLE’S URNIAL
past the first two syllables of the word. So
What would you call it? How about a Magic Fountain, or a Boilet?
The Future Ideas Improvements to auto-cleaning systems and urinal cakes, with more emphasis on user experience and “culture” by means of higher quality deodorants, perfumes, and
“URINE SPLASH BACK IS A PROBLEM FOR MANY MEN.” -WATERLESS.COM
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branding might be the next step in evolution. “The central tenet of differentiation...is that everything starts with culture” (Buchanan, 2016). Similar to how the Method Product company has taken steps to ameliorate on the already-established household cleaning supplies market and introduced new soaps that clean well and smell fantastic, they also created a following. One of the creators of Method, Eric Ryan, said ““You can copy our products, our fragrances...but the one thing you can’t copy is our culture. “If you are going to create a brand that other people love, you have to love yourself first” (Buchanan, 2016) Why not indulge in the idea that public restroom sanitation supply companies will follow
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Method’s method? “Urinal designers have been obsessed for decades with finding a solution to so-called ‘splashback’. There have been splashback screens that let urine in, but not out, rubber floor mats, curiously shaped urinals in which the stream ricochets off concave walls into rather than out of the urinal, and ribbed urinals” (Evans-Pritchard, 2013). The design and flow of a urinal will continue to change and one can only hope that the splashback pain points will be addressed. The facing surfaces inside the toilet will need to be angled or maybe covered with a similar texture to that of the spiked urinal cake. Maybe the spiked texture, or a different texture, will be a part of the urinal that reduces splashing liquid. If saving water and flushing is important then flush urinals could still exist in the future by being put on a flush schedule to rinse down the toilet. For example flushing once every hour rather than after each use. This would reduce water consumption, but also keep the urinal rinsed down.
What Else? The Associated Press stated “The University of Michigan has installed a special toilet on a campus engineering building that take aim at converting human urine into agricultural fertilizers.” Human waste is not something that sits well with people if it’s related to food
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FFEATURES E A T U R E | S THE | C PEOPLE’S A U S E URNIAL AND EFFECT
production, but if the study was backed by legit researchers and the results were sanitary and fruitful then the public might be inclined to support it. Emma Teitel’s article, Straight Shooters, featured in Maclean’s wrote about a UK company, “Captive Media decided to develop “a urinal-mounted, urine-controlled games console for men.”” The idea was to encourage users to hit the literal target in order to accrue points, which could then be shared on social media for bragging rights. The actual intention behind the games was to keep the bathroom cleaner. That article stated “their (bar’s) urinals have never been cleaner; supposedly a direct result of the game’s focus on “shooting” accuracy.” Maybe they are onto something with this game thing.
Conclusion If we are to rely on training and changing people on how to use a urinal the right way it’s hard to believe positive change will happen. Addressing the design of the urinal and its accessories so that it promotes better behavior is a necessary step that needs to be taken if we want to provide a better experience for all.
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THE PEOPLE’S URINAL
REFERENCES Buchanan, L. (2016, October 19). How to Build a $100 Million Brand People Love. [online] Retrieved March 18, 2019, from inc.com website: https://www.inc.com/leigh-buchanan/how-to-build-a-100-million-brand-people-love.html?cid=search Waterless Urinals: Saving Water And Money From Going Down the Drain. (2017, March 15). [online] Retrieved March 18, 2019, from ZME Science website: https://www.zmescience.com/science/waterless-urinals-saving-water-and-moneyfrom-going-down-the-drain/ Evans-Pritchard, B. (2013, December). Aiming To Reduce Cleaning Costs. [online] Retrieved March 18, 2019, from Works That Work website: https://worksthatwork.com/1/urinal-fly Waterless.com. (2016, November 26). Why Facility Managers Need to Know about Urinal Splash Back. [online] Retrieved March 15, 2019, from waterless.com website: https://www.waterless.com/blog/why-facility-managers-need-to-knowabout-urinal-splash-back Mayyashi, A. (2015, November 23). The Unfortunate Physics of Male Urination. [online] Retrieved from https://priceonomics.com/why-cant-we-build-a-splash-proof-toilet/ Morgan, J. (2019). Physics probes ‘splashback’ problem. [online] BBC News. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/ science-environment-24820279 [Accessed 14 Mar. 2019]. Bright Hub Engineering. (2019). What are Tetrapods? (Tetrapods Resist Wave Impact and Prevent Beach Erosion). [online] Available at: https://www.brighthubengineering.com/geotechnical-engineering/42962-what-are-tetrapods/ [Accessed 14 Mar. 2019]. Toilet.org.sg. (2019). A Guide to Better Public Toilet Design and Maintenance. [online] Available at: https://www.toilet.org. sg/articles/GuideBetterPublicToilet.pdf [Accessed 8 Feb. 2019].
edu/10.1215/00382876-3656158 Teitel, E. (2011). Straight shooters. Maclean’s, 124(50), 36. Retrieved from http://jpllnet.sfsu.edu/login?url=http://search. ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,cookie,url,uid&db=a9h&AN=69660889&site=ehost-live SCOTT LEWINSKI, J. (2016). Why You Deserve a Urinal at Home. Men’s Health, 31(2), 21. Retrieved from http://jpllnet.sfsu.
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Kafer, A. (2016). Other People’s Shit (and Pee!). South Atlantic Quarterly, 115(4), 755–762. https://doi-org.jpllnet.sfsu.
edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,cookie,url,uid&db=a9h&AN=112449 048&site=ehost-live Morse, D. (2003, November 3). For Stand-Up Guys, No Home Is Complete Without One of These. Wall Street Journal - Eastern Edition, pp. A1–A5. Retrieved from http://jpllnet.sfsu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login. aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,cookie,url,uid&db=a9h&AN=11256981&site=ehost-live Howe, A. (2019). The Urinal: A Brief Functional and Aesthetic History. [online] PopMatters. Available at: https://www.popmatters.com/126662-the-urinal-a-brief-functional-and-aesthetic-history-2496183047.html [Accessed 24 Feb. 2019]. Phys.org. (2019). Researchers study lengths of restroom queues. [online] Available at: https://phys.org/news/201707-lengths-restroom.html [Accessed 1 Mar. 2019].
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DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS ALTAR by Jessica Noriega
82
Día de Los Muertos is a celebration in
to travel to Chicunamictlan, the land of
Latin America honoring and remembering
the dead. In order to reach Mictlan, the
deceased loved ones. The roots of Día de
final resting place, the deceased person
Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) originated
had to get through nine challenging levels.
3,000 years ago as a ritual honoring the
To help the deceased make this difficult
dead in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica.
journey, family members held rituals that
Aztecs and other Nahua people viewed
provided food, water and tools to aid
death as part of the cycle of life. Once a
them. This influenced what is now known
person passed away, they were believed
as Día de Los Muertos .
POSTCARD | DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS ALTAR
Día de los Muertos is a traditional multi-day celebration in Mexico and other countries in Latin America. During this celebration the border between the mortal world and spirit world is broken and the living and the dead are united. The celebration starts November 1st by honoring children that have passed away and continues November 2nd by honoring adults. During these days the deceased are given the opportunity to be back with their families to feast, drink, sing, dance and play music. The most important component in the celebration of the day of the dead is the altar. The altars display ofrendas (gifts), which are used to help guide spirits back to earth in order to visit their loved ones on this special day. Although elements on altars may vary, there are traditional items placed on most altars, such as:
· Cempazuchtl flowers (Marigolds)- It is believed that the vibrant orange color and smell attracts the deceased. It makes the deceased feel welcomed and happy. They symbolize the beauty and fragility of life. In some places its petals are set to make a path from the front door to the altar, to guide the way for the returning souls · Water- Is used to quench the thirst of the souls after their long journey from the spirit world to the mortal world · Salt - Is a cleansing element, to keep the spirit pure upon their return to the mortal land
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· Candles- A candle is lit for each deceased member of the family. They are used to light the pathway back home for the spirits. Candles also symbolize light, hope and faith · Picture of the deceased- Pictures help make the deceased become present · Pan de Muerto (Day of the Dead bread) - The most common food offering for the spirits. The circular form of the bread symbolizes the cycle of life. · Sugar skulls- Skulls represent the deceased. Some have the name of the deceased on their forehead · Religious elements- Some altars have crucifixes, a Virgin Mary, and saints to represent faith and religion ·Papel picado- Colorful tissue paper with elaborate designs is used as decoration and represents the wind and the fragility of life · Petate (sewn palm leaves in a shape of a blanket)- Is used for the souls to lie down and rest · Copal (incense)- Is burned and its sweet smell attracts the souls and purifies the place
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· Food and beverages- The altar will include dishes and beverages the deceased enjoyed. Alcohol is offered to adults to relax and enjoy some time with their family. Fruit is used to delight the soul. Día de Los Muertos is about celebrating life and not mourning death. The celebration helps honor and remember the deceased. During these two days spirits are given the opportunity to return to the mortal world to celebrate with their loved ones. Although this celebration started 3,000 years ago and has changed over time, Día de Los Muertos has become a tradition throughout Latin America.
REFERENCES El altar de muertos: origen y significado en Mxico - Volumen XXV - Número 1 - Revista: La ciencia y el hombre - Universidad Veracruzana. https://www.uv.mx/cienciahombre/revistae/vol25num1/articulos/altar/. Accessed April 14, 2019. Editors, H. (2018, October 30). Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos). Retrieved April 22, 2019, from https://www.history. com/topics/halloween/day-of-the-dead
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THE MANGUARÉ by Cristina Bejarano Cobo According to a census in 2005, 87 indigenous groups, making up only 3.4% of the total population, were officially recognized in Colombia(DANE). One of these groups is the Bora indigenous community, with a population of only 933 people. The largest indigenous communities are in the Amazon, on the border with Peru in the towns of La Chorrera, Provincia, and Puerto Arica. This region is also inhabited by other indigenous groups with which the Boras share both territory, history and socio-cultural practices, becoming multiethnic and multilingual groups.
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POSTCARD | THE MANGUARÉ
To understand this indigenous group, it is essential to understand their relationship with their environment, as their understanding of territory is intimately connected to their worldview, rituals, traditions, language, social structure, and agricultural activities. Based on an origin myth, the Boras call themselves ‘People of the Center.” The Bora legend holds that before the origin of man there was nothing more than the will of the creator. One morning the creator began to extract men and women from a hole. They had to leave the hole quickly since the sun was soon going to light the earth. When the men and the women came out of this hole they had a tail and so the creator knocked their tail off with a shout, turning it into sugar cane. For the people that had not escaped before the dawn, the creator left them their tails and turned them into animals. At dawn, the creator sent the men and women of the villages to bathe in the lagoon of La Chorrera. This is how the creator gave rise to the Bora, Uitoto, Nonuya, Andoque, Muinane, Ocaina, Murui and Resigara people. After this, the creator gathered all the people together and appointed
them clans - groups of families with a common ancestor - according to the animals and the fauna of that region. Nailing a trunk of a tree in the ground, the creator indicated that it should be used to build the Maloca and create traditional dances, instructing them to walk to the center of the world to find their place of settlement. The creator gave to the men the seeds of tobacco and coca and to the women the seeds of the sweet yucca and the peanut. According to this legend, this is how the Boras reached the Igaparaná, Cahuinarí and Caimo rivers (Mincultura, 7).
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The maloca is a structure that serves as a the central place for the Bora clan. It is a constructed on an octagonal base with a roof that can take the form of a closed cone or be open at the ends. This space used communally exclusively to transmit knowledge. The maloca contains essential elements for the development of rituals. These include the estantillo (the central column of the maloca), the pylon (where coca is milled), the seats (where they sit to grind all the plants they process and use for their rituals as well as part of their nutrition), the place of fire (where they cook) and the manguaré (instrument used by the Boras) (Teteye, 15). For the Boras, wisdom is given to the man with the tobacco, and in the smoke of the tobacco is the word of the creator. In the Bora village, both individual and collective activities revolve around the word and its power. The word is transmitted to the youngest only by the elders, since it must be protected and monitored with care. In this way, their various rituals support this end, such as the practice of mambear. According to the Bora worldview, mambear is the way they communicate with each other and with the word of their creator. Mambe is a mixture of macerated coca, ashes of the Yarumo tree, and SCALE 3 | 2019
little ambil, the source of tobacco. For Bora men, these plants are given by the creator; coca is the language of the creator and tobacco gives them the essence of who they are (Semana Sostenible, 1). The maloca is the center of the Bora towns and the clans or families are located around it. Large families can be more than 30 kilometers away (18.6 miles) from the maloca. To communicate messages about rituals, ritual feasts, and other activities, the Bora created the manguaré, an instrument housed inside the maloca. The manguaré consists of two tree trunks, of which the larger represents man and the smaller represents woman. The trunks are hollow and are played like drums, beaten with two latex-covered wooden mallets. The sounds produced by this instrument are two sharp tones and two bass tones that can travel through the jungle across a radius of 32 kilometers (19.9 miles). These drums enable communication between malocas or widely-separated families using the tones of the Bora language to announce activities like fishing and hunting, to summon villages for celebrations, to announce activities like the mambear or to toast coca, or to indicate the arrival of a visitor. In the Bora’s worldview, the creator exists in all things. This way of thinking explains the Bora’s belief system about a spiritual world that touches everything that surrounds them. To honor this, the Bora created different dances, songs, and ‘toque’ (what is playing on the manguaré) that enable them to communicate with the spiritual world (BDPI, Bora).
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POSTCARD | THE MANGUARÉ
These toques are also accompaniment by a bamboo flute called the chambira. The sounds of these two instruments are synchronized with the Bora language and interwoven. Similarly, thought is interwoven with the action for which a toque is composed. Thought and toque cannot be separated; they are one and one does not exist without the other, “The thought made sound is materialized in the interpretation of an instrument or a song with which we thank for the resources that the land offers; songs that care for and protect the seeds, the water, the air we breathe, and that ask for abundance and balance among all” (Cobo Estrada, ‘Water, Wind and Greenery’). The intention and the action, in this case the toque, exist together. These toques prepare them for or accompany them in their activities. These include the dawn toque, the time to go out to collect firewood when the snakes have temporarily become roots and do not bite. The manguaré is also played to communicate that the yucca has already been removed and that it is time to crush it. These toques are taught to children from the time they are little, first through singing with the same high and low tones. This enables the children to remember and intone as they apply the intention for which that toque is created. This training takes years and is only practiced by men. To determine who will manage this knowledge, people must
and proving acquisition of knowledge in the management of ‘different beings. ‘ With this comes the collective recognition that a person is prepared to face and solve various circumstances (Teteye, 30).
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have different life experiences, referred to as ‘having walked the world and the territory’,
There are currently around 30 manguaré in the different Bora communities of Colombia
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and Peru. Their use is only relevant to the
Currently, the indigenous groups of
Bora language which is being use less with
the Amazonas area work to strengthen
the increasing use of Spanish language
ancestral knowledge weakened by these
among the inhabitants of the regions. It
historical and contemporary socio-
has been established that a language is in
economic conflicts, aided by government
danger of extinction when it has less than
support and increasing recognition from
3000 speakers (‘Agua, Viento y Verdor’, 4).
Colombian citizens. While it is unknown if
The decline of the Bora language is a result
all these efforts have the impact needed to
of different conflicts that originated several
maintain or revitalize the Bora’s ancestral
centuries ago. Unlike other indigenous
traditions and language, perhaps the actions
groups like coastal groups, for example,
taken will inspire other opportunities to
the Bora, located in the middle of the
preserve the wisdom and traditions.
Amazon, were not affected by the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors in 15th - 17th centuries. The negative effects began in the
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early twentieth century the rubber trade, which has been one of the largest causes of the dispersion of the Bora (BDPI, Bora). The rubber business brought abuse and mistreatment by the ‘patrones’ (rubber merchants who came from the outskirts of the region or from international companies and for whom the indigenous people started to work) and diseases to which the indigenous people had not been exposed before, greatly diminishing the population. At the beginning of 1930, conflict on the border between Peru and Colombia drastically contributed to the forced migration of the Boras to other areas of Colombia and to Peru. These two events marked the beginning of a story characterized by illicit mining, armed conflict, illicit crops, destruction of land, and pollution from these practices.
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REFERENCES De agua, viento y verdor 3. Paisajes sonoros, cantos y relatos indígenas para niños y niñas [CD]. (2019). Bogota, Colombia. Bora. (n.d.). Retrieved April 13, 2019, from Organización Nacional Indígena de Colombia website: https://www.onic.org. co/pueblos/117-bora Grupos étnicos [Ethnic Groups]. (n.d.). Retrieved April 13, 2019, from DANE Información para Todos website: https://www. dane.gov.co/index.php/estadisticas-por-tema/demografia-y-poblacion/Grupos-etnicos Hernández Romero, A. (n.d.). La visibilización estadística de los grupos étnicos colombianos. DANE. Bora. (n.d.). Retrieved April 13, 2019, from Base de Datos de Pueblos Indígenas u Originarios (BDPI) website: http://bdpi. cultura.gob.pe/pueblo/bora “Caracterizaciones de los Pueblos Indígenas de Colombia.” Ministerio de Cultura, Dirección de Poblaciones, www.mincultura. gov.co/prensa/noticias/Documents/Poblaciones/PUEBLO%20BORA.pdf.Accessed 13 Apr. 2019. Indígenas al rescate del Amazonas, de su cultura y territorio. (n.d.). Retrieved April 13, 2019, from Semana Sostenible website: https://sostenibilidad.semana.com/impacto/articulo/indigenas-al-rescate-del-amazonas-de-su-cultura-yterritorio/36076 Teteye Silva, I. B. (n.d.). La Palabra Dulce y Sabia de la Mujer Indigena Bora [Editorial]. Retrieved April 13, 2019, from Repositorio Institucional UPN website: http://repositorio.pedagogica.edu.co/bitstream/handle/20.500.12209/1842/ TE-16275.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
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BURN WINTER WHILE EATING PANCAKES by Aitalina Indeeva
Every year, almost every city in Russia “burns the winter.” Of course, this is just a symbol of winter - a stuffed woman made of straw, but any Russian would do it to a real winter that seems to last forever. Yekaterina Gudkova, philologist, writes that a long time ago this effigy was a representation of Marena - a goddess associated with the idea of death and rebirth of nature. In some regions, the effigy was buried; in others, - it was torn into pieces and thrown out in the fields (Gudkova, 2019). Sometimes, a real person played Marena and the “funeral” was symbolic. Nowadays, the tradition of burning has a meaning to say goodbye to winter and resurrect spring. This takes place on the last day of Maslenitsa (Butter Week), during which people bake and eat pancakes. Why pancakes? Maslenitsa is a pagan holiday that came before
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POSTCARD | BURN WINTER WHILE EATING PANCAKES
the arrival of Christianity in Ancient Russia, and the pagans believed in the sun god Yarilo, who banished the winter. So, the round shape of the pancakes represent the sun (Gracheva, 1998). Initially, Maslenitsa was celebrated around the 22nd of March - on spring equinox day. Professor of Russian Studies and Folklore Jeanmarie Rouhier-Willoughby writes that according to the Slavic calendar, the New Year started in March as well. Another version assumes that the holiday was celebrated on the 24th of February - a day of the cattle god Veles (Gudkova, 2019). This holiday had a sacral meaning, based on the idea of a cyclic perception of time. The rites of Maslenitsa were meant to bless the land, so it would give a large harvest. Peasants were a main part of Ancient Russia, and harvest was their main value. Maslenitsa was an attempt by people to understand the mystery of life and death, where the world was perceived as an endless cycle of death and resurrection, wilting and
flourishing, dark and light, coldness and warmth (Foma, 2019). After Christianity came to Ancient Russia, Maslenitsa was tied to a religious calendar and obtained new meaning: to have fun and eat before the long seven weeks of Lent. The effigy of Marena, which was a symbol of fertility, became winter. Maslenitsa is a week-long celebration where every day is special. One version on the origins of the name says that it came from The Great Lent before Easter, when all meat products were forbidden, but dairy wasn’t (Gudkova, 2019). On Monday, the children made an effigy of Marena from straw and dragged it through the streets. On Tuesday,
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young men and women went in search for brides and grooms. On Wednesday, everyone was treated to pancakes. On Thursday, the entire village rode horses and played snow games. On Friday, son-in-laws went to eat pancakes with their mother-in-laws and on Saturday people invited all their relatives to visit them and treat them with pancakes. On Sunday, everyone asks each other for forgiveness and burns the straw bonfire. Vladimir Propp, folklorist, writes that people believed that the deceased can influence the fertility of land. That’s why the first batch of pancakes was reserved for dead relatives, either brought to the graves or just left uneaten. Traditionally, pancakes were a commemorative food. On the last day of Maslenitsa, people went to the cemetery. Over time, the holiday has changed and now people are just happy about the end of winter. They help themselves to pancakes and go out on Sunday for the celebration of Maslenitsa. Pancakes are not served with only butter as they used to be, now they are cooked with mushrooms, caviar, honey, berry jam, cheese, salmon, and of course sour cream.
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Maslenitsa has many meanings, traditions, and ways of celebrations, and the topic is still being explored by historians. However, this holiday with pagan roots lived through Christianity when the Church tried to get rid of all paganism legacy. People preserved this tradition and still enjoy the historial celebration.
REFERENCES Foma. (2019). Maslenitsa: history, meaning, and traditions. Retrieved from https://foma.ru/maslenicza-smyisl-i-istoriyatradiczii-i-obryadyi.html#before Gracheva, I. (1998). Maslenitsa. Retrieved from https://www.nkj.ru/archive/articles/10349/ Gudkova, Y. (2019). What is the history of Maslenitsa? Retrieved from https://www.culture.ru/s/vopros/istoriyamaslenicy/ Propp, V. (1995). Russian agricultural holidays. Retrieved from http://www.philol.msu.ru/~folk/old1/files/lib/ Propp_1995.pdf Rouhier-Willoughby, J. (2011). Spring Rites. Russian Life. Vol. 54 (2), p 44-49. http://web.a.ebscohost.com.jpllnet.sfsu. edu/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=02a0aa49-f4ff-4aa7-a1b4-bc2531e1a6f5%40sdc-v-sessmgr06&bdata=JkF1dG hUeXBlPWlwLGNvb2tpZSx1cmwsdWlkJnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=a9h&AN=58717917
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POSTCARD | BURN WINTER WHILE EATING PANCAKES
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THE MARVELOUS CHINESE DUST COVER by Huillin Wang
There are several reasons why humans wear clothes; protection from the elements, to maintain a sense of modesty, etc. What about household appliances and furniture? Do they have clothes? The answer is yes. Younger generations have discussed lace covers in their parents house through the internet. They mocked Chinese elders and their love for lace dust covers used in the home, and how hilarious their taste is. Dust covers are traditionally used to keep dust
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POSTCARD | THE MARVELOUS CHINESE DUST COVER
Embroidery can also be seen in other
celebrity mentioned how elders also use
dust cover styles. The art of embroidery
these dust covers to protect anything
can be found worldwide and is classified
from buttons to door handles, and
by both its design and material. The most
air conditioners to toilets. One may
common ones are surface embroidery
wonder why these things need clothes?
and cutwork. But with such high
They don’t have feelings. There must
demand for dust covers, handwork
be reasons why the elder generation
has been replaced by machinery.
of Chinese are so obsessed with the
Manufacturing the dust covers through
low-cost version of fancy fabric, and the
use of machinery increased the output
tendency to use it to protect household
significantly, but at the cost of a less
appliances and items.
exquisite and delicate final product.
There are a few particular styles that
Nowadays, the consumers of lace dust
are popular. Generally they include lace,
covers consist mainly of Chinese dama
embroidery, floral patterns and the so-
who are a group of older women deeply
called country style. Bows, silk flowers,
influenced by Chinese tradition. They
and pearls or crystal-like ornaments are
are willing to serve in the household
often seen attached to the lace.
and are concerned about daily expenses
The main element, lace, is a kind of
in a developing society. Most amaong
ornamental, openwork fabric formed by
this group had experienced hunger,
looping, interlacing, braiding, or twisting
poverty, and financial uncertainty
threads. Back in the 1960s to 1980s
(Zhou, 2013). They are the generation
being pragmatic was encouraged in
that has been frugal and thrifty since
China, and simplistic home decorations
they were young. Even though they
were preferable to ornate ones. Finding
now live in a prosperous era, they
decorative art like carvings or inlays
still hold those qualities and cherish
within a ordinary family’s house was
what they have. In the 80s, electronic
uncommon. However, it wasn’t difficult
appliances were still hard to come by
to see that many families had white lace
and were expensive. Because of this the
dust covers on simple, plain wooden
dama generation used the equipment
furniture throughout their home. This
carefully by protecting and wrapping
served both furniture and the home. That
objects with ordinary fabric or plastic
is a tradition which seems to have been
in order to protect and maintain them.
passed down through generations.
This action has been ingrained into
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off of furniture and appliances. The
their subconscious. The more colorful,
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fancy, and exaggerated an object is, the better. This may speak to their earlier negative experience of scarcity. As time went on, Korean dramas started to influence Chinese fashion. A Chinese book stated “America and China are the main markets of South Korea’s textile and apparel industry. The technique and design for fabric from South Korea have a trade advantage between China and South Korea. After 2003, the Korea Fashion Festival held the annual ‘Korean Fashion Textile Expo’ in China”(Jin, 2008). Dressing style, makeup, and home decors from South Korea became popular in the early 2000’s. If one searches for “Korean lace curtains” on the internet, one can easily find similarities between those curtains and the Chinese dust covers. They are bright, feminine, and have an utterly “princess-like” feel from the inside out. The impact has been preserved, and the Chinese dust overs have developed in their own ways to meet the market’s demand.Younger generations in China have started to become the target market for lace covers. However modern trends that embrace simplicity seem almost anti-lace, so it is hard to tell what the future of the ornate dust cover will be. If you think about why people purchase covers for their phones and SCALE 3 | 2019
laptops it’s not too much of a stretch to also consider putting covers on appliances.
REFERENCES Zhou, Raymond (29 November, 2013). Dama dames: China’s secret weapon. China Daily Africa. Retrieved March 14, 2019 from http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/life/2013-11/30/content_17141936.htm. Jin, J. & Shen, S. (June, 2008). Investigation and Cultural Research on Shock Wave Phenomenon of ‘Korean Wave. 《 “韩流” 冲击波现象考察与文化研究 》 (in Chinese)
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POSTCARD | THE MARVELOUS CHINESE DUST COVER
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FIKA [FEE-KA] by James Lundgren
Fika is a term derived from the Swedish word for coffee, but with a far greater meaning behind it. For Swedes, it’s not ideal to place a definition on the word, otherwise the meaning could be less significant(Forslin, 2017). For this article however, in the simplest terms it is both a verb and noun that roughly means, “to drink coffee.” For those curious about the origin of this word, throughout Sweden’s history coffee has been banned numerous times between 1756 and 1817 and it was from the ban that the word fika was
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POSTCARD | FIKA [FEE-KA]
born. When Swedes didn’t agree with the change in the law, the word kaffi (coffee) was restructured. They switched positions of the two syllables and removed one f. This new word allowed them to continue their enjoyment of coffee in secret (Kamann, 2016). Fika is considered a mini break. Throughout the day, Swedes will fika multiple times. As part of the custom, it is common to step away from work and converse with others. There is no defined objective of the meeting; it’s merely to connect with people over a shared interest of coffee and snacks. Knowing that central focus, it comes as no surprise that Swedes are among the top consumers of coffee in the world (Forslin, 2017). And although not required, a sweet snack such as a pastry, cinnamon bun or even a sandwich are consumed alongside the coffee. Fika can also be enjoyed alone, its like your own little personal break. So how might this differ from a regular coffee break in the US? Well in the US, its common to grab to-go cups of coffee or to sip on coffee while working along through projects at the office. In Sweden however, the fika coffee break is a cultural phenomenon. Colleges in Sweden will even dismiss morning and afternoon classes in order for everyone to partake in fika (Bhabha, 2019). It’s seen in workplaces such as IKEA, where employees are encouraged to take part in fika throughout the work day. “For you sweet little new-Swede, that means SCALE 3 | 2019
“WHEN EVERYONE GATHERS IN THE MEETING ROOM, YOU BETTER STOP WORKING AND JOIN THE GROUP. YOU WON’T GET ANY EXTRA POINTS FROM YOUR BOSS WHEN YOU PRETEND YOU HAVE NO TIME FOR A BREAK, BECAUSE YOUR WORK IS TOO IMPORTANT” - MATTHIAS KAMANN 10-30 minutes-extra breaks, called fikarast or fikapaus. When everyone gathers in the meeting room, you better stop working and join the group. You won’t get any extra points from your boss when you pretend you have no time for a break, because your work is too important” (Kamann, 2016). There’s good reason for this as well, a change in work environment or less work-related meetings can often fuel the creative process. For most citizens however, fika is considered a break so including work subtracts from the value of it.
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So, why is coffee such an integral part of fika? Well for most Swedes, fika ends once the beverage is finished since there is no longer something to socialize around. At the core, it’s all about people; to meet people and converse. It even changes the emphasis of the cafe and becomes more about the relationship between people and baristas. It allows people to come together with friends, family or colleagues and really connect. Fika is a way of life for Swedes, and a practice that could be implemented within other cultures as a way to reconnect with others and nurture healthy face-to-face connections.
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REFERENCES
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Forslin, Liselotte. 2019. Fika. Retrieved from https://sweden.se/culture-traditions/fika/ Bhabha, Leah. 2019. The History of FIka. Swedish Coffee Break. Retrieved from https://food52.com/blog/9499-thehistory-of-fika-swedish-coffee-break Kamann, Matthias. 2016. Fika-A Very Swedish Tradition. How To Fika Like A Swede. Retrieved from https://hejsweden. com/en/have-coffee-breaks-called-fika-swedish/
POSTCARD | FIKA [FEE-KA]
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BANARASI PAAN by Karan Shah
A betel leaf, shredded pieces of areca nut, acacia paste, assorted sweeteners, mint, clove, cherries and slack lime liquid makes a Banarasi traditional paan (Petrina, 2018). Banarasi paan comes from Banaras, now known as Varanasi, a city in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Just like a Banarasi paan, there are over a hundred types of paan like fire paan, ice paan, cola paan, meetha (sweet) paan, strong paan and Kulkutti paan. In India, flavored paan has become popular with varieties mirroring endless flavors for ice-cream like mango, pineapple, strawberry, cola, etc (Laura, 2019). These flavors are mixed with assorted ingredients like coconut, anise seeds, cardamom, raisin, dried dates, cashews
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POSTCARD | BANARASI PAAN
and fennel seeds. All the ingredients are then rolled in the betel leaf and served in a triangular, folded or a rolled manner which is swallowed or spat out after being chewed, depending on the ingredients. Although paan is used as a digestive aid, the tobacco paan can be highly addictive as it acts like caffeine. These paans cost 30 to 60 cents each at a regular paan shop in India. Beyond the normal paans, which are cheaper in price, there exists a market for special paan which can cost about $100-120 each. This is the gourmet category of these mouth fresheners which are plated with gold flakes or silver powder and are consumed as a luxury. Special shops selling these luxury paans have started to get in the business in metropolitan cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Jaipur and Bengaluru. Since the tobacco paan contains tobacco, it is dangerous to consume on day-to-day basis as it can lead to tooth and gum decay, or throat infections. Also, the areca nut, found it some paan, can cause oral cancer and throat cancer.
According to a report by The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), tobacco was the cause of about 30% of all cancers in men and women in the year 2017. Tobacco causes cancer, resulting in 40% of deaths of men and 18.8% of deaths of women (Gauravi, 2012). After studying the reports, the federal government passed policies for decreasing sales of paan in all the metropolitan cities to stop the consumers from spitting in public places and keeping the minors away from getting addicted to paan and tobacco.
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REFERENCES Petrina Verma Sarkar, 2018. Paan: An Indian Food? (https://www.thespruceeats.com/definition-of-paan-1957541) Laura Siciliano-Rosen. Paan. (https://www.britannica.com/topic/paan) Gauravi A. Mishra, 2012. An overview of the tobacco problem in India. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/
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PMC3523470/)
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POSTCARD | BANARASI PAAN
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JAPAN’S FERTILITY FESTIVALS by Scott Drapeau
Every year as spring rolls around, Japan begins preparation for the celebratory events of the fertility festival. The purpose of this festival is none other than celebrating fertility. People, food, traditional performance, music and fun are all to be expected at this festival. The surprise comes in the form of an extremely large, sculpted, wooden, phallus that is ushered down the street in parade fashion. Coming into contact with the large member is said to bring good luck when it comes to making babies. “These days, people still attend the festival to pray for good fortune and ask for protection from the gods” (Moye, D., & McGonigal, C., 2014). There are also two people dressed as demons wearing Tengu masks,
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POSTCARD | JAPAN’S FERILITY FESTIVALS
one of which has a peculiarly long, red nose. They go around hitting visitors with a phallusshaped stick “to bless them with children and to prevent them from getting ill” (Dontsuku, 2019). In June of 2014 this author and his partner were fortunate enough to successfully get pregnant just a week after joining the festivities of the Dontsuku Festival, located on the Izu peninsula, about 2.5 hours south-west from Tokyo. There are
other fertility festivals in Japan, such as Kanamara Matsuri in Kawasaki in which “as many as 50,000 people attend the penis festival” every year (Moye, D., & McGonigal, C., 2014). According to HuffPost, the Kanamara Matsuri festival focuses more on safe sex practices with an emphasis on std prevention. So if you are wanting to get pregnant and produce a healthy kid while maintaining good fortune, and aren’t afraid of monsters (of all types), check out the fun for yourself.
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REFERENCES Moye, D., & McGonigal, C. (2014, April 3). This Annual Penis Festival In Japan Is About More Than Just Giant Schlongs. Retrieved April 12, 2019, from Huffington Post website: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/japan-penis-festival_ us_5ac3aa44e4b09712fec4f118 Dontsuku Festival Don’t call it a penis festival… then again... (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2019, from GaijinPot website: https://
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travel.gaijinpot.com/dontsuku-festival/
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POSTCARD | JAPAN’S FERILITY FESTIVALS
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scale San Francisco State University Graduate Journal of Design
ISSUE 3