This is mycelium growth on styrofoam for the project Twipology by Joëlle Bitton.

Joëlle (Author name)

We see a figure sitting on what appears to be a titanic machine, looking down into an opened panel. The cables and parts that wind around the machine resemble something living. The air is murky and polluted. On the bottom, one can make out a blue cable that goes nowhere.

Looking inside the panel, one finds more of the same: an endless mess of cables, beams, cogs and valves - and nothing seems to make sense. Cables connect to nowhere, buttons that seemingly don’t have any functions, pipes that cut each other off, cables running through cogs that aren’t connected at all. And yet, the titan lives on to destroy. We see two cables that have been ripped out when the panel was removed, sparking away, but it’s not enough. From the deep depths of the titan’s innards, you can make out blinking lights that have no origin, and another panel can be spotted as well, suggesting that there’s another layer of the same nonsensical machinery below, with potentially many more to follow.

I made these pieces to address how I feel about an issue that has come up several times in the texts we had read and discussed in class. The figure represents an everyday person, such as any one person in our class. The titan is used as a stand-in for large corporations, organizations or governments. Its size as well as its “nonsensical” elements are chosen intentionally in its representation. The size is simple, seeing as corporations, organizations and governments are, of course, much larger than even a group of everyday individuals. The titan could easily crush the figure with a single arm, leg or any other appendage it might have, and if the figure continued to disassemble the titan on their own, the figure would most likely perish before they got anywhere. In the same vein, large corporations have much more bargaining power and due to the massive amount of resources and money they have on top of that, they can outlast any plaintiff in a court of law should they ever fall under its scrutiny. 

The “nonsensical” compartments and parts that go nowhere are representative of how much of corporations’ extractivist actions are truly hidden from the public. Once someone begins to dig, they might come across companies that are seemingly unrelated but actually act as a branch of a larger company. Maybe they come across a company that is being invested in by a government, and that’s how said country would then be involved. Laws can be bent or created in a way that keeps many highly unethical actions perfectly legal, making it difficult to stop any efforts. However, the figure in the artwork still managed the climb onto the titan, and maybe, there will emerge a possibility for many such figures to climb on and disassemble the titan much faster. I do not offer a solution, but simply express how I see this situation. It is bleak, but not entirely hopeless. I hope to make people think, especially with the context given. 

Eri

Watch full Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeR-h9C2fgc&t=37s

Without knowing the realities of the makeup industry, many people overconsume products that are only used a few times before being thrown away. Behind the shimmer of makeup lies a dark story about the resources used to create it.

Mica is a mineral commonly used in products like paints, fillers, automobile parts, electronics, and even food to add a "shimmer" or "frost." It is also the key ingredient in most shiny highlighters, eyeshadows, and lip glosses. India is the largest producer and exporter of sheet mica globally, with most of its mines located in the states of Bihar and Jharkhand. This mica finds its way into products from famous L’Oréal-owned brands such as Lancôme and Yves Saint Laurent, as well as many other cosmetic brands that often do not disclose their mica sources due to competition.

A significant portion of India’s mica is extracted from illegal mines in Jharkhand and Bihar, where child labor is widespread. Many families live on the brink of starvation, and it is not uncommon for children to drop out of school to work in these mines. Despite the severe health and safety risks, families rely on mica mining for income, trapping communities in a cycle of poverty, exploitation, and abuse where daily survival is a struggle.

Extracting mica requires entering narrow tunnels and caves that are too small for adults, which is why children are often employed in these dangerous conditions. Children as young as five years old descend into crumbling mine shafts, risking entrapment and injury, and work 7-8 hours a day cutting mica with hammers and chisels for as little as £0.20/€0.25 per hour. Their work involves handling sharp, heavy tools and inhaling stone dust, while they also face the danger of being struck by falling rocks as they extract mica from the stone walls. Illegal mica mining poses severe threats to these children's health and safety, perpetuating a cycle of exploitation and hardship.

Sources:

https://old.danwatch.dk/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Who-suffers-for-beauty.pdf

https://www.fairplanet.org/story/child-labour-in-mica-mines-the-beauty-industrys-dark-secret/

https://www.somo.nl/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NL180313_-GLOBAL-MICA-MINING-EXEC-SUMMARY.pdf

By the 18th and 19th centuries cotton became a global commodity. In Europe, regional materials such as wool and linen were replaced by the import of cotton fabrics. Whereas it was previously possible to produce a garment in a very small geographical area, there is now a production chain that stretches across several continents.

Cotton is mainly produced in India, China, the USA and Pakistan. To produce the yarn, the raw material is transported to countries specializing in yarn production (e.g. Turkey).

Another production site is needed to produce fabric from the yarn. The fabric is then bleached, dyed and sewn in different countries until it is finally transported to Europe for example where it is selled for 3-5 Euro.

While the fabric has clear stages during production, the path the garmet takes after the purchase unclear.

With my artwork I imitate the speed and rhythm of this long journey that ultimately leads to nowhere. I used the creation process as a self-experiment by working faster and less concentrated than usual. While I kept sewing new paths into the fabric, I didn't give myself any breaks. This left me feel out of breath at the end.

With the video I want to achieve an emotional closeness to the topic by letting the viewer get very close to the development process. It is easy to push the topic of production chains out of our own reality. But it is actually very close to us, as we end up wearing the product directly on our skin.

However, I also created in the end a simple information graphic that shows the geographical distribution of the production steps. I was not able to refer to scientifically based sources, as manufacturers are usually not transparent in their supply chains. It does, however, give a rough idea of how complex and fragmented the production chain of a single item of clothing is.

Sources:

• Giorgi Riello. 2009. "The Globalization of cotton textiles. Indian Cottons, Europe, and the Atlantic World, 1600–1850". In Parthasarathi & Riello (eds), The Spinning World: A Global History of Cotton Textiles, 1200-1850. Oxford University Press.

• https://www.trigema.de/magazin/weg-eines-t-shirts/, abgerufen am 12.09.24

The bottom half of the poster reveals the devastating impact of this culture on communities across the globe, specifically in places like Ghana. In Ghana’s capital, Accra, an area known as Kantamanto has become one of the world's largest second-hand clothing markets. Every week, around 15 million pieces of discarded clothing from Europe, North America, and other regions are shipped to Ghana. This clothing, donated with good intentions or wasted by consumers, ends up overwhelming local markets, polluting waterways, and creating mountains of waste. About 40% of these clothes are considered unwearable and immediately end up in landfills or are burned, releasing toxic fumes that harm the environment and the health of nearby populations.

The contrast between these two images is harsh. What begins as a small, personal decision, buying another cheap of clothes or accessoire, can have big consequences. While our closets get fuller, places like Ghana bear the burden of our leftover. The clothes we discard don't just disappear, they travel across oceans, often becoming an environmental and social catastrophe for communities thousands of miles away.

The fast fashion industry thrives on overproduction and overconsumption, encouraging a "wear it once" mentality that has severe environmental and ethical impacts. The problem isn't just with the brands that produce these clothes at an unsustainable rate; it's also with the consumers who continually empower this demand. By buying more than we need, we contribute to a global system that exploits both people and the planet.

This poster should urge everyone to reconsider their fashion choices and take responsibility for their consumption habits. It encourages us to ask ourselves: Do we need that extra shirt? Could we buy second-hand or choose a more sustainable option instead? Can we reduce our clothing waste by repairing, reusing, or recycling?

We all have a role to play in addressing the crisis of fast fashion. By becoming more conscious consumers, we can reduce our personal contribution to this global problem. This poster should be shared on online platforms or hung up in public spaces to raise awareness to this action. Let’s make sure it’s a story of care, responsibility, and sustainability. Wear your waste wisely, and together, we can create a future where fashion doesn't come at such a high price.

 Abirshana Thayalakuru

Sources:

https://earth.org/fast-fashion-facts/

https://theroundup.org/textile-waste-statistics/#:~:text=Up%20to%20100%20billion%20garments,clothing%20material%20is%20actually%20plastic.

https://www.greenpeace.org/africa/en/blog/54827/return-to-sender-why-africa-doesnt-need-any-more-of-your-clothes/

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2023/jun/05/yvette-yaa-konadu-tetteh-how-ghana-became-fast-fashions-dumping-ground

This project aims to shed light on extractive practices that live under the fabric of our economy and consumer culture, while simultaneously offering a path for positive action. It's not enough to simply point out problems; we must also provide avenues for change, however small they may seem at first.

I felt as though by the end of our class, we felt a sort of ennui. Sadness and boredom at our helplessness. I doubt the utility of this feeling and started questioning it. Is there nothing we can do? Can't I save the world? I can't, but it's fun to think about trying. This sense of powerlessness is all too common when faced with global issues of this magnitude. However, it's precisely this feeling that often leads to inaction, perpetuating the very problems we wish to solve.

I've come up with a website that requires users to read about the origins of products before they can add them to their shopping cart, emphasizing the often-hidden impacts of resource extraction in the Global South. This approach forces a moment of reflection in what is typically a mindless process.

I also wanted to connect the individual with their product. Visuals on how what they're consuming is extracted. Who it impacts. Where. All to inspire compassion and gratefulness for privileges taken for granted.

Since all this does is bring awareness, I wanted to see what action I could encourage users to enact. Awareness is crucial, but without action, it can lead to that same sense of helplessness we're trying to combat. The challenge was to create a mechanism that could translate awareness into tangible impact.

After the product has been added to the cart, when you reach check out, the user will see their list items are not the same as the product. Their list items are now donation quotes for charities specifically related to the harm reduction of each individual raw material's extraction process. This moment is made with the intention to connect the act of consumption directly with its consequences and potential solutions.

As much as charities are not a perfect solution, neither is anything else. To give the participants of the website the choice to enact immediate action, it gives users a sense of power we as citizens of this world need to take back. It transforms passive consumption into an act of engaged citizenship, empowering users to make a tangible difference.

In essence, this project is an attempt to bridge the gap between awareness and action, between the global and the personal. It's a playful critique of our consumer culture, designed to provoke thought, inspire empathy, and encourage responsible action. While it may not save the world, it offers a small step towards a more conscious and engaged form of consumerism.

I chose balsa wood for my example because I thought it was a relatively environmentally friendly material.

80-90% of the balsa wood exported worldwide comes from Ecuador, it is not an endangered tree species, and it grows very quickly. After just 5 years, the wood reaches the age at which it can be felled. However, demand has increased so much in the last 10 years that, despite the rapid growth, the legal stocks in Ecuador quickly reached their limits. This led to illegal logging, which destroyed the habitats of many birds and other forest dwellers by clearing and leaving behind waste. This caused long-term damage to biodiversity.

But why has demand increased so much in the last decade? Since the focus has shifted to renewable and sustainable energy, people want to install wind turbines all over the world. So far so good. But this balsa wood was needed to build the wind turbines because it is extremely resistant, elastic and very light. As the demand for balsa wood increased, a few wind turbine manufacturers realised that they would have to look for other materials to produce these wind turbines. Not for environmental reasons, but because the price of balsa wood had risen so much in such a short space of time.

Since 2020, some have therefore favoured alternative materials such as foamed PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and other plastics. The problem that arose was that these materials were difficult to separate. Although the majority (85-90%) of such a wind turbine, such as the tower, could be reused, this is very difficult for the rotor blades. These usually consist of a mix of materials that are very difficult to recycle.

A rotor blade of this type weighs around 35 tonnes and has to be replaced approximately every 20 years. According to calculations, the resulting waste will amount to 43 million tonnes of rotor blades by 2050. And more and more wind turbines will be needed.

Teams of researchers and engineers have therefore tried to find solutions to produce wind turbines that can also be recycled. Allegedly, they have succeeded. Because they use resins that can be dissolved again. Using an acid bath, they can then break down the components and reassemble some of them into new ones. The aim is to make wind turbines 100% recyclable by 2040. That sounds like things are finally moving in the right direction. But have we forgotten something?

Although there are now alternative methods for manufacturing wind turbines, the demand for balsa wood remains high as a large proportion of wind turbines are still made from this wood. This poses a particular problem for the indigenous inhabitants of the rainforest. In order to reduce dependence on wild balsa trees, middlemen encourage the indigenous people to plant balsa wood. Young men in particular are often persuaded by the tempting offers. However, this put a risk to the food supply for their families, weakens their community and causes considerable social tensions.

As the indigenous people are largely self-sufficient and live off the yields from their forest gardens, the cultivation of balsa wood leads to a dangerous dependency. In addition, middlemen often depress the price after the fact, meaning that the indigenous people rarely receive a fair share of the profits. In addition, the money earned is rarely used to buy food or for sustainable future planning.

https://www.wwf.de/themen-projekte/projektregionen/amazonien/balsaholz-fuer-windraeder#

https://www.npla.de/thema/umwelt-wirtschaft/entwaldung-im-amazonas-fuer-den-green-deal-in-europa/

https://www.wind-energie.de/fileadmin/redaktion/dokumente/publikationen-oeffentlich/themen/06-zahlen-und-fakten/20220311_Faktencheck_Balsaholz_Final.pdf

https://www.siemensgamesa.com/global/en/home/explore/journal/recyclable-blade.html

https://www.energie-experten.ch/de/wissen/detail/so-weit-uns-die-fluegel-tragen-windkraft-und-recycling.html

During the class discussions on the global implications of extractivism and the ethical concerns surrounding consumerism, I experienced a common emotional response—helplessness. The magnitude of these interconnected issues, from resource exploitation to labor injustices, often leaves people feeling paralyzed and uncertain about what can be done. However, this paralysis, I realized, is part of the problem. The feeling of helplessness discourages action, and action is what’s desperately needed to address these global concerns. That’s where the idea for this project comes from. I wanted to find a way to transform awareness into something actionable. What can individuals do with the information they gather? How can we leverage collective knowledge to spark change?

This website prototype serves as an archival platform, collecting and curating a wide array of projects, initiatives, and resources that are focused on addressing the root causes of global issues such as extractivism, consumerism, and environmental impact. The goal is not just to inform but to inspire, motivate, and empower users to take action in their everyday lives. By offering a space where users can create profiles, share information, and explore resources that resonate with their own interests, the platform fosters a sense of community and collaboration. It allows users to engage with others who share the same concerns and are equally passionate about creating positive change.

The platform is built around three key pillars: finding like-minded people, collecting useful information, and inspiring action. In the “Explore” section, users can see what others have saved, follow projects, and learn from a wide variety of sources, from articles to documentaries. Under “Collab,” users are able to join groups, seek advice, or start discussions. Through these features, the website becomes not just a repository of information but a vibrant community of people working toward a shared goal.

At the heart of this project is the desire to bridge the gap between awareness and action. It's one thing to understand the severity of extractivism and its consequences, but it's another to feel empowered to do something about it. This website is designed to encourage users to act—whether through small steps like making informed purchasing decisions or more significant initiatives like engaging in local activism. By making these connections visible and accessible, the platform aims to transform passive consumers into active participants in creating a more just and sustainable world.

Ultimately, this project acknowledges that there is no single, perfect solution to the complex issues of resource extraction and environmental harm. Instead, it offers users the tools, information, and community needed to navigate these challenges and take incremental but impactful steps toward change. In a world where these problems can often feel overwhelming, the platform strives to foster hope, agency, and collective empowerment.

The text "Trade Defence Instruments: A New Tool for the European Union’s Extractivism” by Victor Crochet shocked me with the fact that these trade defence instruments used by the EU promote resource-rich countries to continue to only trade raw minerals. This is problematic since most resource-rich countries that broke out of the “resource curse” did so by developing domestic manufacturing sectors that process their natural resources. They achieved this through a combination of import duties on processed goods and restrictions on exports of raw materials, which encouraged domestic production of processed goods.

The EU’s Trade defence instruments impose higher tariffs on processed goods made from raw materials. This strategy discourages the industrial development of resource-rich nations. The EU is profiting from the continued export of raw materials in their unprocessed form.

I am extremely grateful to all the commitment, and educational work of PublicEye. The more I read the more I kept thinking to myself this is really important for all people but especially young people in Switzerland to know. So inspired by PublicEye's work I descided to created an awareness campaign for Social Media (that would link to PublicEye's Page). I used the PublicEye website and its statistics to work out key messages that I thought caught people's attention. Overall, the video should aim to deliver to create awareness about the subject, highlighting the significance of Swiss commodity trading and the support for Public Eye's initiatives.

I used Adobe Firefly AI to create abstract images of a copper mine in Zug and a Cocoa plantation in the Swiss alps. The idea is that even though we know that cocoa doesn’t grow in Switzerland the details are not widely discussed. Another aspect I wanted to highlight is that just because it is not happening in Switzerland itself it is still important to be informed of the country's involvement and it also “our problem/responsibility”

For social media I wanted the creatives to reflect the feeling I got when I read some of these text, a very confusing image that makes you think “Wait, what?” and gets you eager to look up more on the subject. 

For now Switzerland should assume its responsibility and strengthen the regulation of the commodities trading sector. However, not only transparency towards Swiss authorities, but also towards Zambian authorities should be increased. In a globalised world characterised by networking and dependency, it is all the more important to communicate and cooperate within this network. Transnational trade requires transnational monitoring organisations that can provide a platform for commodity-producing countries to communicate their needs and stand up for their rights.

This type of global cooperation could help in identifying human rights violations, addressing environmental issues, and ultimately promoting fair and balanced trade relationships. The issue of poverty is not solely due to a lack of capability on the part of commodity-producing countries, as is often claimed. It is because those who benefit from unequal trading conditions are not interested in engaging in a fair discussion with their partners.

My research on mining led me to a video proposing an alternative clean process to extract rare materials without causing harm to the environment – Asteroid Mining. The video aims to explore the possibility of replacing Earth's environmentally impactful mining industry. It describes how Asteroids like “16 Psyche” could contain enough iron and nickel to cover the Earth’s metal needs for millions of years. At the moment this idea is far away from reality since the cost of space travel is too expensive. I found it a very interesting but also kind of scary thought. It could be a future solution if the whole world gets to profit from it and we end up saving Earth without destroying space.

Links:

https://reatch.ch/publikationen/rohstoffhandelszentrum-schweiz-mit-grosser-macht-kommt-grosse-verantwortung

https://www.publiceye.ch/de/themen/rohstoffhandel/schweiz/rohstoff-drehscheibe

https://schweizer-plantagen.ch/

Unlimited Resources From Space – Asteroid Mining

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8XvQNt26KI&t=323s

I chose gold because it plays a big role in the Swiss economy and I have already explored the topic in my previous presentation. This project allowed me to read into the topic in more detail and after reading more papers on extractivism, allowed me to look at it through a bit more of an informed lens. Gold mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo presented itself as a particularly complex case, since unlike South Africa, a majority of the mines found there, are assumed to bhe artisanal – meaning small scale and not industrialised.

Additonally, gold extraction in the DRC is often linked to serious human rights violations and environmental damages. And on an even more tragic note, many of the mines are controlled by armed groups that use the profits generated from them, to fuel violence and conflicts among other groups. Additionally, artisanal mining in the region is often unregulated, meaning miners often work in dangerous, conditions without any formal protections. Espcially once the mined and grinded gold is set for further processing, leaching tanks that are filled with mercury or cyanide that are toxic to humans and the nature, are being used without sufficent security measures.

My product, the interactive graphic itself, should work as a blueprint that looks at all stages of a supply chain. In the case of my product, the luxury watch, I created thumbnail collages for every step, to highlight the multidimensionality and depth in terms of problems in each step, helping the user understand the severity of the process. The product used in the graphic should be interchangeable to inform about a wide varitey of consumer products, that contain layers in their supply chain or production, that happen behind the scenes.

There are two open questions that I have not been able to solve within the time of creation: First, and especially after the talk we had this morning at Mercator, is the question about the target audience.

Should this project be directed at consumers? Likely not, as the taget group of high end jewellery is relatively small and the lever that a project directed at those people has, is limited. Should it be directed at those who make Policies? Maybe, but the way my project its set up, focuses more on individual consumption and awareness. Or should it be directed the big corporations directly? This would definitely be the msot effective, but is the medium I chose for my project the right means of communication?

This poses the second, far bigger question of who exactly is resposible for a change.

The reason for this shortcoming, according to researchers, is its short shelf life as packaging: we do not even realise it is packaging our products. Moreover, it is often subject to contamination by other products, plastics and materials, necessitating new recycling methods with minimal environmental impact.

Now, thanks to the efforts of researchers at the University of Sydney, polypropylene may have found its worthy competitor: two common strains of fungi were used to successfully biodegrade this plastic in a laboratory experiment.

Typically found in soil and plants, Aspergillus terreus and Engyodontium album were able to break down polypropylene after pre-treated with UV light or heat, reducing the plastic by 21 per cent in 30 days of incubation and 25-27 per cent in 90 days .

Professor Dee Carter , an expert in mycology (the study of fungi) at the School of Life and Environmental Sciences and co-author of the study, said: ‘Fungi are incredibly versatile and are known to be able to break down virtually any substrate. This superpower is due to their production of potent enzymes, which are excreted and used to break down substrates into simpler molecules that fungal cells can then absorb.’; ’We need to support the development of disruptive recycling technologies that improve the circularity of plastics, particularly those technologies driven by biological processes as in our study.’

I break a lance in our favour. I can easily imagine the situation the average person is in at the supermarket, perhaps tired after working all day, wandering around the shelves waiting for an idea of what to eat for dinner - you can't eat pizza three evenings in a row! - but suddenly a nice piece of Norwegian salmon attracts his attention. He grabs everything he needs to cook it in a pan and runs home with his mouth watering, puts the pan on the stove to heat it up, throws in the cherry tomatoes, discards the salmon and throws the packaging, this will spend a few days in the dustbin. Again hoping it has been thrown in the plastic bin this will most likely not be recycled, plus there won't even be any awareness of this on the part of our salmon-hungry co-star.

In a landscape where there is a steadily decreasing interest in nature and awareness in the production and disposal processes of products and materials, I wanted to use the study conducted by scientists at the University of Sydney to try and counter this trend.

‘They will take care of it’ is an activism project that, through stickers to be attached to products in supermarkets, seeks to arouse curiosity about innovations in disposal processes and the properties of moulds and fungi, entities that we in themselves seek to avoid, detaching the user for a few from the supermarket place: a place of consumerism and immortality, where products never run out and are always available; and bringing them closer to the intrinsic dynamics of our planet: limited and fickle.

Sources:

• https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/04/this-backyard-mold-can-break-down-plastic-in-140-days/

• https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2023/04/14/fungi-makes-meal-of-hard-to-recycle-plastic.html#:~:text=Typically%20found%20in%20soil%20and,27%20percent%20over%2090%20days.

However, if one would not follow the trends and feel the need to upgrade to the newest model regularly, we would realize that the all the processing power that hardware upgrades have brought us over the last decade or so have had pretty diminishing returns on what kind of software has been developed. For creative work, office work, and also personal use, the apps released today could mostly easily be made to run on older hardware if developers cared enough to optimize. However, the ability to run new software and operating systems is often artificially locked to the more recent hardware. This can be circumvented via jailbreaking one's devices, in order to install software that is not officially supported by the hardware provider.

Beyond that, hardware manufacturers are not interested in offering repairs and long-term support so they can sell more. This creates a figurative graveyard of hardware that would be perfectly fine to use if given some maintenance, but people are often not knowledgable enough that they have the possibility to take this into their own hands.

This video is an attempt to sensibilize people to the situation and inspire them to take the time to learn what they can actually do with what they already have through the use of attention-catching and mesmerizing visuals. As opposed to the tech ads that turn consumerism to a lifestyle, here the act of acquiring knowledge is turned to a rebellious aesthetic adjacent to Y2K and cyberpunk and slightly romanticized, in order to get people intrigued. Instead of the status quo of new, standardized tech being the status symbol, it might be cooler to incorporate old tech into our life, upgrading and customizing it as we see fit, taking care of it to make it last as long as possible and develop some sort of emotional attachment to it.

The app aims to revolutionize consumer behavior by offering a unique blend of product recognition, sustainability insights, and price transparency. The application, inspired by the capabilities of tools like Google Lens, allows users to scan any product using their smartphone camera. Upon scanning, the app identifies the product and provides essential details, such as the brand and the current market price at which the item is sold. Beyond basic information, the app introduces a novel feature that assigns a sustainability rating to each product, on a scale of 1 to 5, where 5 represents the highest level of sustainability. This rating reflects the product’s impact on people, the planet, and animals, thus guiding consumers toward more conscious choices.

A distinctive aspect of this app is its ability to deconstruct the listed price of a product, breaking it down into various categories that illustrate how the cost is distributed. This breakdown provides a transparent view of where the consumer's money is going, highlighting areas such as raw material costs, labor, transportation, and environmental impact. Furthermore, the app calculates the "true" cost of the product – the price it would need to be sold at if all sustainable practices were followed, without any compromises. This feature aims to educate users on the hidden costs of their purchases, often concealed in traditional pricing models.

One of the core functionalities of the app is its unique donation feature. After analyzing a product, users are presented with the option to donate the difference between the actual selling price and the estimated "true" price. This donation can be directed to organizations specifically linked to mitigating the negative impacts associated with the purchase of the product or brand. The app identifies and recommends relevant organizations based on the product’s sustainability footprint, ensuring that the donations have a direct and meaningful impact.

In addition to the donation option, the app provides users with an alternative shopping feature. This feature displays similar products that may have a lower estimated "true" cost due to their sustainable practices, offering users a comparison of their options. The app also rewards users for choosing sustainable products, as these products often reflect a closer alignment between the selling price and the "true" cost, thereby eliminating the need for any additional donation. In some cases, the estimated "true" cost of a sustainable product may even be lower than that of a cheaper, less responsible option, underscoring the long-term benefits of sustainable consumer choices.

By offering insights into the real cost of consumption, this app empowers users to make more responsible purchasing decisions. It not only addresses the immediate impact of a purchase but also encourages consumers to reflect on the necessity of their consumption. For example, the app might prompt users to consider whether the product they are about to buy is genuinely needed.

While this concept holds significant promise, further development is needed, particularly in areas such as the methodology for breaking down product prices and accurately assessing sustainability. The app’s sustainability rating system could benefit from adopting or adapting frameworks like those used by "Good On You," an established authority in ethical brand ratings. Despite the challenges, this idea presents a compelling opportunity to create a meaningful tool that aligns consumer habits with environmental and ethical considerations. The proposed app can drive positive change by fostering greater transparency, accountability, and consciousness in consumer behavior, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable future.

Leroy

This paper gives a quick overview on how the export volumes were affected; what were some of the solutions proposed to decrease the risks of food shortages that rely on imported grain; and some of the consequences of the disrupted export flow.

This essay is by no means an extensive overview on the topic, and the rabbit hole of how the countries depend on each other in terms of money, resources, and power, runs deeper than I could cover here. I encourage anyone interested to further educate themselves on the war between Russia and Ukraine in general, and the very complicated economic power play that is born during the struggle: Russia vs “the West”, Ukraine’s reaching to the UN, EU, and NATO for help and how these organizations might try to exercise influence on Ukraine’s market share via alliances or straight up financial debt, food shortages in Africa caused by the war…

This essay, I hope, can be a foray into one specific topic—Ukrainian grain exports—and point out some facets of the ripple effect that took place since February 2022. The war is still ongoing, and, despite the measures taken to stabilize the situation, at least outside of the Russian and Ukrainian borders, the long-lasting impact it will have on the global market is still up in the air. The question of whether Russia can be a valid market partner, for example, or whether its market share as a producer and a consumer of goods must be limited by imposing further sanctions is something that should be considered.

Millions of people depend on food, that depends on successful export/import, which depends on production, which depends on agriculture, which depends on fertilizer, which depends on fuel… And every part of this chain of different factors can be disrupted, so it’s important for us as concerned consumers to understand how all and any of them interconnect, and how they can be manipulated.

Adorned with rare earth, gleaming bright, An aluminum crown, a golden sight.

In lands of plenty, shadows grow, As extraction whispers, soft and low.

In reading about extractivism, I began to see how paradoxical Switzerland itself can be. A country with little in the ground still manages to stand at the center of global extraction, turning trade, finance, and control into profit while the digging and destruction happen elsewhere.

With the mask I wanted to show this, it holds this tension within it—made from local earth, yet tied to faraway economies and the hidden costs they leave behind.

This mask is shaped from local Swiss clay, left unfired so that it can be used to create something new. The wood, too, comes from Switzerland. Yet everything else—the steel, the aluminum, the golden shimmer of the eyes, comes from beyond.

None of it was bought new: each piece was foraged from waste, pulled from what others had already discarded. In this way, the work can one day be taken apart and returned to use, except for the small wooden part, a reminder of the limits even within gestures of care.

I would like to thank Public Eye for their work in uncovering and making transparent Switzerland’s role in global trade, particularly in aluminum. Their documentation has shown how deeply these practices run, and how easily the connections between resource and profit remain obscured.

Hybrid seeds come from crossing two different plant lines to get certain traits, like higher yield, disease resistance, or even ripening. The “heterosis effect” makes the offspring stronger than the parents. But hybrids are not true-to-type: their seeds do not grow the same as the parent plants. This means farmers must buy new seeds every year and depend on big companies.

The rise of hybrids caused a big loss of traditional, stable seeds. By the 1980s, about 80% of old vegetable varieties disappeared worldwide. These old varieties were bred for centuries to fit local climates and soils, making them strong and adaptable. Hybrid plants often cannot do this as good. Once farms rely on hybrids, it is very hard to go back to old varieties, because many are lost or unavailable for big farming.

A more sustainable alternative is mixed planting, used by indigenous people for a long time. Different plants are grown together and help each other: corn supports beans, beans add nitrogen to the soil, and ground-cover plants protect the soil and hold water. These methods increase biodiversity, reduce fertilizer and pesticide use, and make farms more resilient. But they are hard to use on big farms with machines.

There are also organizations like ProSpecieRara in Switzerland that protect old seed varieties. Many similar groups around the world collect, save, and sell traditional plants. This is even a trend today: people like old varieties for their taste, variety, and sustainability. These initiatives show that it is possible to protect genetic diversity and deal with modern farming challenges at the same time.

The loss of plant varieties because of hybrids is not only an environmental problem but also a social and economic one. It shows how trade and extractivism can shift control over important resources. It also shows that going back to old varieties is very hard, because many are gone forever. To make farming sustainable, it is important to use hybrids carefully and support traditional seeds and initiatives that protect plant diversity.

https://www.prospecierara.ch/pflanzen/wissen/was-sind-hybriden-und-wo-liegen-die-probleme

https://farmaction.us/2022/11/10/the-story-of-seeds

In my artwork I depict step by step breakdown of what hides behind the screens of the phones in our hands every day, showing what otherwise stays hidden. Each step bringing you closer to where the components of our phones come from and what it takes to get them. With Apple developing a new device each year, adding new features to stay up to date with, it can be tempting to toss it and simply get a new one, taking for granted all the work and material that went into making it. My goal was to get people thinking about what it really means to hold a phone and consider more than just it’s features when getting a new one.

-  Carole

https://s203.q4cdn.com/367071867/files/doc_downloads/2025/04/Apple-Conflict-Minerals-Report.pdf

https://s203.q4cdn.com/367071867/files/doc_downloads/2024/04/Apple-Supplier-List.pdf

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/090315/10-major-companies-tied-apple-supply-chain.asp#toc-taiwan-based

https://geomega.ca/where-does-your-phone-come-from-the-economist/

One of the most sold items this year are apparel. Mostly through fast fashion clothes. These target short hypertrends, aren’t made with most quality and are most of the time to always involved with shady business when it comes to environmental impact and human rights.

Still why are there so many fast fashion brands that stand so high with over 20 billion in revenue such as H&M?

Impulse purchase has become the norm with cheap prices. But the prices add up. Following short trends also makes the clothes less desirable for a next season when they fall out of the trend, although still wearable, the buyer who didn’t pay a large amount doesn’t feel bad throwing them away, chasing another trend.

The apps name itself should make people start to second guess their urge for the purchase.

In the app "is it worth it", clothes can be checked for individual qualities such as the material, washability, price and brand.

To make people more aware of their impact and choices of better alternatives, the app will then give an average score on how worth the purchase is in regards of a meter with not to buy or to buy with the topics explains the score such as durability, material, brand ethics.

In case of bad scores will the app also give alternatives and general advices on what to look out for when buying new items. If location tracking is allowed, the app will also show stores around your area and other alternatives.

In itself splurging on yourself doesn’t have to be a bad thing. The app isn’t meant to discourage shopping but to second guess the purchase and opt for good alternatives that give you the best outcome in terms of new apparel.

PS

On a short sidenote would I like to improve the app with things like a reward system or a scaling system such as how much you would have to spend on low quality clothes again and again to the contrary of buying better quality products that last longer, as well as being able to show what you purchased and whatnot to make a scoreboard on how your purchases impact the world (and your wallet).

Also now that i think about it a trend or not checkbox would have been great too…

I think it’s got potential.

LG Carla

I chose timber as the focus of my research because Switzerland has its own logging companies and forestry industry, and at the same time it is deeply connected to global trade. Swiss forests provide high-quality wood, but nearly half of the timber used in the country is imported, mostly from Germany, Austria, and France. This shows how even something that feels very local, like a Swiss chalet, is actually linked to international supply chains.

There are certification systems like PEFC* and FSC that give timber “green credentials.” These certifications are meant to ensure forests are managed responsibly, protect wildlife, support local communities, and keep supply chains transparent. But this also raises a critical question: when a material is certified, what real proof is there of its origin? How much trust can we place in these certification bodies?

At the same time, Switzerland introduced the Timber Trade Ordinance (TTO) in 2022, which makes it illegal to sell wood that has been harvested illegally. However, illegal logging remains a global problem, and some imports may come from risky areas. Scandals like IKEA’s connection to illegally logged wood in Eastern Europe show how complicated these supply chains can be and why strong regulations and transparency are so important.

The Swiss chalet is deeply rooted in our tradition and has cultural significance when it comes to building houses here in Switzerland. I decided to present my research in the form of a chalet, where the big timber logs have long roots, because it visually shows how the logging industry in Switzerland is deeply connected to many hidden layers.

The chalet represents the symbol of Switzerland: history, culture, and alpine life. The roots reveal the complex realities behind the timber industry: sustainability certifications, illegal logging, global trade, and declaration laws.

Just like real roots keep a tree alive, these hidden systems keep the timber industry going. Understanding these roots, helps us reflect more critically on the balance between tradition, luxury, and responsibility that Switzerland and the logging industry have.

*PEFC — Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification

*FSC — Forest Stewardship Council

https://miro.com/welcomeonboard/Nm14SVpCdm41WklQRURsalB6dndZeXVyZ3hvamppQjA0Sy9QMVpEdk1UZGNUUjlXNW5QR1RsNTdYVFNEVjgxcWZNQ3JHQkNPdVNTRmNaQWtoUkpGNTRZbTFTQjdtcGI5RjZLcEZ2L1cyTlN6ZTVmUHRNRWFGbnRWWVduTXo5MVJNakdSWkpBejJWRjJhRnhhb1UwcS9BPT0hdjE=?share_link_id=732618621347

The starting point of this work was my wish for greater transparency. We live in a society where consumption is fast, convenient, and often detached from the processes that make it possible. A chocolate bar is perceived as a sweet treat, a cup of coffee as a morning ritual, and milk as a staple of daily nutrition. Rarely, however, do we stop to consider the enormous amounts of water, the carbon emissions, the unfair labor conditions, or even child labor that stand behind these products. The gap between what is visible and what is hidden is precisely what I wanted to confront.

I focused on chocolate, coffee, and milk because they are everyday goods consumed worldwide, but also deeply tied to global controversies: child labor in cocoa, unfair income for coffee farmers, and the environmental cost of dairy. Showing them together highlights that exploitation and unsustainability are not exceptions but systemic patterns.

At first glance, my products look refined and appealing, echoing premium packaging. But on closer inspection, the viewer encounters stark numbers, water use, CO₂ emissions, child labor statistics. Using elegant, even ornate typography for these facts creates tension: the polished style contrasts with the troubling content, just as in real consumption where marketing hides uncomfortable realities.

My goal was not only to shock but also to offer hope. Alongside negative data, I included positive examples, such as emission-reducing projects or reuse of by-products. Transparency should not only expose problems but also show that change is possible and that consumer choices can support it.

The target audience is everyday consumers. By placing facts directly on the product, awareness happens at the very moment of purchase. Transparency also pressures industries: when uncomfortable truths are visible, companies have stronger incentives to adopt fairer and more sustainable practices.

In conclusion, this project is both critique and proposal. It challenges the lack of transparency in food systems and suggests a design strategy: exposing hidden facts directly on the product. By making the invisible visible, I aim to foster awareness, responsibility, and more conscious consumption.

Jennifer Phrakousonh / ID 24

Do we really know the true price of a commodity? What are the hidden costs behind a product? In this consumer-centered world where we always want more, would we be willing to compromise? In the card game “True Cost, behind the price” these questions are brought to surface, and we as consumers are challenged to face and discuss our own behavior and thoughts, shaped by the capitalistic world we live in.

The rules of the game are simple: take a shopping list from the stack and try to buy all the items on it with the money you have. However, when adding an item to your shopping cart you must estimate what the true price of the commodity is. Once you have acquired all the items and estimated the total amount, you turn the item cards around to reveal the true cost. Were you close or far off? And the important question remains: would you be willing to pay that price?

An alternative version, of the game, would show the retail price in the item cards first. After completing your shopping and paying the play money, you then flip the cards to reveal the hidden steps behind each product (energy used, waster consumed, labor conditions etc.). You can then compare the money you spent with the real impacts. Was your money worth all of this. How do you feel when confronted with the reality?

The game will feature different shopping lists from different fields: for example, a supermarket shopper versus a company buying raw materials. This variety provides a wide range of perspectives and keeps the game challenging. The game components are: tow-sided item cards, multiple shipping lists, play money, and an instruction booklet.

Some shopping lists cannot be fully bought with the money provided, highlighting the compromises in our comfort that we would have to make, and offering an alternative game mechanic since the game does allow us to „win.”

There is no real winning or losing in this game (though guessing the exact price would be quite impressive!). Instead, it is meant to spark thought and discussion among players. Do they agree with you? Would they compromise their comfort, or not? The game combines fun with information and critical reflection.

The design of the game follows a modern simple art style. The target audience is people who are not yet familiar with the topic of hidden cost. It is therefore meant to be easily understood and not overwhelming with information. Especially for children and young people who not yet understand the true cost and environmental damage behind products, this game could be very educational if played in schools. Hopefully it will have an impact on their consumer behavior and encourage them so shop less on platforms like Temu and Shein, because they are more aware of the environmental and social consequences.

Behind every commodity there are countless hidden steps. This game is meant to offer a glimpse of that system while also conveying some facts.

I chose to address this topic because it really stayed with me during classes. It is difficult to come up with solutions, but awareness is the first step towards progress. True equality cannot be achieved unless nations in power are willing to give up some of their comfort.

Sources (for info card)

https://salzwasser.eu/blogs/wissen/wie-viel-liter-wasser-jeans?srsltid=AfmBOoq2WLaUV39U-vgsA_LmsrGviBIjmwTJfba2VuU8K7l9YsPHUchY

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datei:Wieviel_CO2_steckt_in_einer_Jeans%3F.webm

https://www.worldvision.de/aktuell/2019/09/zwoelf-stunden-jeans-naehen-fuer-einen-Euro

https://www.swr.de/leben/verbraucher/jeans-im-used-look-geht-das-auch-nachhaltig-100.html

Honorable Harvest draws from Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Mishkos Kenomagwen, the Lessons of Grass (2018) to explore reciprocity, responsibility, and intellectual pluralism. Where capitalist logics of extraction frame trade as a zero sum contest of winners and losers, Kimmerer’s notion of the honorable harvest emphasizes mutual benefit, care, and shared responsibility. The project translates these ideas into an interactive loop: a scroll passed between hands in an endless exchange.

The mechanic resists extractivism by refusing accumulation. Instead, value emerges through circulation and return. By embodying knowledge as a gift rather than a commodity, the game challenges players to reflect on how relationships with people, with the earth, and with ideas might be reshaped through reciprocity. In line with Kimmerer’s call to integrate Traditional Ecological Knowledge with scientific knowledge as equals, Honorable Harvest envisions design as a practice where life and compassion prevail over greed and selfishness, and where knowledge always carries responsibility.

Indeed, what particularly struck me during this course was learning how strongly Switzerland was established in Zambia for copper (or in other countries for other reasons). How a very large majority of the companies there were managed by Swiss multinationals with the aim of extracting as much profit as possible. After reading the texts and listening to the class discussions, I realized the scale of this neo-colonialism, where northern countries drain resources from countries in the South while making sure they earn as little as possible and that they can’t take advantage of their own products. I find this profoundly unfair, also knowing that they are the ones who suffer the negative consequences, such as pollution and working conditions.

While reflecting on a way to communicate this issue, I arrived at the conclusions announced at the beginning of this text: we must know how to put ourselves in their place. I also realized that, in general, people do not make the effort to look for information themselves, it has to be given to them. And in this world oversaturated with information and sensationalism, I think it is necessary to find a way to capture a person’s emotions directly.

So that’s why, inspired by the phenomenon of Fake News, I had the idea of creating a fake Instagram pages presenting situations where the roles would be reversed. For example, an Instagram post with a bold headline announcing that a Zambian company had bought a large share of Switzerland’s salt mines, an essential resource for both food and winter road safety, leaving Swiss communities worried about shortages and higher prices. But when the users swipe to the right to read the post they see a video that says : “Don’t stress, this is not true… For us…” The third slide of the post then explains that, unfortunately, a similar situation does exist in Zambia, where raw materials are exported rather than being processed locally.

This approach, in addition to easily capturing people’s attention, places them directly in a process of empathy, as they become aware of the injustice they felt when reading that false headline. By experiencing these emotions firsthand, they are more likely to understand the real situations faced by others, and to reflect on the ethical responsibility we all share in addressing such global inequalities.

My final work is a short video essay inspired by my daily routine. It shows an insight to the hidden social and environmental costs behind the ordinary objects and services I use every day. The goal is to show that our comfort and convenience are often connected to problems we do not see: child labor, poor working conditions, pollution, and the overuse of natural resources. Normally, I move through my day stressed and focused on tasks, without thinking about where things come from. This project helped me slow down and reflect on the background of what I consume.

The video starts with everyday actions: brushing teeth, locking the door, drinking coffee. These scenes appear calm and almost aesthetic, like “morning routine” videos on social media. Soon, they are interrupted by cuts that reveal another side: plastic waste from toothpaste, coffee linked to child labor, or water wasted while washing clothes.

A key element is a reference to the meme of the skater falling with coffees. In my video, the fall becomes symbolic. His crash triggers a fast montage of global problems: laundry as water waste and sweatshops, a broken skateboard as deforestation and toxic glues, and shipping as another hidden risk. What is funny in the meme turns into a critique, showing how playful moments can mask deeper consequences.

My daily commute also plays a role. Tram and train rides feel smooth, but behind them are night workers on tracks, dangerous steel production, and energy-heavy cement. The Toni building at ZHdK, where I spend much of my time, becomes another symbol, a space of creativity built through mining, emissions, and labor.

The orange jacket is a metaphor. Its color recalls prison uniforms, suggesting that by living in consumer society we are all “wearing” it tied to exploitation and destruction, even if we don’t see it directly.

I kept the video short so it can work on Instagram or TikTok and could also be adapted to 9:16 for social media.The video does not give solutions. Instead, it asks the audience to pause, notice, and reflect. By exposing the hidden costs of comfort, I hope to create a moment of discomfort that can lead to awareness.

Link to download video:

https://www.swisstransfer.com/d/f6599c8d-8e92-4409-9cb0-44a6c9a6820b

Many individuals remain unaware of the intricate web of exploitation and resource extraction that underpins the fashion industry and, indeed, almost every product we consume.

Imagine a t-shirt that is not merely a commodity but a testament to the stories of the people who create it. By prioritizing transparency in the supply chain, we can honor the farmers who cultivate cotton, the workers who spin and weave, and the artisans who sew each garment by showcasing their names, their roles, and the locations they operate from. This approach can fosters a sense of connection between consumers and producers, bridging the gap that often exists in global trade. When we know the names behind our clothing, we can cultivate empathy and understanding of the immense workforce behind a seemingly simple product.

At the heart of this issue lies the unfair truth of extractivism, a practice that prioritizes the extraction of natural resources—be it minerals, oil, or agricultural products—over the well-being of local communities and ecosystems. Countries rich in resources are often exploited for their raw materials, which are then shipped to wealthier nations where they are transformed into finished products. This process strips these nations of their natural wealth and leaves them with catastrophic environmental damage. The profits generated from these resources rarely trickle down to local populations, who continue to face economic hardship and social inequality.

The global trade system is structured to favor the interests of powerful nations and multinational corporations. Trade agreements often prioritize profit over people, allowing companies to operate with minimal oversight and accountability. This lack of regulation leads to environmental degradation, as companies exploit land and resources without regard for the long-term consequences. The communities that depend on these ecosystems for their livelihoods bear the brunt of pollution, deforestation, and climate change, while the benefits of resource extraction are siphoned off to enrich foreign investors.

Moreover, the "West's" role in perpetuating this cycle of exploitation is particularly troubling. While Western nations often position themselves as champions of human rights and environmental protection, their economic policies tell a different story. By supporting regimes that prioritize resource extraction over social welfare, they contribute to the very injustices they claim to oppose. This hypocrisy is evident in the way that wealthier countries benefit from cheap labor and raw materials, all while turning a blind eye to the exploitation and suffering of those who produce them.

In conclusion, the issues of global trade, extractivism, and exploitation are inextricably linked to the broader ecological crisis we face today.

To create a more just and sustainable world, we must confront these injustices and advocate for a trade system that prioritizes equity, environmental health, and the dignity of all people. Only then can we hope to break the cycle of exploitation and build a future where both people and the planet can thrive.

Inspired by the texts looked at in the course “The design of trade: extractivism & material flow” Extractcore is a take on companies actively extracting form developing countries. With every problem presented I wondered if there was a solution to it. The first step that always crossed my mind had always something to do with informing the society, in my case the players, about what’s going on and to shine light on processes we’ll hidden and tucked away in the background.

I think these issues are not talked about enough, especially in our consumer oriented and fast living society. The problems posed though extractivism and consumerism are so globally intertwined, it’s (almost) impossible to find a way to solve them without changing the whole of earth. But again, the first step to solving global issues and wrong doings is to shine light onto it.

This led me to develop a concept for a game called Extractcore, where you play a manager of a multinational commodity trading and mining company, trading with copper with the same name as the game. As the manager of Extractcore you are facilitating mining of copper, it’s trade, further production, transport and sale. You get a look behind the scenes. Through that you gain an understanding of the power and globality of such trading companies. The goal within the game is to maximise profit through the supply chain of copper. The goal of the game is a different one, trying to disrupt the gameplay flow by displaying news articles, stating facts of the wrongdoings and negative impact Extractcore has. These news articles display real issues leading the players attention from the game to the real world.

With this harsh contrast between gameplay, playing something not real, making decisions not influencing actual people but just code within a computer and displaying real news of mining workers dying or creating unliveable environments through mining, the game creates these two extremes. Working with that, I want to lead the playerbase’s attention to those problems, hopefully changing their perception about the globalisation of materials. Maybe, or rather, hopefully altering their consciousness around it.

I had a lot of fun creating this concept, although its not fully worked out. Hence the real-life connections and processes are so complex and tightly intertwined with economics, I have to take more time to fully understand those mechanisms. For the game Itself, they need to be simplified to create a playable ruleset.

Our project deals with the question of how to make people aware, in a direct and unfiltered way, of the social and environmental consequences of their consumer behavior. Very often, products are purchased without knowing under which conditions they were manufactured or what kind of impact they have on the environment. This is exactly the point where we wanted to intervene with our idea.

The basic concept was inspired by the warning images on cigarette packages. These pictures are blunt and confront consumers directly with potential health risks. We asked ourselves: why isn’t there a similar system for everyday products whose production causes massive harm—whether through poor working conditions in factories, child labor, or environmental destruction such as deforestation, excessive water consumption, or high CO₂ emissions?

Based on this thought, we developed a concept in which products are equipped with clear warning signs. The idea is that packaging should not only display colorful logos and attractive designs but also direct information about the dark side of the product. For example, a toy manufactured in a factory where workers are underpaid could show, alongside the cheerful design, an image of exhausted workers in dimly lit halls. Or a chocolate bar could display, next to glossy advertising, a picture pointing out child labor in cocoa farming.

A central element of our project was the design of a uniform label that is deliberately not meant to be aesthetic or creative. On the contrary: it is designed to stand out, to be unpleasant, and to shock. The goal is to disrupt the normal shopping experience and break the association of consumption with positive emotions—replacing it with critical reflection. The design always stays the same in its basic form, ensuring high recognition. Only the images are adapted depending on the product—for example, deforestation for paper goods, exhausted workers for toys, or polluted rivers for textiles.

The core of the label is a bold headline with the message “You support …”. Below, in smaller text, specific consequences of the purchase are listed, such as:

• Destruction of land and ecosystems for the minerals used in your product

• People dying due to unsafe and exploitative working conditions

• Exploitation and impoverishment of entire countries for resource extraction

• Long-term environmental damage that cannot be undone

• Social injustice hidden behind consumer convenience

This combination of a provocative main statement and precise explanatory text makes it immediately clear that every purchase equals a decision, and that consumption always comes with responsibility. The label is meant to directly confront consumers—without detours and without sugarcoating.

In practice, we created several sample packages and labels. We focused on images that are not “beautiful” but instead create discomfort and provoke an emotional reaction. Combined with the “You support …” statement, the result is a shocking contrast to the otherwise positive and colorful branding used by companies.

Throughout the project, we realized that this clash—between glossy advertising and our deliberately disturbing label—is what gives our idea its real power. It’s not about making products look better, but about making their hidden consequences visible and impossible to ignore.

In conclusion, we see our project as an attempt to approach an important societal issue in a radical and uncompromising way. Our approach sheds light on problems that are usually hidden and challenges consumers to take responsibility for their purchasing decisions.

Overconsumption, extractive economies and capitalism accelerate this disconnection. Nature is too often reduced to a commodity or a backdrop, fueling destructive patterns of exploitation: unchecked resource extraction, pollution, and unsustainable farming. This alienation not only degrades ecosystems but also erodes human well-being. Rising rates of stress, depression, and anxiety mirror the decline of nature in our lives, while research shows that green spaces and natural sounds reliably restore balance, focus, and belonging.

To look into nature is to look into ourselves. Its cycles of growth and decay, resilience and renewal, reflect our own needs, fragilities, and hopes. Nature is both teacher and mirror, reminding us that true abundance arises from balance, not domination. Reconnecting with the Earth cultivates humility, mindfulness, and empathy—qualities essential for healing both people and planet.

The consequences of ignoring this truth are catastrophic. When soil is reduced to a substrate for profit, its vitality collapses—bringing food insecurity, water shortages, species loss, and climate instability. Extractivism and monocultures silence the soil’s voice, strip biodiversity, and degrade landscapes. This damage is not only ecological but spiritual, severing our place in the circle of life.

Indigenous Peoples remind us how to listen. Their traditions honor the land’s signals—harvesting in harmony with seasons, wildlife rhythms, and the health of the soil. Practices such as crop rotation, companion planting, natural enrichment, and letting the land “sleep” embody this wisdom, preserving fertility and biodiversity. Even the “sounds of the soil” are listened to as signs of its living richness.

By embracing these perspectives, we rediscover our responsibility to the Earth. Listening to the soil, respecting its rhythms, and honoring its needs restores resilience, abundance, and harmony. Healing our relationship with nature is inseparable from healing ourselves. Indigenous ways of seeing, listening, and caring offer us a path toward renewal—for our bodies, our communities, and our living planet.

There is huge potential in using abandoned materials that can still serve a purpose. From high quality carton to fabric and wood panels, one can find a broad variety of materials within the city that would get thrown away. For example, woodworking workshops often offer their offcuts for free to the public, and there are even organisations like Mining Zürich that showcase the material one can collect at various manufacturing places. Industrially the use of these offcuts only works in very few cases, because it's hardly scalable and it's impossible to plan what materials you will get. So inevitably urban mining is reserved for private use or small scale projects. The problem that I suspect there is that often these leftovers will not find their way to a use case where they would replace newly purchased materials. People can easily use it to do some crafting with their kids, for example, but they will rarely build something that replaces a product they need.

I see potential in providing guidance in how to make something actually useful out of these leftovers. The shelf I designed is there to hold wood panels of different sizes in a nondestructive way. It could get sold with collected offcuts as shelf surfaces or even without any wood panels at all. The idea is that the wood panels can get sourced from local wood workshops which don’t need these smaller sizes anymore. It would engage the people in urban mining and creating things themselves instead of buying finished products. But this is only one example of how one can enable the practical use of these offcuts. It should show a direction in which designers can explore the possibilities to help the consumer gain independence and build up skills to create solutions with the resources they have available.

This essay explores the limitations of solutionism in design and argues for a more self-critical and

sustainable practice. Rather than focusing on producing immediate outcomes, it proposes an inward turn,

emphasising reflection on the values that shape design processes. By shifting away from output-driven approaches

and embracing slower, more deliberate forms of engagement, design can resist reproducing harmful cycles and

instead contribute to practices that nurture both human and ecological well-being.

https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:eu:494a2921-9b0d-459f-be82-f1d9902d100f