exploring and assessing intervention strategies for scaling up individual upcycling

Kyungeun Sung, Sustainable Consumption Research Group, School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment

Kyungeun Sung Supervisors: Tim Cooper and Sarah Kettley

Sustainable Consumption Research Group School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment

Exploring and assessing intervention strategies for scaling up individual upcycling

(for the expert workshop)


Plan today

Topics Descriptions Duration Accumulated

duration

Opening - Personal introduction (all) - Introduce individual upcycling and scaling up

10 mins 10 mins

General discussion on individual upcycling

- What kind of upcycling is sustainable? - How can we change ‘can’t be bothered’ attitude from most people? - Can upcycling supply a reasonable proportion of the global demand for goods?

10 mins 20 mins

Discussion on initial intervention assessment result

- Do we agree with what is being presented? - If you don’t agree, why so?

45 mins (up to 3 mins per

intervention) 65 mins

New intervention suggestion

- Do you have any good ideas about new interventions? 5 mins 70 mins

Selection of the intervention combination

- Which combination of interventions are likely to make the biggest impact on scaling up individual upcycling? - Which combination of interventions are likely to be adopted and implemented to make a short-tem success in scaling up individual upcycling?

10 mins 80 mins

Closing - Reward + travel cost reimbursement 5 mins 85 mins


Individual upcycling

Creation or modification of any product out of used materials in an attempt to result in a product of higher quality or value than the compositional elements (Sung, et al., 2014)


Scaling up in multi-level perspective

Scaling up: the process of initially deviant or unusual sustainable practices to become the dominant or mainstream practice (van den

Bosch, 2010)

Deepening: a learning process of actors within a specific context about how to fulfil societal need in a deviant way (ibid.)

Broadening: repeating a transition experiment in different contexts and linking it to other functions or domains (ibid.)

Deepening, broadening & scaling up transition experiments in niches in relation to multi-level perspective (based on Geels and Kemp 2000, De Haan and Rotmans, 2009) from van den Bosch (2010)


Scaling up individual upcycling

Enthusiastic upcyclers becoming an entrepreneur

More pragmatic Makers (not necessarily utilising used materials for every making project) practicing upcycling more frequently

Non-Makers engaging in making and upcycling

Companies taking back products and packages for upcycling as extended producer responsibility

Companies adopting upcycling production techniques worth scaling up in terms of cost-effectiveness and sustainability in a large scale

Sarah Turner – Eco-artist and designer through craft-based upcycling (Sung & Cooper, 2015)

Source: http://www.attyre.co.uk/upcycle-idol-sarah-turner/


How do we scale up individual upcycling?

15 initial intervention strategies

Questionnaire

Focus group


General comments on individual upcycling (10 mins)

Not all upcycling is sustainable

Upcycling requires materials, energy and transport

‘fun making’ can be more wasteful (e.g. buying cheap appliances to get few parts)

Whether or not it is good depends on what kind of upcycling

Upcycling with waste only? What do we envision upcycling to be about?

What kind of upcycling is sustainable?








‘can’t be bothered’ attitude from most people


How can we change this ‘can’t be bothered’ attitude from most people?








‘can’t be bothered’ attitude from most people


How can we change this ‘can’t be bothered’ attitude from most people? The challenge: persuading people that upcycling can supply a reasonable

proportion of the global demand for goods

Can upcycling supply a reasonable proportion of the global demand for goods?


Relatively important & probably feasible

Relatively important & may not be feasible

Undecided

Relatively unimportant & probably feasible

One of top 5 important interventions

Ratings

Suitable actors

Selected comments on the intervention

Review: Each intervention assessment results (3 mins per intervention)


01. Improve access to, and facilities and services of public workshops with space, tools, materials and training (e.g. workshop induction) for diverse demographic populations

Initiate: NGOs + local authorities

Expertise: architects + service designers

Importance 1 2 3 4 5

Feasibility 1 2 3 4 5

Skills development alone is not effective

Ambiguous word, ‘public’

Main contribution might be the sense of community


02. Design and provide tool kits for novice upcyclers



Manufacturers provide suggestions and guidance for the end of product lifetimes suitable short term strategy (not challenging the current business model)

Good benchmarking target – iFixit with toolkits + online platform

Hand tools + specialist craft tools hiring service (cf. power tools)

A wide variety in tools what is essential?

Could be part of the workshop

Initiate: Companies + NGOs

Expertise: designers + skilled craftspeople


03. Operate a reuse/upcycle centre with a product collection service aligned with usual waste collection service

Local authorities + NGOs Importance 1 2 3 4 5


Done in some local authorities

A halfway house between recycling centre and charity shop

More effective if people can drop off old items and professionals/charities upcycle them and sell them

Potential conflict with regulations

Potential product-oriented legal implications and licensing waste

Specific materials need to be focused on (e.g. wood, fabric)


04. Design and provide a service model for improved provision of used materials, components and products



Business development for waste handlers/recyclers?

Will work at the local level detail models should evolve to suit local needs

Potential legal issues to be sorted out

Some innovative financing schemes could help

Can become ‘moral offsetting’ for those with high resource consumption

Initiate: Companies + NGOs/local authorities

Expertise: service designers


05. Enrich the curriculum in art and design at schools, colleges and universities to incorporate advanced upcycling skills and knowledge



A very slow process + no guarantee

Could form the basis of a shift in cultural norms by e.g. early interest development for kids

Does upcycling need additional/advanced skills and knowledge? Isn’t it about the vision?

cf. Great Recovery Project and Ellen MacArthur Foundation

Initiate: Government + education boards



06. Organise community-based upcycling family events, workshops and training sessions

NGOs + local authorities Importance 1 2 3 4 5


Already happening (e.g. Re-use network in London)

Who will fund?

Community cohesion may be the most useful outcome


07. Organise upcycling competitions in schools, universities, communities and industry



Useful for awareness raising – but only a first step toward change and mainstreaming

An upcycling festival could be more fun and inspirational

Role for the Design Council? Funding?

Initiate: Local authorities + companies + NGOs



08. Design and provide effective communication materials (e.g. handbooks/brochures) to explain the benefits of individual upcycling to the general public and industry



Already happening

Easy win but unlikely to be effective in mainstreaming but useful when combined with e.g. workshop

More effective for the benefits to be demonstrated and information to help facilitate

Need to be very specific – a broader behaviour change campaign unlikely to have any impact

Current practitioners may perceive themselves as countercultural?

Initiate: NGOs + Government

Expertise: information & communication designers


09. Design and provide a ‘wow’ experience (e.g. pop-up stores) as an uncycling promotion campaign



Yes, as people often find inspiration through ‘wow’ experience vs. not sure about this campaign tool

May be effective in certain areas

Good idea for a pro-active PR company

Likely to reach only a small audience and need to be repeated regularly in many years

Initiate: NGOs + companies (social enterprises)

Expertise: user experience designers


10. Produce TV shows and other inspirational media (e.g. Youtube) to share best practices



Can significantly influence public perceptions over a longer time scale

Good means of communication through Youtube, Pinterest, Life Hacks, Tumblr, etc.

Not sure about the most appropriate media

Potential to connect with existing TV programmes (e.g. Britain’s empty homes)

With NGO-led initiatives, who will fund?

Initiate: NGOs + (broadcasting) companies



11. Provide tax benefits and subsidies for upcycling-related businesses

Government Importance 1 2 3 4 5


Appealing in that it goes beyond awareness-raising vs. economic barriers probably not the main barrier (as opposed to time, efforts, skills, etc.)

currently politically unfeasible

A reduction on VAT in relation to upcycled products and used materials is essential

Cf. renewable subsidies such as FiTs and ROCs

Help with planning regulations, business rates and micro finance could be useful


12. Demonstrate high quality and value of upcycling through commissioning upcycling projects by famous artists and designers



Already happening (e.g. art works from recycled stuff) but more useful if it’s functional

Probably reach a small audience and may not actually encourage participation

Potential to connect with existing TV programmes (e.g. Britain’s empty homes)

Initiate: Companies + NGOs

Expertise: artists + designers


13. Demonstrate upcycled goods as a new social norm or standard by changing government procurement policy to favour upcycled goods

Government + local authorities Importance 1 2 3 4 5


Essential in the long term – rebuilding the trust in government + public procurement as a source of significant consumption and emissions

Difficult to achieve for cost, bureaucracies, lack of capacity, etc. – hard enough to achieve with simpler recycled/low carbon goods

Not sure about changing social norms (reducing environmental impact yes)

Hard to imagine concrete examples


14. Provide grants and subsidies for upcycling-related research and initiatives

Government Importance 1 2 3 4 5


More suitable for small-scale demonstration projects + research by professional companies

More appropriate for items that have a high environmental cost to recycle

Unlikely to happen unless linked to wider aspects of the circular economy

Very dependent on what the initiatives are

Who will fund? – government funding is probably unavailable

Increased attention from research council may be helpful but other areas of sustainability research would take priority as they would be more effective and achievable


15. Provide advice and consultancy on how to start a business based on upcycling



Easily integrated into the existing SMEs support

Useful for pre-start-ups and the unemployed

Best practice guidelines, exemplars, etc.

Advice for upcycling business necessarily different to other businesses?

Initiate: Local authorities + NGOs

Expertise: upcycling entrepreneurs (companies)


New, improved intervention suggestions? (5 mins)

Source: http://www.condenaststore.com/-sp/New-Improved-Cat-Can-I-get-you-anything-New-Yorker-Cartoon-Prints_i8575248_.htm


Combination of interventions for the biggest impact (5 mins)

Forget the feasibility!

Categorise them based on the potential impact on scaling up

- Big impact

- Medium impact

- Low impact

Card sorting exercise

1. Interventions with big impact

2. Interventions with medium impact

3. Interventions with low impact


Combination of interventions for short-term feasibility (5 mins)

Let’s be realistic!

Which combination of interventions are likely to be adopted and implemented for short-term and long-term?

Card sorting exercise

1. The combination of interventions for the short-term feasibility

2. Interventions for the long-term feasibility


Thank you for your time and contribution!

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