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Phase: Research Missions: Time Travel

Local distribution using reusable intermediate containers

In the past, food and drink were distributed using intermediaries that had their own reusable containers.

Photo of Lorne Mitchell
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Milkmaid with "intermediate" reusable milk containers. Milkmaid with "intermediate" reusable milk containers.

How does this research relate to our Use Cases?

All of the use cases show instances where the product packaging is single-use and where there are no obvious intermediary containers to distribute the product locally.

What is a provocation or insight that might inspire others during this challenge?

How can we redesign the distribution of food, drink and household goods that use one-time plastic packaging so that we design in more multi-use intermediary distribution systems that allow consumers to bring their own containers - and hence cut plastic waste.

Tell us about yourself

Business Designer. Engineer. User of one-time plastic containers who is thinking hard about how not to!

This inspired (1)

Re-Imagining the Re-Filling Station
Re-Imagining the Re-Filling Station

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Photo of Purvish Shah

I appreciate your thoughts. To extend and give a further direction, do you think we can list down all one-time use plastics and then give priority to them considering the impact they have on waste and then think of how we can reduce that?

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Photo of Kate Rushton

Hi Purvish Shah Great to see your insights! I would recommend focusing on the use cases for the challenge - https://d3gxp3iknbs7bs.cloudfront.net/attachments/d7cfea9d-b5a2-4ce3-a8de-3e518a3c4b67.pdf

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Photo of Lorne Mitchell

Hi Helen, I share your need, Purvish, for information on the wider analysis of one-time use plastic. I understand IDEO's need for focus to crack the problem described in the use case. However, we need more education, generally in this area if we are going to be effective. How does IDEO suggest we do that without losing this gem of an idea in the mechanical process? I hope you have a way to do this given the number of competitions you run! Best, Lorne

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Photo of Kate Rushton

Hi Lorna, There is a degree of flexibility and the sponsors are always open to anything unusual, out of the box etc. Hypothetically, for a local distribution model, I would focus on the use cases and then mention other applications (basically adopting a t-shaped approach - specific and mentioning the broad). In the ideas phase, I would recommend the same approach - brainstorming and submitting all ideas that come into your head and then focusing on a select few. But, that is my approach and one I have seen work reasonably well on the platform because you can never be one hundred percent sure what will resonate with the community, the sponsors and the judges. I hope that makes sense and helps.

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Photo of Lorne Mitchell

Yes, Purvish. I think that is a great idea. It is so important that we understand the scope and scale of the problem - particularly when we are dealing with so many different types of plastic waste. I wonder how we would prioritise them?

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