How Reusable Design Forgets the Majority
Looking at you, Tesla
Traveling through the Togean Islands, a remote region of Indonesia in the isolated center of Sulawesi, the tropical sights leave an immediate impression. So does the plastic waste. Household items like coffee and detergent are primarily sold as single use packets, as this is the easiest way to get these products to the islands. The plastic packages are then tossed into the ocean, joining cigarette packets, water bottles, and human waste.
Returning to San Francisco, CA, where I was living at the time, put my footprint in perspective. I had labored for years to reduce my single-use plastic use, guilted by grocers when I forgot to bring my own bags, solemnly refusing all straws offered my way. I own reusable produce bags for my herbs, use metal straws, buy my clothes from second hand stores, lug around a reusable water bottle, compost my food scraps, and bike whenever I can. But if all of these reusable resources, education and products are only accessible for people living in relatively wealthy regions, what does it really all mean?
Tesla is a prime example. This electric car company is not only environmentally friendly, it also boasts new software updates that elongates the relevancy of that model. Yes, this alleviates consumerism and pollution, as long as you can afford the high price tag. The majority of the world can only afford the cheapest and most environmentally damaging vehicles. Just take a stroll through Mexico City, one of the largest and most populated cities to understand the effects of pollution.
Unfortunately, the most affordable, accessible option is most likely not going to be the most reusable or ecological. This is not to say that there have not been some inspired innovations. The Raspberry Pi, a tiny and cheap computer, allows access to otherwise inaccessible technologies. Flo is a collaborative project tackling menstruation stigma and access in remote parts of the world. This reusable tool kit costs $3, complete with its own washer and dryer. Until we start to think of how to approach these problem spaces, and hold corporations accountable, our efforts will fall short of impact. The more we include, the more we can achieve.
