I want to show people that cooking and eating thoughtfully will lead to a healthier community and environment.
B. List the assumptions that you must test in order to support or frame your argument
+what are the factors that determine eating habits and food choices?
+will better access to sustainable food change what people buy?
+why are people buying pre-cooked food instead of cooking?
+do people NEED to cook? is there a real personal (not environmental economical) benefit to cooking your own food?
+how many people can be supported by sustainable agriculture in the US (how much organic food can we produce? what is the mile radius that can support specific areas?)
C. What methods are you employing to learn more about your area of intervention? What do you need to know? Who are you utilizing? Ex: Articles, books, journals, interviews (w/whom?), surveys (of whom?), observations (of whom?), experiments
+interviews with people that live in the suburbs (in various regions of the US)
+interviews with organizations trying to work towards sustainable food
+interviews with managers/organizers of grocery stores, co-ops, and markets
+interviews with people trying to educate the public on cooking or farming
+interviews with farmers
+observations of places to buy food (whole foods, food emporium, farmers market)
+canning local foods (to test extending use of local produce through year)
+reading books, magazines, articles (animal, vegetable miracle by barbara kingsclover; in defense of food by micheal pollan, grub by anna lappe)
+looking at food blogs (see how people are sharing information about cooking and new subculture of traditional cooking techniques)
+studying old cookbooks (regional cook books)
+analyzing food network shows (what is the message of each show? how does this reflect the public attitude about food, cooking, and eating?)
+finding design precedence for all of the the issues i identify
+labeling organic/local and conventional produce with all information and see people's reaction
+cooking under restrictions (test a reason that people do not cook. ex: time, cost, ?)
D. How have your findings shaped your argument?
+shelf life is important in buying food
+people care about impacts of their food, but don't want to spend more money to buy different food
+some people say they do not have the choice to buy sustainable food, or their grocery store sells limited organic but not local.
+more people like to cook when they have extra times (on the weekend)
+it is important that people understand what certifications mean so that producers cannot mislead consumers.
+local economies can help create a closer relationship and trust between producer and consumer
+"the french paradox" may explain why thoughtfulness about food (enjoying meals, eating with people) leads to better health
+karl marx's theory of the "antidote to alienation" may explain why knowing the entire process of preparing a meal is satisfying to people, or maybe even necessary
E. How have you defined the appropriate context to apply your skills?
Suburban:
+distribution challenges because of “sprawl”
+little design precedent – wide open opportunity for impact
+makes up large portion of US population – potential to make large impact
Middle Class:
+transitional period into sustainable agriculture requires moderate income – eventually prices will go down as demand increases
+may be more willing to participate than low income demographic – more time and income for cooking or likely to already be interested in “green” movement
+make up large percentage of US population
Areas for Intervention
+production:
help the farmer, would effect food system more directly/quickly, could be very difficult to implement with large company, could be corporate or family farm or food processor.
+point of purchase:
work with existing food system to increase market for local food, opportunity for education, involves captive market at retail stores, realistic to implement but may be temporary and not very meaningful to consumers.
+education:
educate children or adults about “how to eat”, children are captive audience, adults require motivation to participate, children be new generation of how US views food and teach parents, but there is a lot of design precedence in this area. could create more communication among neighbors in suburban communities
+domestic:
create interest in food and cooking, requires consumers to effect system (slower process), design may have more impact inside home (more meaningful, personal, long lasting?), may allow more interaction with design.
E. List the attributes that your design action must have in order to be successful? What are the formal, functional, ethical, material, and cost criteria that you have uncovered through your analysis?
1. Modesty
if returning to old ways of producing food is about limits and understanding necessity and excess, then my product must be restrained in the following ways:
+ it must not encourage or support acts that exceed a reasonable environmental effect that a person should have.
+ it should support lifestyles that are balanced between necessity and luxury.
+ the result of this product should be valuable enough to justify the effort required to make and use the product.
2. Slowness
+ should support a lifestyle that emphasizes thoughtful actions, not the idea and faster or more is better.
+ should support the idea that the work we do to sustain ourselves (cooking, cleaning, making) are actions that are important and should be enjoyed.
3. Accessibility
+ should be affordable for an average middle class, suburban household.
+ should have a humble attitude in order to be welcoming to those who may otherwise be uninterested in the cause for this product.
+ should be convenient (also to welcome users)
4. Desirability and Motivation
suburban areas already have the CHOICE to support sustainable food, but do not yet have a reason enticing enough to do so. I have to find a reason good enough.
+ fun! my product cannot be another chore
+ i have to convey the value of changing food choices and lifestyles. i need may need to change people's perception of value in food. (ie. why organic/local costs more)
+ participatory- interaction can encourage participation
5. Presence
because i am trying to reach audiences that are currently NOT involved in the movement toward sustainable food, my product needs to be visible to the public
+ not JUST a website (this may not attract those that are not already interested)
+ possibly target a captive audience (ex: a school or office)
+ possible needs physical form
F. What are POSSIBLE designed outcomes of your process? Describe possibilities of how design can address the issue you have chosen?
1. changing infrastructure for distribution from small farms to retailers can allow better access to small farm's products and better financial support for the producers. eventually, this could mean lower prices for organic and local foods and more support from consumers as well as more access for lower income households.
2. preserving local foods for winter (freezing, canning, etc) can reduce the need for importing food from far away places. this will strengthen local economies, decrease corporate control over government policy, and decrease environmental effects of transportation and factory farming.
3. better consumer understanding of standards (organic, local, biodynamic) could boost support of local and small farms with better standards for sustainable agriculture. similar outcomes to #2.
4. Increasing convenience of farmers market and co-ops (not all items available, not open in winter, only open certain days and hours) can provide an easier way for people to support sustainable agriculture. similar outcomes to #2
5. creating interest in cooking could make people more thoughtful about what they are eating and where it comes from. cooking also decreases environmental effects of processing and creates a larger market for whole foods, which local farmers can provide! also, similar outcomes to #2.
G. Describe the feedback you have gotten so far and how it informs your process.
1. both people at Organic Consumer Association and Food and Water Watch were quick to point out that the current increase of interest around organic and local foods is not enough of a change to bring the US into a sustainable position. we need much more public support, and much more political change.
this information reminds me that i need to consider what action will create the most change and who is important to engage. (what population can make the most change?)
2. in class, it has been said that i need to consider mind-set of people when choosing foods. i need to try and understand WHY they have a certain mind set about food. it is influenced by their upbringing, their schedules, their friends, ???
this has helped me understand that offering a choice to someone does not mean that they will take it, and i must consider my market's real motivations.
3. other students have told me that i need to look at what is exciting about food. use the aspects of eating and cooking that people love to encourage support of a sustainable food system.
this has lead me to more closely examine the benefits of cooking (why people NEED to cook) as well as how community can connect cooking and the food system.
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