“Green Mug” is an attempt towards promoting sustainability through reuse on the University of Limerick Campus. After extensive field studies, interviews and factual surveys of the waste situation on campus, we came to the conclusion that the levels of waste generated on a daily basis has the use of paper/plastic coffee cups rank the highest, at 2000 units per day.
During the project, our initial emphasis on waste disposal shifted towards waste minimisation coupled with an attempt to change the attitudes and behaviours of individuals and organisations towards managing waste. Considering this context of waste minimisation, the project considers zero waste as an answer to the issue of humungous number of disposable cups used on campus by encouraging reuse as a sustainable solution.
The Green Mug comprises of a re-usable coffee mug accompanied by a mobile application offering features such as a reward system, convenient mobile payment, a quantified self-inspired functionality in the form of a report on the personal consumption and expenditure related to hot beverages using the own “Green Mug” and information on the cafés on campus. The system also includes an online presence in the form of a website and social media channels to promote the “Green Mug” concept.
The objective of the project revolves around designing the interactions that will encourage the re-use of a travel mug in order to make it more acceptable by the campus community, considering all the issues related to its re-use on a daily basis. An awareness campaign is also proposed as a solution to promote and encourage the concept of reuse for sustainable waste management with regards to the campus environment.
