StickBrick – Making, making accessible and sustainable

 

Can we take and re-engineer societal generated waste to better teach about sustainability and sustainable practices within education? This project links local communities with their neighbouring schools to provide context driven outcomes for a climate positive change.

StickBrick provides a solution – taking waste chopsticks from local industries and retailers, re-engineering each into usable stock and repurposing them for practical use in a workshop/lesson environment.

Our throwaway culture is a growing concern, emphasising the urgency of sustainable thinking. I believe education is pivotal in fostering enduring change. Yet, the decline in popularity and relevance of Design & Technology highlights the need to reshape perceptions about what is possible through design.

By providing schools and retailers with a network to connect and work directly with one another, we can help foster lasting relationships, encouraging new paths for craft-based learning. Stakeholders can provide one another with usable stock, re-engineering and manufacturing guidance, project ideas, tailored lesson plans and resources to enhance sustainable learning for students.

Operating a climate positive, circular approach has been central to the project development, making student involvement a pivotal aspect to project expansion. Through stand-alone project work, highlighting the characteristics of the material, or working in tandem to create physical displays, visually showcasing said circular journey.

StickBrick demonstrates material potential when time and waste resources are abundant.