The Disappearing Package

Sustainability is a huge global topic. We are running out of space due to waste and in the process we are forever altering the state of nature and the environment. Recycling is one big step towards lessening our carbon footprint, but what if we eliminate packaging waste all together? The Disappearing Package is a Masters Thesis Project by Pratt Institute student Aaron Mickelson. 

"Every year, we throw away a ton of packaging waste (actually, over 70 million tons). It makes up the single largest percentage of trash in our landfills (beating out industrial waste, electronics, food… everything). Figures released by the EPA indicate this problem is getting worse every year.

As a package designer (and grad student—meaning I know everything and can solve every problem, naturally), I was concerned about where this trend is going. Of course, many talented designers working in the field have made great efforts over the past few years to reduce the amount of packaging that goes onto a product. However, for my Masters Thesis, I asked the question: Can we eliminate that waste entirely?"

Here is one of Aaron's brilliant examples of how to eliminate packaging waste. 

To see his other ideas, please visit Disappearing Package. 

Watch “The History Of Typography” by Ben Barret-Forrest (video)

Created from 291 paper letters and 2,454 single photographs painstakingly arranged in 140 hours of work, this amazing animated short by Canadian graphic designer Ben Barret-Forresttells the captivating story of typography. Tracing it back all the way to Johannes Gutenberg and his revolutionary invention of letterpress printing, he gives a brief account of all the signficant developments of the last 500 years, including the introduction of italics and serifs, san-serifs and pixel type.

(Highsnob)

Vending Machine On A Whole New Scale...Melting Scale (video)

The Melting Machine is so brilliant! I can feel the cool and taste the refreshing fizz from this! 

PopSop: Nuked Nation

Nuked Nation

18 April 2013 | By Cheryl Swanson

We’ve all used a microwave at some point in our culinary adventures. From popcorn to pizza, soups to last night’s leftovers, the microwave has changed the “modern” kitchen and heavily influenced our food culture. 

To read the full article, please visit POPSOP. 

Dreambox: 3D Printer Vending Machine (video)

3D printing is innovating before our eyes! Every week there seems to be some new 3D printer or doodler. Now you don't even have to own one, you can just use the Dreambox. 

They claim that it's easy to use, same day pickup, capable of satisfying unlimited number of end-users, you can print in ABS (engineering plastic), PLA (bioplastic), nylon, wood, metals, and more and that the cost is low. 

Hopefully this is coming to a location near us! I have a very long list of things I would print, from functional to fun to wacky and outright crazy. 

The Next Wave In Soda Packaging: Aluminum Bottles

It's a fact that a lot of people drink a lot of sodas. I mean soda out of a can or a plastic bottle. The two biggest manufacturers are Pepsi Co and Coca-Cola. Personally, I think soda out of a glass bottle tastes best, followed by the aluminum can, but a plastic bottle makes it much more convenient with a twist on/off top. In the past few years, I have begun to see an integration of the two - but unfortunately I've only noticed it used for limited edition products or used more widely overseas. 

First, there's the green factor:

Polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, can take years to decompose in the ocean and can stay in landfills for hundreds of years. Plant-based hydro-biodegradable plastic aka polylactic acid (PLA), a plastic made from corn, decomposes into water and carbon dioxide in 47 to 90 days -- four times faster than a PET-based bag floating in the ocean. However, an aluminum can can be recycled and back in the market in 6 weeks. So recycle folks! 

Convenience

Love the taste of a cold soda in a can or glass bottle but how often do you wish you could re-cap what you have left and save it for later? Put it right back into the fridge, cooler or even in your bag. It won't go flat and it will keep the drink fresher longer. 

Look and Feel

It just looks so much cooler than a can! Taking the original glass bottle design and modernizing it for more efficient recycling is "throwback cool with a conscience". It's sleek, modern and oh yeah, everything else mentioned above. 

The Takeaway

I think we will be seeing more aluminum bottles in the market. But RECYCLE! And let's utilize that design space for some great eye-catching graphics. 

Thomas Edison...The Brilliant Mind Behind #LOLCats (video)

Here's a little fun probably found in some buried treasures... 

Boxing cats filmed by Thomas Edison in 1894

The electric light bulb, the phonograph, and the movie camera were invented (or significantly improved upon) by Thomas Edison, so lets give him credit for one more: LOLcats:

This short film was shot at the world's first movie studio, The Black Maria, located in West Orange, NJ. The entire building was built on a turntable so that the building could rotate with the sun for the best lighting conditions. 

(Via Kottke)

Apple Pop-Up Museum (event)

Remember these? My first computer class was in elementary school. We were pretty advanced to get the the Apple IIc in 1984. Looking back on it, that school was really ahead of its time. Talk about early adopters of technology. Maybe that's why I love tech! 

An exclusive collection of Apple products to be shown in Atlanta
on Saturday April 20 and Sunday April 21

The exhibit displays an exclusive collection of game-changing Apple personal computers and consumer electronics products while presenting the history of the company since its founding in 1976 to the present.  An Apple I, the first disk II and controller card, an original Apple II, an original Lisa and a Xerox Alto are among the rare artifacts to be displayed.

The Apple Pop-Up Museum will be exhibiting in conjunction with the Vintage Computer Festival Southeast 1.0.