metamorphosis Bringing forests back to life
Preface Set up in 1986, NIFT is the pioneering institute of fashion education in the country and has been in the vanguard of providing a professional human resource to the textile and apparel industry. It was made a statutory institute in 2006 by an Act of the Indian Parliament with the President of India as ‘Visitor’ and has full-fledged campuses all across the country. Over the years NIFT has also been working as a knowledge service provider to the Union and State governments in the area of design development and positioning of handlooms and handicrafts. This Design Strategy documentation has information and observations on the culture of reviving our forests as it is practiced today. It represents research on companies hat have taken up this initiative and one in depth case sudy of ‘Capsula Mundi’ an organization committed to creating forests in place of stone graves. This document also incorporates an innovative solution on how we can solve this problem and increase the green cove on the planet.
Acknowledgements It was immensely pleasurable to be able to explore and understand the wicked problem and how we can establish a solution to it. We are thankful to our faculty and course coordinator Ms Hir Padma Vyas for answering all our queries, for equipping and making us ready for field research, for guiding the transcription and the content building process. We thank her for the continued support without which this document would not have been possible. Lastly, we are grateful to NIFT for providing us with this opportunity to cover this topic and experience what we have along with our classmates who were always there for feedback and motivation while writing this document.
About Us We are a team of two design students, currently studying in the department of Fashion Communication at the National Institute of Fashion Technology, Gandhinagar. This document is an embodiment of our project in Design strategy on the topic of how we can increase and bring back the green cover on the earth. This project has been mentored and facilitated by Dr. Hir Padma Vyas, who helped us study the problem from different perspectives by fusing together knowledge from conventional design practices, developing strategies to solve a problem and understanding strategic design. The main objective of this project is to bring awareness towards how important it is to revive our forests and ways in which we can achieve this.
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An average size tree produces enough oxygen in one year to keep a family of four breathing.
1.
INTRODUCTION
Introduction F
orest conservation is the practice of planting and maintaining forested areas for the benefit and sustainability of future generations. The conservation of forest also stands & aims at a quick shift in the composition of trees species and age distribution. Forest conservation involves the upkeep of the natural resources within a forest that are beneficial to both humans and the environment. Forests are vital for human life because they provide a diverse range of resources: they store carbon &act as carbon sink, produce oxygen which is vital for existence of life on the earth, so they are rightly called as earth lung, help in regulating hydrological cycle, planetary climate, purify water, provide wild life habitat(50% of the earth’s biodiversity occurs in forests), reduce global warming, absorb toxic gases & noise, reduce pollution, conserve soil,mitigate natural hazards such as floods& landslides & so on. But, forest cover is depleting rapidly due to many reasons such as an expansion of agriculture, timber plantation, other land uses like pulp and paper plantations, urbanization, construction of roads, industries, constitutes the biggest and severe threat to the forest causing serious environmental damage.
But, forest cover is depleting rapidly due to many reasons such as an expansion of agriculture, timber plantation, other land uses like pulp and paper plantations, urbanization, construction of roads, industries, constitutes the biggest and severe threat to the forest causing serious environmental damage. Thus, there is need of public awareness. In 2010, several private-sector companies made bold commitments to remove deforestation from major commodity supply chains by 2020. Since then, many others have joined this effort through the New York Declaration on Forests and the Sustainable Development Goals. Although much progress has been made to implement these commitments, the outlook for the forests is bleak. In 2016, global tree cover loss reached a record 29.7 million hectares, and this loss — totalling an area about the size of New Zealand — is 51% higher than the previous year. Assessments indicate that the international community will miss its 2020 target, and with less than 1,000 days to go, the need for action on the forest agenda has never been more urgent.
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Three trees planted in the right place around buildings can cut air-conditioning costs up to 50 percent.
2.
ORGANIZATIONS AND CASE STUDY
PATT (Plant A Tree Today) Grow Foundation com) A UK registered charity and a Thailand Foundation operating throughout the Southeast Asia region. PATT initiates, develops and manages large-scale reforestation projects countering deforestation and climate change. In conjunction with its reforestation projects, PATT conducts environmental education programmes for school children across the UK and Thailand. Plant a Tree Today (PATT) Foundation works to raise awareness of global environmental issues, campaign for better environmental practices and take action against deforestation and climate change by planting trees.
Trees
(growtrees.
Our vision is to be the leader of a web-enabled, cost effective service to individuals and companies globally to enable the planting of trees. Grow-Trees.com wants to allow users to satisfy a private purpose of greeting someone through an eTreeCertificate, while doing social good by planting trees. Why trees? Because tree planting creates low-skill jobs, and trees provide benefit to current and future generations, have a direct impact on carbon reduction, restoring forests, improving wildlife habitats, and upgrading water catchment areas, and offer flowers, fruit fodder and fuel for local communities and all living creatures.
Organizations
SankalpTaru Foundation
Afforest
SankalpTaru Foundation is a non-profit organization that initiates, develops and manages reforestation and environmental conservation projects across India. We work with an ambitious goal to plant and care for trees and help people reduce their carbon foot print while simultaneously generating livelihood options for rural farmers.
Afforestt is a service provider for creating natural, wild, maintenance free, native forests. At Afforestt, we work passionately on and off-site to provide the best solutions at the lowest possible cost. Started in January 2011, Afforestt is a for profit social enterprise on a mission to bring back our native forests. Our mission is to bring back our lost forests, we do it by creating them.
It is inclusive and open to everyone, from governments and businesses to community groups and individuals. SankalpTaru provides you a patented online platform powered by GPS and social technologies to plant trees from anywhere in the world at a location you desire. Apart from adding to the green space and promoting bio-diversity, every tree that you plant helps to support rural livelihoods.
Case Study Capsula Mundi
is a cultural and broad-based project, which envisions a different approach to the way we think about death. It’s an egg-shaped pod, an ancient and perfect form, made of biodegradable material, where our departed loved ones are placed for burial. Ashes will be held in small egg-shaped urns while bodies will be laid down in a fetal position in larger pods. The Capsula will then be buried as a seed in the earth. A tree, chosen in life by the deceased, will be planted on top of it and serve as a memorial for the departed and as a legacy for posterity and the future of our planet. Family and friends will continue to care for the tree as it grows. Cemeteries will acquire a new look and, instead of the cold grey landscape we see today, they will grow into vibrant woodlands, sacred forests.
HOW CAPSULA MUNDI CAME ABOUT
The Capsula Mundi project roses from a deep examination of the role of designers in our society. In a culture far removed from nature, overloaded with objects for the needs of daily life and focused on youth, death is often dealt with as a taboo. We believe that this unavoidable passage, so meaningful, is not the end, but the beginning of a way back to nature. Inspired by these reflections, we decided to redesign the coffin - an object entirely left out of the design world - using ecological materials, and laic and universal life symbols, such as the egg and the tree.
The Creators
ANNA CITELLI
RAOUL BRETZEL
I’ve been living in Milan since 1987. I currently work at a company called ASC, which I founded with two friends. We offer creative support of concept art, 3D illustration, matte painting and CGI. Prior to that I worked with advertising agencies as a freelance visualizer. This gave me the chance to design layouts for everything, from cars to fresh pasta, from cosmetics to ice cream. Milan offers interesting opportunities. In addition to my “official” work, I have illustrated children’s stories, prepared sets, worked with photographers, made mock-ups (I have made giant three-dimensional lips and rag dolls depicting famous people). I studied in Bari, in the south of Italy, where I lived from 1970 to 1987. Before that I lived in Venezuela, a wonderful country, were I was born in 1964. I have presented my work at national and international design exhibitions and my projects are published in national and international magazines.
I live and work in Rome, Italy. I am passionate about design and the materials I use. I’m convinced that working between these two constraints (material and form) can convey the emotional impulse behind the initial idea of a project. I initially worked as an industrial designer, but I realized from a very early stage that ecological ethics are rarely respected in mass production. This prompted me to develop projects which are industrially impractical and to turn to less popular design environments. Currently, alongside the decade-long commitment on Capsule Mundi, I run a studio where I develop projects from design to concrete realization, focusing my research mainly on the potentialities of wood. I exhibited my projects in Italy and abroad and they are published in national and international magazines. The Eola lamp has been in the design collection of the MOMA Museum in New York since 1995.
A UNIVERSAL MESSAGE The biological life cycle and its transformations are the same for every living being. It is time for humans to realize our integrated part in nature. Capsula Mundi wants to emphasize that we are a part of Nature’s cycle of transformation. This universal concept goes beyond cultural and religious traditions. Only a tree, a symbol of the connection between the sky and the earth, will mark the resting place of the deceased. As tree after tree is planted, the cemetery will become a forest, free of the architectural motifs that mark today’s memorial grounds. The cemetery will be transformed into a place of nature, one where families can stroll and learn about the natural world, where communities will come together to tend and care for trees. In short, it will become a sacred forest.
LIMITING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT Presently, to make a coffin, a tree must be cut down. The coffin has a short life cycle and a strong environmental impact. A tree takes between 10 and 40 years to reach maturity and the coffin is of use for just three days! We want to plant trees instead of cutting them down! Furthermore, Capsula Mundi urns are made from 100% biodegradable material and come from seasonal plants. CAPSULA MUNDI URN The Capsula Mundi urn is now available online on our e-commerce and it can be bought from all over the world. The Capsula Mundi urn is a biodegradable urn. The ashes are put in through a hole, closed with a cone shaped screw top. After the burial, a tree, chosen in life by the deceased, in consideration of the local ecosystem, will be planted in top of it. Capsula Mundi urn is made in Italy. Each urn is unique, thanks to handcrafted interventions during production. And it comes in two versions: Sand and White. www.capsulamundi.it/shop
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Trees increase the value of property. Houses surrounded by trees sell for 18-25 percent higher than houses with no trees.
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3.
WHITE SPACE
White Space The term
‘forest cover’ refers to lands more than one hectare in area, with a canopy of density of more than 10 percent, irrespective of ownership and legal status. Such lands may not necessarily be a recorded forest area. It includes orchards, bamboo and palm. The national target of 33% forest area is still a long way to go, as the current coverage is only 9-16%. In the last seven years (2011-2017), India has restored 9.8 million hectares of degraded land, with Government agencies playing a major role in the green initiative, restoring 95 per cent while the remaining 5 per cent was done by NGOs and private companies. So, what can be done to increase the forest area in India?
How are the restorations of forests happening? Who are the ones taking the initiatives and who can contribute in these projects? As we researched on these questions, we got to know that there are many government and private organizations that have taken steps to restore and rebuild the forests in India. But are they the only one responsible to rebuild the forests? What if someone wants to contribute a very little to these organizations, be it just one plant. These organizations have websites from which we can know more about their projects and what are they doing and their vision for the future. Some of the sites also have the links where we can contribute a little amount to help them. There were these other sites which would send us saplings which we can order from
their sites. But the question was that who would take care of those saplings hands on so that is grows to be a tree? If there are people who can take care of these saplings, what about the ones who can’t? What about the ones who want to help rebuild the forest and plant more trees but can’t take out time from their busy schedules… That’s where we landed up on the white space. Therefore, we thought of a system where people could buy saplings from that organization, pay for the same and the organization will plant those saplings wherever the customer wants it to plant. If the customer doesn’t have a specific place for the plantation, the saplings will be planted on the land that the organization has bought specially for converting the land into a forest.
Our team of gardeners will plant the saplings for them and take care of those saplings until they can be left on their own to grow. We have kept the name of the organization METAMORPHOSIS which means transformation. We also saw that rarely did any organization have its app which someone could use it to download and contribute. So we designed an app for Metamorphosis which would be available for free and after creating an account in the app, the users can contribute to the organization buy purchasing the saplings. Our team of gardeners will plant the saplings and afterwards take care of them till they can be left on their own. The main feature of the app will be that the customers and plantation enthusiasts will receive regular updates about the plants that they have contributed in rebuilding the forests. They will can also gift the trees to their loved ones and name the tree after their names. They will also be able to see the new projects started by the organization in the news feed section. If they want to share their experience with the organization or the growth of the tree planted for them, they can do it in the feed of the app. By this, others will be able to see those posts and it will help them get motivated to plant more trees.
We
mapped out the possible stakeholders involved in order to understand the perspectives and capture their experiences. Some of the important ones are listed below:
Stakeholders
• THE DESIGNERS OF THE APP
• USERS
The designers and the team involved are one of the main stakeholders. They will be responsible to make the application successful and be responsible for any changes
The users will be the ones who will actually bring the project to life. Their involvement is important as their feedback will be crucial to see if this approach works.
• GOVERNMENT/ PROPERTY OWNERS
• GARDNERS
As this project will require a significant amout of land, the government and other organizations or property owners will be important.
They will be responsible for taking care of the trees.
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Trees make people feel good. Workers are more productive when they see trees along their commute routes and from their office windows.
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4.
UNDERSTANDING THE CUSTOMER
Understanding the customer An empathy map is a collaborative tool teams can use to gain a deeper insight into their customers. Much like a user persona, an empathy map can represent a group of users, such as a customer segment.
Mapping the users’ thoughts, needs, motivations, feelings,attitudes, beliefs, issues
•Are t green
•Wha they s
Creating a map for each persona/ customer segment
Create different templates. Other aspects: tasks, influences, quotes, goals
•What do the people think about the current environmental crises? •Are they willing to actively participate in making a difference? •What do they think can be done?
HEAR
Way to synthesize the research data to understand the users
THINK AND FEEL •FEEDBACK AND OPINIONS
they able to see the depletion of n cover in their everyday lives?
•What do they hear from others?
at are the prominent elements see?
•What influences how they act or behave?
SEE
SAY AND DO •Verbatim quotes •Tasks •Terminology •Typical day •Actions •Behaviour
•What are the pain points? •obstacles? •Frustrations? •Challenges?
Initial participants and stakeholders [optional]
•Goals •Needs •What do the users hope to gain and achieve?? •How will the success be
Prepare the research data (eg. interviews, contextual inquiry, online surveys, testimonials and other feedback
25 years old
User Persona Motivations
•Food •Exercise
•Taking a morning walk •Gardening
•Would house w front. •Wants
Works at a multi national corporation
Conscious about the environment
•Rely even •Peop style
GOALS: like to have her own with a huge garden out more greener residences
Lives in a metropolitan fast paced city
Loves being creative
KIARA
FRUSTRATIONS: ying on motorized vehicles n to travel smaller distances ple not willing to make lifee changes to protect nature.
Has her own small garden which she tends to every week
“Being close to nature makes me hapy. Even though I work for an MNClike a lot of millenials in my country, I care deeply about the environment and the impact we have on it.�
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Trees in the landscape relax us, lower heart rates, and reduce stress.
5.
APP DESIGN
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Help us to rebuild our forests by simply downloading our app and contributing one sapling at a time. You can buy the saplings and our organization will plant it for you and nourish it till the tree grows by itself.
Bringing forests back to life
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THEY HAVE BEEN AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR DIET OVER THE YEARS
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Metamorphosis You pay, We plant. Join our community and help us rebuild our forests. contribute us one plant and we will plant it and take care of it for you. 2 hours ago
Mr. Sharma
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Oak Tree Asopalav Banyan Oak Mr. Sharma Today, I & my son got a chance of planting 10 saplings with the help of METAMORPHOSIS. Grateful to see my son so happy. #amazing #plantmoretrees #experienceworthliving
Neem Eucalyptus
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Mahogany
Metamorphosis Oak Trees An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 600 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus, as well as in those of unrelated species such as Grevillea robusta and the Casuarinaceae.
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Metamorphosis Thimmakka, a 107 year old Padma Shri started planting saplings in her 40s with her husband. Childless couple, for them these saplings were their kids. She has planted more than 8000 trees till date. Even you can be like her. Help Metamorphosis and we can together rebuild our forests.
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Alerts/ Notifications Metamorphosis Started a new project name. 2 hours ago
Metamorphosis Your saplings are planted at your desired locations. 4 hours ago
Mr. Sharma Shared a new photo. 11 hours ago
Mahogany Banyan Trees A banyan (or 'banian') is a kind of fig. It usually starts life by growing on another plant as an epiphyte. Its seeds germinate in the cracks and crevices on a host tree, or on other structures like buildings and bridges. "Banyan" usually means the Oak Trees An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus of the Indian banyan or Ficus benghalensis. beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 600 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus, as well as in those of unrelated species such as Grevillea robusta and the Casuarinaceae.
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Metamorphosis Your ordered has been received by us and we are locating the destination of plantation you suggested. The saplings will be planted shortly. 15 hours ago
Metamorphosis Your order has been placed. We are working on it. Keep planting.
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We
mapped out the possible scenarios that could occur once the app is released. The solutions for these will depend on the user feedback, co-ordination from the team and natural forces that will be into play.
Scenarios
• The saplings don’t grow properly? • The app doesn’t work properly (crashes)? • The plants bought by the customers are ruined by some natural forces (eg. floods, forest fires, wind storms, etc.)? • The seeds get interchanged/ the order gets misplaced? • The name of the owner gets interchanged? • The search engine of the app is not working properly? • What can be done about the ads shown in the app? •The notifications are not received regularly? • The speed of the working app is not good?