Designers respond to urgency of waste problem and climate crisis

May 27, 2021

No Waste Challenge

Our partner What Design Can Do has announced a shortlist of 85 nominees for the “No Waste Challenge”.

From an impressive 1,409 entries worldwide, 85 projects from six global cities have been chosen to move on to the final round of competition. These projects show the power of design-led solutions to address both waste and the climate crisis.

“I have been a bad designer”
The No Waste Challenge is based on the assumption that designers have been taught to design trash —but this can change. The competition called on innovators and designers to come up with ideas to tackle waste caused by mass consumption and production, and the related impacts on our climate.

The entries have been meticulously reviewed by 105 experts, who took part in online and off-line selection committees. All 85 nominees have exceeded expectations across the competition’s criteria: impact, creativity and design, feasibility, and scalability. All nominees share a sense of urgency to confront the climate crisis.

“Creatives are no longer willing to wait for the change they want to see,” says Richard van der Laken, co-founder and creative director of What Design Can Do. “They’re determined to be part of building a better future; one which redefines not only our relationship with waste, but our relationship with nature.”

From grassroots to big picture
While some projects are taking on big-picture systems of production, others are inspiring consumer habits and empowering grassroots action. For example:

  • Vegeme (Tokyo) is a full-circle initiative. This project collects food waste, converts it to fertiliser, then uses it to grow vegetables and provide consumers with ecological food in return.
  • ReUptt (Amsterdam) is an app that empowers people to make more sustainable choices. Instead of replacing broken products, the app enables people to repair them with the convenience of door-to-door delivery.
  • Bare Necessities (Delhi) connects people with zero-waste ways of living, including products and resources. In the end, their goal is to inspire a wave of more socially conscious behaviour.
  • SOLO Packaging (Brazil) melds old and new in its eco food packaging made from dry palm leaf.

You can find out more about the nominees on the No Waste Challenge platform.

Selecting the winners
Over the next month and a half, the 85 nominees will refine their entries and an international jury will review their projects. On 15 July, the jury will announce 16 winning projects. Winners will receive €10,000 in funding and launch into a full-steam-ahead development programme. What Design Can Do and the IKEA Foundation launched the No Waste Challenge in January 2021. It is the third competition to tackle global issues that impact on climate change, following the Climate Action Challenge and the Clean Energy Challenge.



Partner

What Design Can Do
http://www.whatdesigncando.com/

Show our grants

Social

Stay up-to-date and follow us for news and info about exciting grants

@ikea_foundation

  • đź“Ł CleanAirFund’s latest report shows that only 1% of international development funding and 2% of international climate funding has gone towards air pollution in the last six years. CleanAirFund’s mission is to tackle global air pollution and deliver clean air for all 🌍 However, the fight against air pollution is still underfunded. Radical collaboration is necessary to create a future where everyone can breathe clean air 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 We call upon other funders to join us now. Read the full report at the link in bio đź”—
  • New York Climate Week brought together climate leaders from around the world to drive climate action 🌍 The task at hand may, at times, seem unsurmountable. And we’re falling behind in our targets to achieve the Paris agreement. Yet, at IKEA Foundation, we’re optimistic as we see many of the solutions to the climate crisis around us 🙌 During New York Climate Week, we collaborated with our partners to announce new initiatives for #PeopleAndPlanet đź’š We believe we can and we will achieve the climate action that is desperately needed. Do you? đź“Ł We call on other funders to join us now. #NewYorkClimateWeek #WeCanWeWill
  • It was great to see leaders gather at We Mean Business Coalition at #ClimateWeekNYC 🌍 Our CEO Per Heggenes joined the We Mean Business Coalition CEO MarĂ­a Mendiluce and other leaders from business and philanthropy.
  • At a crucial time for the global economy and the planet, IKEA Foundation is proud to support the @worldeconomicforum’s Humanitarian and Resilience Investing (HRI) Initiative in its Call to Action. This is focused on establishing New Partnerships to Mobilize $10 Billion to Support Most Vulnerable Communities 🙌 Follow the link in our bio to learn more đź”— #SDIM23 #HRI
📣 CleanAirFund’s latest report shows that only 1% of international development funding and 2% of international climate funding has gone towards air pollution in the last six years. CleanAirFund’s mission is to tackle global air pollution and deliver clean air for all 🌍 However, the fight against air pollution is still underfunded. Radical collaboration is necessary to create a future where everyone can breathe clean air 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 We call upon other funders to join us now. Read the full report at the link in bio 🔗
📣 CleanAirFund’s latest report shows that only 1% of international development funding and 2% of international climate funding has gone towards air pollution in the last six years. CleanAirFund’s mission is to tackle global air pollution and deliver clean air for all 🌍 However, the fight against air pollution is still underfunded. Radical collaboration is necessary to create a future where everyone can breathe clean air 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 We call upon other funders to join us now. Read the full report at the link in bio 🔗
📣 CleanAirFund’s latest report shows that only 1% of international development funding and 2% of international climate funding has gone towards air pollution in the last six years. CleanAirFund’s mission is to tackle global air pollution and deliver clean air for all 🌍 However, the fight against air pollution is still underfunded. Radical collaboration is necessary to create a future where everyone can breathe clean air 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 We call upon other funders to join us now. Read the full report at the link in bio 🔗
@ikea_foundation
@ikea_foundation
•
Follow
📣 CleanAirFund’s latest report shows that only 1% of international development funding and 2% of international climate funding has gone towards air pollution in the last six years. CleanAirFund’s mission is to tackle global air pollution and deliver clean air for all 🌍 However, the fight against air pollution is still underfunded. Radical collaboration is necessary to create a future where everyone can breathe clean air 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 We call upon other funders to join us now. Read the full report at the link in bio 🔗
2 days ago
View on Instagram |
1/4
New York Climate Week brought together climate leaders from around the world to drive climate action 🌍 The task at hand may, at times, seem unsurmountable. And we’re falling behind in our targets to achieve the Paris agreement. Yet, at IKEA Foundation, we’re optimistic as we see many of the solutions to the climate crisis around us 🙌 During New York Climate Week, we collaborated with our partners to announce new initiatives for #PeopleAndPlanet 💚 We believe we can and we will achieve the climate action that is desperately needed. Do you? 📣 We call on other funders to join us now. #NewYorkClimateWeek #WeCanWeWill
New York Climate Week brought together climate leaders from around the world to drive climate action 🌍 The task at hand may, at times, seem unsurmountable. And we’re falling behind in our targets to achieve the Paris agreement. Yet, at IKEA Foundation, we’re optimistic as we see many of the solutions to the climate crisis around us 🙌 During New York Climate Week, we collaborated with our partners to announce new initiatives for #PeopleAndPlanet 💚 We believe we can and we will achieve the climate action that is desperately needed. Do you? 📣 We call on other funders to join us now. #NewYorkClimateWeek #WeCanWeWill
New York Climate Week brought together climate leaders from around the world to drive climate action 🌍 The task at hand may, at times, seem unsurmountable. And we’re falling behind in our targets to achieve the Paris agreement. Yet, at IKEA Foundation, we’re optimistic as we see many of the solutions to the climate crisis around us 🙌 During New York Climate Week, we collaborated with our partners to announce new initiatives for #PeopleAndPlanet 💚 We believe we can and we will achieve the climate action that is desperately needed. Do you? 📣 We call on other funders to join us now. #NewYorkClimateWeek #WeCanWeWill
New York Climate Week brought together climate leaders from around the world to drive climate action 🌍 The task at hand may, at times, seem unsurmountable. And we’re falling behind in our targets to achieve the Paris agreement. Yet, at IKEA Foundation, we’re optimistic as we see many of the solutions to the climate crisis around us 🙌 During New York Climate Week, we collaborated with our partners to announce new initiatives for #PeopleAndPlanet 💚 We believe we can and we will achieve the climate action that is desperately needed. Do you? 📣 We call on other funders to join us now. #NewYorkClimateWeek #WeCanWeWill
New York Climate Week brought together climate leaders from around the world to drive climate action 🌍 The task at hand may, at times, seem unsurmountable. And we’re falling behind in our targets to achieve the Paris agreement. Yet, at IKEA Foundation, we’re optimistic as we see many of the solutions to the climate crisis around us 🙌 During New York Climate Week, we collaborated with our partners to announce new initiatives for #PeopleAndPlanet 💚 We believe we can and we will achieve the climate action that is desperately needed. Do you? 📣 We call on other funders to join us now. #NewYorkClimateWeek #WeCanWeWill
New York Climate Week brought together climate leaders from around the world to drive climate action 🌍 The task at hand may, at times, seem unsurmountable. And we’re falling behind in our targets to achieve the Paris agreement. Yet, at IKEA Foundation, we’re optimistic as we see many of the solutions to the climate crisis around us 🙌 During New York Climate Week, we collaborated with our partners to announce new initiatives for #PeopleAndPlanet 💚 We believe we can and we will achieve the climate action that is desperately needed. Do you? 📣 We call on other funders to join us now. #NewYorkClimateWeek #WeCanWeWill
@ikea_foundation
@ikea_foundation
•
Follow
New York Climate Week brought together climate leaders from around the world to drive climate action 🌍 The task at hand may, at times, seem unsurmountable. And we’re falling behind in our targets to achieve the Paris agreement. Yet, at IKEA Foundation, we’re optimistic as we see many of the solutions to the climate crisis around us 🙌 During New York Climate Week, we collaborated with our partners to announce new initiatives for #PeopleAndPlanet 💚 We believe we can and we will achieve the climate action that is desperately needed. Do you? 📣 We call on other funders to join us now. #NewYorkClimateWeek #WeCanWeWill
5 days ago
View on Instagram |
2/4
It was great to see leaders gather at We Mean Business Coalition at #ClimateWeekNYC 🌍 Our CEO Per Heggenes joined the We Mean Business Coalition CEO María Mendiluce and other leaders from business and philanthropy.
@ikea_foundation
@ikea_foundation
•
Follow
It was great to see leaders gather at We Mean Business Coalition at #ClimateWeekNYC 🌍 Our CEO Per Heggenes joined the We Mean Business Coalition CEO María Mendiluce and other leaders from business and philanthropy.
1 week ago
View on Instagram |
3/4
At a crucial time for the global economy and the planet, IKEA Foundation is proud to support the @worldeconomicforum’s Humanitarian and Resilience Investing (HRI) Initiative in its Call to Action. This is focused on establishing New Partnerships to Mobilize $10 Billion to Support Most Vulnerable Communities 🙌 Follow the link in our bio to learn more 🔗 #SDIM23 #HRI
@ikea_foundation
@ikea_foundation
•
Follow
At a crucial time for the global economy and the planet, IKEA Foundation is proud to support the @worldeconomicforum’s Humanitarian and Resilience Investing (HRI) Initiative in its Call to Action. This is focused on establishing New Partnerships to Mobilize $10 Billion to Support Most Vulnerable Communities 🙌 Follow the link in our bio to learn more 🔗 #SDIM23 #HRI
1 week ago
View on Instagram |
4/4