Luna Snelder
Our planet needs humans to live more sustainably. People are currently being made aware that things they enjoy are bad for our environment, for example, long showers and air travel, making the transition to sustainability feel like a punishment. Instead, this project focuses on the positive: the appreciation of nature and the non-humans involved in its ecosystems. I distinguish four kinds of non-human appreciation: taking care, being in the moment, perceiving/ capturing beauty, and gaining understanding.
At Stadsakkers Eindhoven, a community of volunteers that grow food ecologically for the foodbank, people demonstrate this appreciation. How can non-human appreciation be shared beyond the community to inspire more people? Can it intrinsically motivate people to live sustainably as an action to give back to nature?
Stadsakkers’ volunteers provided input throughout the design process. The designs were originally developed for their external volunteers (helping a single afternoon) to give them the experience of non-human appreciation and help them share that experience with their social network.
A value flow of Stadsakkers’ ecosystem shows the actions and experiences of non-human appreciation (see purple section).
The probes for collecting Tangible Memories support people in telling stories about non-human appreciative experiences: Unexpected Non-Human Collectors based on biomimicry of how fur spreads seeds. By wearing them on a walk, people gather non-human parts (e.g. leaves or seeds) that can illustrate the story of their experience in nature.
The Gardening Kneepad Cover with games, mindfulness guides, pockets and a magnifying glass, is used for a different and more detailed way of exploring and sensing the natural environment. People with more and less experience and knowledge can collaborate to learn and take a fresh perspective.
The testing opportunities for the developed concepts were limited, being more a starting point than a final product. Therefore, this project continues to develop the concepts into a tool that can be implemented in nature-related organisations (e.g. IVN) to enable them to spread their message and encourage more people to give back to nature by making sustainable choices in their daily lives.
We humans are dependent on non-humans for our survival. Yet, our actions harm them, resulting in unsustainable life on earth. It's time to give back!
Non-human appreciation will grow to become a movement only when more and more people start sharing their appreciation with others and giving back to nature, together making the transition to a thriving planet.
