Traditional funeral practices in the U.S. are not sustainable. They are designed to interrupt the natural process of death and decomposition. Traditional burials involve filling the body with synthetic preservatives and encasing them in wood or steel coffins that are then buried in concrete vaults. Instead of utilizing space for the living, thousands of acres of land are used every year for new cemetery grounds to house the dead. Each year 800,000 gallons of embalming fluid are used to preserve remains. An average embalming requires a minimum of three gallons of embalming solution. This fluid eventually seeps into our groundwater supplies. 1.6 million tons of concrete is produced each year for burial vaults. Production of concrete is responsible for 5% of the global CO2 footprint. 90,000 tons of steel is used each year for caskets. Steel is one of the most expensive metals to produce in terms of carbon footprint and toxicity (high cost to extract, refine, manufacture). Casket manufacturers are on the EPA’s l…
Our parks and thoroughfares are littered, our landfills are overflowing, our oceans are choking, and creatures we share the planet with are dying terrible “explosive-gut” deaths from consuming the inedible plastic bits that are becoming the lasting geological marker of our Anthropocene. -We have a Global Plastic Problem: it’s “wickedly” complex, and it’s getting bigger -Key stakeholders identified through primary research: Students, Workers, Owners -Two-month primary and secondary research led us to identify some common needs -Research focus narrowed to 1 of 3-part Plastic Cycle Problem: “Reduce / Replace” -Common stakeholder need identified: alternative disposable single-use beverage cup -Research shows both competitive space and real innovation possible in this arena Big Green Cup provides event hosts and attendees with a convenient, single-use bioplastic beverage container that fulfills all practical and social functions of Solo Red Cup while supporting growing consumer demand for environmentally sustai…