Sayo Watanabe

Growing up in a frugal household sparked my initial interest in recovering trash — what people want to get rid of — and use it as materials. This interest developed a curiosity about what we actually need and whether trash can be used to meet those needs. My own journey with mental health seeped into my practice as I searched for happiness, which in turn led me to discover that the people I care about also struggle with similar emotional needs. I now create with waste to fulfill human needs, a practice with the byproduct of removing waste from landfills. My thesis works to meet the Six Human Needs: certainty, uncertainty & variety, significance, love & connection, growth, and contribution. The system won't create more waste but instead will work toward fulfilling the six human needs while diverting waste from landfill. COVID disrupted a great deal of stability but because I work with trash, my materials for creating solutions were not limited! I hope to inspire others to live resourcefully and plan to continue to do the unthinkable: to flip "trash" into valuable goods by circulating the knowledge needed to stimulate creativity and innovation.