Wege Prize 2021: shortlisted student design entries offer sustainable solutions

Eleven interdisciplinary student teams from round the world are selected to advance to the ultimate phase of the 2021 Wege Prize Student Design Competition.

The international challenge, organized annually by Michigan-based Kendall College of Art and style of Ferris State University (KCAD), invites young designers, engineers, and scientists to tackle a number of the world’s most pressing “wicked” problems and offers a platform for promoting successful solutions.

“We are very happy with not only the standard of the concepts advanced by these teams to assist power a transition from our current linear economy — during which we take, make, and dispose — to a circular economy that’s regenerative intentionally ,” said KCAD professor and Wege Prize organizer, Gayle DeBruyn.

This year’s shortlisted teams, including eight with participants from African countries, are:

Agritrade Hub
“Addressing the wicked problem of increased logging in Ghana creating wood waste and sawdust — about 97,000 metric tons annually — and therefore the mismanagement of waste disposal, the team’s solution proposes transforming wood waste into nutrient-based substrates for mushroom production, resulting in mushroom compost to be used in fertilizing and growing forest and decorative trees, thereby eliminating all sorts of wood waste and mitigating environmental impacts.”

Banga Na

“With the high waste problem of cashew apples causes bugs, environmental, and economic problems to local farmers in Ghana, this wicked problem could also be addressed by an answer of adding value to cashew apples by converting the fruit to wine, juice, and other fertilizers, generating income and employment from waste and improving food security and economic process within the country.”

Matooke Republic
“The wicked problem of excessive garbage from matooke bananas creates problems with waste collection, greenhouse emission emissions, and other environmental problems in Uganda. The team proposes processing matooke banana peels into liquid sodium bicarbonate , a substitute for bicarbonate of soda or halite , with the by-product used as organic manure. employing a preservation model that’s 100% natural, the team also extends the shelf-life of the bananas by up to 2 weeks, slashing food spoilage and addressing food scarcity issues.”

Musana

“Using wood to fuel stoves for cooking has contributed to quite 80% of biomass fuels and deforestation in Uganda, making it a true wicked problem. This team has created a stove using solar energy and water to fuel cooking, eliminating the necessity for wood fuel and helping reduce deforestation in Uganda. additionally , their solution includes a model to shop for or repair used stoves to reuse raw materials.”

Plant Space
“In Rwanda’s season of June to August, landslides and flooding impact agricultural crops and livestock, contributing to food shortages. the scholar team is functioning on improving the availability of vegetables by creating a hydroponic farming method to deliver high-quality vegetables and supply food accessibility to Rwandans.”

Recipe for Leftovers

“Hunger is essentially a drag of logistics, not actual food shortage. Food demand and therefore the predominant linear economy results in landfilling because the commonest method of disposal, preventing the natural cycling of nutrients that’s especially valuable in developing countries. A student team addressing this wicked problem proposes a platform for a garbage and food-scrap-sharing network, including linking restaurant garbage donations and receptive organizations in composting, donation, and bioenergy — not landfilling.”

Safir
“Harvesting waste from sugarcane farms — instead of the standard way it’s handled, by burning the unwanted materials creating carbon emissions and poor local air quality — is that the goal for the Safir team. Their concept utilizes sugarcane harvesting waste to supply a good range of bioplastics in line with government regulations and therefore the bans on single-use plastics, while also meeting the stress of vendors.”

Sutote

“Synthetic pesticides are a wicked problem the planet over, extremely harmful to health and therefore the environment. In Tanzania, pesticide residues are detected within the samples of irrigation water, and this team is devising a closed-circle production system for tomatoes using organic pesticides from the Mexican sunflower (Tithonia Diversifolia) also as reclaiming wastes for creating organic , preventing environmental degradation.”

The Chilensis
“With overcrowding already a wicked problem in Santiago, Chile, the pandemic has aggravated the impact. The Chilensis is developing sound isolators using discarded palm leaves waste to enhance the standard of life by providing privacy. Old palm leaves are treated as a waste, but they need significant sound isolation properties and help address the challenge while creating a circular economic opportunity.”

Wastezon

“Rwanda’s low- to middle-income households don’t have affordable access to waste collection services for the country’s quite 3,000 plenty of waste daily. This has led to dumping within the open and burning of waste, all grave threats to the environment, natural ecosystems, and sanitation. the scholar team helps create a waste-free and food-secure world through a sensible bin that gives automated waste sorting, catalyzing the decomposition of biodegradables into compost, because it tracks real-time data to enhance waste collection and compost distribution.”

Water Sprinklers
“Also in Rwanda, abundant water resources aren’t enough to serve every citizen, including many of us in rural areas who simply don’t have access to wash beverage . Among other problems, this results in thousands of youngsters under five years old dying from diarrhea per annum . the scholar team is designing a water purification device that’s simple, chemical-free, using ultraviolet lights and proper filters to deal with water scarcity and quality issues.”