Introduction
At Empathy Works, we love engaging in projects that make a difference, especially when they're as innovative and inspiring as those led by the Melt Collective. This student organization at the University of British Columbia is passionate about building a circular economy on campus. They focus on reusing different types of waste materials and wanted a way to showcase their experiments and encourage others to get involved.
The Challenge
The Melt Collective faced a few challenges:
- Showcasing Experiments: They needed a platform to display their various experiments with reusing waste materials.
- Tool Accessibility: They wanted to create a tool library to inventory and keep track of publicly available tools, making them accessible to students for experimentation.
- Building Awareness: Raising awareness about the benefits of a circular economy within the university community was crucial.
The Solution
We were excited to partner with the Melt Collective on this side project. Our goal was to create something that was both functional and engaging:
- Interactive Website: We developed an interactive website that showcased their experiments with waste materials. This platform included detailed descriptions, photos, and videos of each experiment.
- Tool Library: The centerpiece of our project was the creation of a tool library. We organized and inventoried all the publicly available tools on the University of British Columbia campus, providing guides on how to use the tools and contact information for access. This democratized tool access, allowing more students to experiment with circular materials.
- Educational Content: We added educational content about the circular economy, including articles, infographics, and resources to help visitors understand the importance and impact of their efforts.
Technology Behind the Solution
We leveraged the power of WordPress to build the website, using several powerful plugins to enhance its capabilities. These plugins allowed us to create a robust inventory system for the tool library and showcase all the different projects visually. This setup made it easier for members of the Melt Collective to contribute to the website and showcase their work.
The Outcome
The project turned out to be a fun and rewarding experience for everyone involved:
- Increased Engagement: The interactive website attracted a lot of interest from students and faculty, who were excited to see the experiments and explore the tool library.
- Community Building: The Melt Collective saw a significant increase in participation and collaboration, helping to build a strong community around the concept of a circular economy.
- Raised Awareness: The educational content helped raise awareness about the benefits of reusing waste materials and encouraged more sustainable practices on campus.
Conclusion
Working with the Melt Collective was a fantastic opportunity for Empathy Works to support a great cause. This project not only helped showcase innovative ways to build a circular economy but also brought together a community passionate about sustainability. We're proud to have been a part of this journey and look forward to seeing how the Melt Collective continues to inspire change on campus.
