Revolutionizing Waste Disposal: The Vitality Family Garden

Chaozhi Lin, Junjie Zhou and Yong Liu's Innovative Approach to Kitchen Waste Management

The Vitality Family Garden, a creation of designers Chaozhi Lin, Junjie Zhou and Yong Liu, is a small indoor compost bin designed to address the significant issue of kitchen waste disposal. The innovative design was inspired by the alarming statistic that food waste accounts for 46.2% of combustible waste, leading to the production of harmful gases and wastage of potential resources. The designers aimed to find a solution that not only reduces waste but also utilizes it in a beneficial way.

What sets the Vitality Family Garden apart from other compost bins is its unique use of earthworms. These harmless creatures consume food waste, eliminating unpleasant odors and converting the waste into nutrient-rich compost suitable for plant growth. The designers have effectively created a closed-loop system within the home, where waste becomes a resource for growing vegetables.

The technology used in the Vitality Family Garden is both mature and suitable for mass production. It incorporates indoor planting technology and LED lighting supplement technology, making it a feasible solution for widespread implementation. The design is also user-friendly, allowing consumers to control the lighting mode and carry out composting and planting activities independently.

The Vitality Family Garden is not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing. With a contemporary design and compact dimensions, it fits seamlessly into modern homes. The compost bin measures 39 cm in length, 15 cm in width, and 11 cm in height, while the planting lamp is 25 cm long, 13 cm high, and 2.2 cm wide. The planting pots are 7 cm long, 7 cm wide, and 5 cm high.

The design process was not without its challenges. The designers had to overcome the difficulty of controlling the earthworms, which tend to escape the soil when the external environment is unstable. However, with guidance from insect biologists and agricultural planting experts, they were able to successfully integrate the earthworms into the design.

The Vitality Family Garden has been recognized for its innovative approach to waste management, winning Silver in the A' Sustainable Products, Projects and Green Design Award in 2021. This prestigious award is given to designs that demonstrate outstanding expertise, innovation, and artistic skill. The Vitality Family Garden is a testament to the potential of design to address pressing environmental issues and create sustainable solutions for everyday living.