Biomimicry Project: THE COLONY

Ashley Davies, Nadia Alvarez, Shadrac Contreras

54 percent of wasted food is lost during the production process due to food being damaged.
Styrofoam which is commonly used in packaging, takes around 500 years to fully decompose. Only
26% of plastic used in packaging ends up being recycled; because there are many different types of
plastic, some of which can not be recycled, most of the population ends up just throwing the packaging
away in the trash. This has become a major issue because empty plastic containers are being transported
to landfills which is causing there to be lots of waste. Other methods to decompose the plastic creates
more problems like polluting the air and increases global warming. A way we plan on fixing this issue is
by creating a system called the colony. A system created solely around the idea of distributing fresh
produce in compostable packaging to the surrounding community. For easy access, small stands would
be placed in neighborhood farmers markets and grocery stores throughout California. These stands will
include fresh produce from local farms laid out for the consumer to place in compostable packaging that
can be taken home and used for compost or later be returned to The Colony to be recycled and reused. In
return, The Colony would provide money off the next purchase of produce. The inspiration for The
Colony comes from many different species, such as bees and ants. We looked at ants for distribution
because of the way they work together to carry food in and out of their colony. Temnothorax ants, for
example, distribute food after disasters such as famine. For survival, these ants carry food away from
their nests to any colonies in need. Myrmecochory which is when ants move or transport seeds, which is
an important way they add to the cycle of life, as part of our cycle involves recycling. Bees inspired us
because of their ability to consult each other in group decisions such as choosing a new location for their
hive. For example these bees will send out scouting bees that will research sites and then revisit the
places that seem most appealing to them. Which works for our communities because our customers
opinions mean so much in our system.