Abstract
The “Eat Me!” project aims to showcase the abundance of edible plants surrounding us using the plants themselves as a means of communication. Plant blindness, described by Wandersee and Schussler (1999), refers to the tendency of humans to pay little attention to plants in their surroundings and to rank plants lower than animals. This is problematic because we are dependent on plants for our survival. Many wild edible plants are perceived as weeds or simply a green backdrop, which raises an important question: How might we, as communicators, encourage people to care about and actively relate to the plants around them? Through design activism and guerilla communication techniques, the project´s intention is to inspire greater knowledge and understanding of the many uses of edible plants in Norway. Our survey indicates that most people have limited knowledge and understanding of plants but are interested in learning more. The “Eat Me!” project has a series of events aimed at raising awareness of local plants, particularly the richness of edible wild plants. By holding recurring “Eat Me!” events, the project can alter and improve its communication activities from event to event. Analysis so far has uncovered that the combination of activities, taste tests, and the researchers’ presence at the events are important factors in raising awareness. The “Eat Me!” project aims to enhance our understanding of people’s relationship with plants and to sustain Norwegian plant traditions for the future.
Presenters
Margaret RynningProfessor, School of Art, Design, and Media, Kristiania University College, Oslo, Norway Lene Utigard
Assistent professor, School of Arts, Design and Media, Kristiania University College, Oslo, Norway Annette Kriszat
Assistant Professor, School of Arts, Design and Media, Kristiania University College, Oslo, Norway
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
KEYWORDS
Design Activism, Guerilla Communication, Plant blindness, Communication Activities
