community engagement

description

Without seeds, we cannot grow food. Patenting laws on particular varieties of germplasm. By patenting naturally existing biodiversity in plant breeding, complications arise in the sharing and distribution of produce, which in turn hinders “the foundation of successful breeding.” - Hamilton, Lisa M. “Linux For Lettuce.” This idea of successful breeding heavily relies on the system of seed preservation. By creating a system to preserve and fairly distribute seed, farmers and urban gardeners will have the opportunity to have a prosperous harvest. To facilitate this, the creation of seed libraries can act as a central hub for information sharing to the broader community about the importance of seeds and seed saving.

description

A recent study by the Vancouver Foundation found that social isolation was the single largest concern for residents in the Lower Mainland. Furthermore, many individuals living in Metro Vancouver are "retreating from community life" (Vancouver Foundation, 2012).

As designers, we hoped to capture an opportunity to help eliminate social isolation through encouraging users to engage within their communities while also providing an accessible and convenient method to do so. It's getting out into the community and taking part in social activities that sparks engagement and creates the possibility of change. As a result, we created Pronto: an app that personally invites users to local, real-time events that mach their specific interests.