fXHL - A service that re-appropriates the Hobo Language to help encourage waste minimization.
SUMMARY
As part of a 48-hour worldwide event to develop and prototype new services for the shared theme "Hidden Treasure," our group identified business surplus (such as unsold food and expired magazines), as a prime source of treasure. Our proposed service is the Freegan eXtensible Hobo Language (fXHL), a set of symbols and procedures that would make giving away unsold product a more functional and workable process. The concept was inspired by the original hobo language as a means of discreet communication for valuable information, combined with the freegan movement and its alternative living strategies (ie, dumpster diving) to minimize resource consumption, and named in a similar fashion to XML for its self-defining, extensible abilities.
As part of a 48-hour worldwide event to develop and prototype new services for the shared theme "Hidden Treasure," our group identified business surplus (such as unsold food and expired magazines), as a prime source of treasure. Our proposed service is the Freegan eXtensible Hobo Language (fXHL), a set of symbols and procedures that would make giving away unsold product a more functional and workable process. The concept was inspired by the original hobo language as a means of discreet communication for valuable information, combined with the freegan movement and its alternative living strategies (ie, dumpster diving) to minimize resource consumption, and named in a similar fashion to XML for its self-defining, extensible abilities.
Benefits from widespread adoption of this system would include: restaurants reducing waste by making surplus useful, amelioration of the perception of foraging techniques, safer foraging practices, and the offering of more food choices for freegans.
OUTCOME
Judges were highly intrigued by the concept. They noted it had a lot of potential and commended it for its sustainability aspect; however, suggested we could have explored ways to monetize the system. Future development of this project could include online mapping which can be used to show food sources geographically, or show sources based on nutritional information. Anonymous sources can notify freegans of other types of corporate waste (out-of-style clothes, last month’s magazines, etc).
Judges were highly intrigued by the concept. They noted it had a lot of potential and commended it for its sustainability aspect; however, suggested we could have explored ways to monetize the system. Future development of this project could include online mapping which can be used to show food sources geographically, or show sources based on nutritional information. Anonymous sources can notify freegans of other types of corporate waste (out-of-style clothes, last month’s magazines, etc).
Our proposed 'free' symbol: the double-line money sign ($), modified to appear as if struck out - thereby representing free for taking.
Low-fi scenario setup: the symbol indicates the food is was left out at 8pm
The symbol allows for a variety of possible extensions should adopters wish to offer more specific information.
Inspired by the original hobo language for communicating everything from locations of important places to warnings of locals' attitudes.
Journey mapping the experience
