August 28, 2007

Designer Garbage Bags

Garbage Garbage Bag Art Work trash bags are the latest waste-collecting trend to hit Japan, turning unsightly neighborhood garbage collection points into instant works of disposable art. The bags come in three patterns — trees, fish and flowers — and they are colored to match Japan’s official color codes for various types of waste, each of which are collected on different days (green for recyclables, blue for non-burnables and red for burnables). Produced by design agency MAQ, the bags spruce up the appearance of trash heaps while also reminding neighbors about what trash day it is. Packs of ten 45-liter bags go for 380 yen (about $3) at some Tokyu Hands and Loft outlets in Tokyo, or they can also be purchased online here (Japanese).

Here we have something on the opposite end of the spectrum from the transparent recycling bins we reported on last week; but these easy-on-the-eyes bag may possibly have a similar effect in raising awareness about overconsumption and waste.

[via PinkTentacle]

Article categories: Environmental