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Introduction

Most people assume they know where to throw away their trash. When you get lunch at STAMP, let's say Chick Fil A, the drink cup goes in the recycling, same with the paper bag. What you may not know is that all of those are incorrect. The paper bag that holds your order is wax coated to reduce grease pooling, and paper cups have a similar plastic coating. This coating renders these items to be not accepted by recycling centers, and yet, almost everyone tries to put them in the recycling bin. The food packaging items people commonly try to recycle or even compost all belong in a landfill. “Misplaced Confidence” is a visual representation of these misconceptions, where users toss a ball labeled as a common food waste product into the correct “bin” and watch as it all ends up in the trash.  

Literature Review

Studies on recycling and composting behavior show that people are not careless but often confused, relying on assumptions rather than accurate knowledge (Allison). Research also shows that only a small portion of waste is truly recycled, which contrasts with what many people believe. These findings highlight a gap between intention and reality. The project responds to this by creating a hands-on experience that allows users to see that gap for themselves, making the issue more immediate and understandable. This project also draws from both participatory art and research on waste behavior. Artist Mierle Laderman Ukeles is a key influence, especially in how she transforms everyday systems like sanitation into moments of public reflection. Her work shows how interaction can make invisible processes visible. The project builds on this by focusing on the act of throwing something away, turning it into an experience that reveals what actually happens to waste. While her work invites reflection, this introduces a controlled outcome that directly challenges user expectations. 

Methods

This Project is an offshoot of my essay titled “When Observing The Recycling Bin”. This project was inspired by an essay written about the confusion many people face when sorting trash. The graphics are somewhat confusing (and even misleading), and people often feel as though they are being judged if they take even a moment to read them. This intimidation  to research regarding what can be recycled vs not, namely the fact that practically nothing in STAMP is recyclable by county standards. These findings led to field research being conducted and seeing how almost everyone got things wrong, over-recycling items that weren’t accepted by recycling centers. Custodial workers dumped the entire recycling bin full of Chick Fil A bags into the trash bin before taking it out as one bag. This project is based on this hour spent observing, and the misconception that was witnessed first-hand 

Audience & Impact

Because this is technically based on STAMP, the intended audience is students at UMD, specifically those who go to STAMP. However, because this is an issue with these global fast-food chains and the food packaging industry as a whole, the audience is really broad and will be equally impactful to anyone. This game is intended to be eye-opening, and the goal is to show the player the misconceptions they have when sorting waste and “wake them up” to the sad reality of recycling. However, the goal is not to put any blame on the audience, as the inefficiencies of recycling are structurally rooted and not so much a personal fault. Because of this, it is important to make it clear that this project will not present solutions. 

References

Ukeles, Mierle Laderman. Touch Sanitation Performance. 1979–1980, New York City Department of Sanitation.

Allison, Louisa, et al. “Barriers and Enablers to Food Waste Recycling: A Mixed-Methods Study among UK Citizens.” Frontiers in Sustainability, vol. 3, 2022, https://doi.org/10.3389/frsus.2022.845331.

Acknowledgements

-Jeffrey Roche (father, went to Lowe’s with me and helped cut wood)

-Jesse Brooks (English professor for companion essay)