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This project is still being put together, with more insights and visuals coming soon. Check back for updates!
Context
Over 10 weeks, our team explored design methods for backpacking accessibility but found a greater need for environmental stewardship, leading to Junior Bloomers, where students grow and plant wildflowers on Mount Rainier to foster conservation awareness.
Team
Eli Kimchi
Farrel Sudrajat
Isaiah Hoagland
Johann De Villers
Kaia Jarvegren
Disciplines
User Research
Prototype
User Testing
Participatory Design
Industrial Design
Duration
10 Weeks
Tools
Figma
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Indesign
Challenge
How might we cultivate mechanisms of long-lasting reciprocity between users and the environment?
From Individual to Collective Impact – The project shifted from helping individual backpackers access gear to designing a system that benefits both people and the environment long-term.
Long-Term Engagement Over Instant Incentives – Early ideas focused on quick rewards, but true reciprocity required sustained education and commitment, leading to a focus on young learners.
Beyond the Backpacking Community – Instead of just targeting hikers, the solution needed to be inclusive and impactful at a broader scale.
Outcome
Junior Bloomers, a program where kids learn about conservation by growing and planting native wildflowers to restore local ecosystems
Junior Bloomers offers an engaging, hands-on experience for children to explore conservation by growing, nurturing, and planting native wildflowers. Through activities such as seed starting, garden planning, and guided planting days at Mount Rainier, participants learn about sustainability, local ecosystems, and habitat restoration. By taking part in every stage of the process, they forge a stronger bond with nature and develop a sense of environmental stewardship.
Process
Ideation
We explored 60 reciprocity system concepts to help hikers give back to the environment.
During the ideation stage, we brainstormed 60 reciprocity system concepts to encourage hikers to give back to the environment, including water refill stations, and trash-for-parking discounts. After evaluating feasibility and impact, we realized these solutions were too immediate and transactional, leading us to pivot toward a long-term educational approach focused on fostering environmental stewardship from an early age.
1. 60 Concepts
2. Top 6
EcoTap
is a micro-hydropowered water filtration system on trails, providing free clean water in exchange for user survey data. It supports conservation research by monitoring water quality while reducing waste and promoting reusable bottles.
Chosen Concept
Instructor discussions led us to pivot to a service where elementary schoolers grow wildflowers in class and plant them at Mount Rainier.
Junior Meadow Rovers (First Title Draft)
Junior Meadow Rovers collaborates with Mt. Rainier Meadow Rovers and Seattle's Broadview-Thompson K-8 to teach fourth graders about native wildflowers through seed kits and field trips for planting at Mt. Rainier National Park. This initiative supports volunteer efforts and educates kids about conservation through a fun and interactive activity.
The Final Prototype
Trash 4 Cash
Trash For Cash is a trailhead unit that reduces parking fees or offers transit credits in exchange for collected trash. Hikers take a reusable bag, weigh their trash upon return, and earn rewards while keeping trails clean. A human attendant or future camera system ensures proper use, reinforcing Leave No Trace principles and environmental reciprocity.
Participatory Workshop
Workshops with teachers, experts, and children helped shape the service’s branding, structure, and curriculum to ensure it was both engaging and educational.
Participants
We conducted the workshop with Zoe, a conversation expert, Melania, an educator, and Dakota, a 7-year-old expert.
Insights
Experts Emphasized Structure & Clarity
The program needs clear guidelines to be effective.
Natural But Engaging Design
A balance of minimalism & detail ensures accessibility
Students Lacked Ecological Education
Weekly lessons added to build conservation awareness.
Design Decisions
Developed structured lesson plans with step-by-step instructions.
Balanced minimal and intricate design elements; chose lupines for ease of growth.
Integrated ecological lessons to fill knowledge gaps.
Portable Seed Carriers
Opportunity To Grow For Each Student
Each student is provided with a plant pot, allowing them to germinate, nurture, and tend to the seeds.
(Rendered by Johann De Villiers)
Observation Log Workbook
Draw, Read, Learn
The workbook provides students a place to log their observations of growing their plants. They are also given fun facts and keywords that teach them more about plants and conservation.
(Designed by Isaiah Hoagland and Farrel Sudrajat)
Master Program Schedule
A Teacher’s Guide to Staying on Track
The Master Program Schedule is a structured timeline designed for teachers to keep the program on track, outlining key milestones from seed germination in the classroom to the final planting at Mount Rainier, along with supporting lesson plans and activities.
(Designed by Farrel Sudrajat)
Junior Bloomers
A program designed to educate young students about ecological restoration in an interactive and engaging manner.