The Restart Project is a people powered platform for change, helping demand emerge for more sustainable, better electronics. They commissioned Rod Hunt to illustrate an 'Electronics Utopia' to better explain their vision of a more sustainable relationship with electronics.
'We know what world (or off-world) we do *not* want to see — WALL-E painted that sad picture.
But we felt we needed to envision the world we would like to see. Taking the design of a circuit board for inspiration – the operative heart of our gadgets – our “Restarted Future” poster illustrates the life-force of the circular economy.
There are so many possibilities for the move towards a more sustainable relationship with our gadgets: from repair in schools, to 3D printing new spare parts, to the more efficient use of resources in manufacturing. The key in the bottom right-hand corner of the printed poster provides a guide to the society we’ve illustrated.
It is modular, which means its parts can be taken apart and reconfigured, so that the vision remains “upgradeable”.
Currently, there are examples of all of these possibilities in action, but change needs to happen on multiple levels for real system change to emerge.'
The Restart Project works with communities, schools, and companies to value and use electronics longer – and documenting the barriers to doing so – driving a global movement to move beyond the throwaway economy. They take local action to prevent electronic waste through hands-on, learning events where we help people fix their own electronics – and help others to do the same globally. They also look at the big picture, generating valuable insights into how to improve electronics for people, from design and manufacture, through use and end of life. The Restart Project is a UK registered charity and social enterprise, based in London.
