Open your refrigerator – how many plastic containers do you see? Now open that cabinet where you store your shopping bags – do you really need that many plastic bags? We often store in our takeout boxes/plastic containers and keep those plastic bags in hopes to reuse someday because we forget to carry our cloth bags to the store. Most of these little habits are formed because it is convenient and cheap but we do them without thinking about the effects of its continued use on our environment. To solve both problems with one design, Gabriel Steinmann created P0 (pronounced pio like the letter and number) which stands for ‘project zero’  – a storage and shopping solution for food that aims to reduce consumption emissions.

P0 helps us to switch to and maintain a plant-based diet and reduce the amount of food waste. The design blends organic and sustainable materials with an earthy aesthetic to invoke warmth and a more personal relationship with the items we use. Its ceramic body and textile lining help encourage a deeper appreciation for the food we consume and make us more aware of how much food we actually need to minimize wasting it. It is also a practical and attractive utensil in your kitchen – “a symbol of change, of becoming a little bit more human,” as rightly described by Steinmann.

The jury at iF Design Awards gave PO the ‘iF Design Talent Award 2020’ because it raises awareness and facilitates sustainable food consumption using a very beautifully designed functional product. “The design will appeal to early adopters who will become ambassadors for this product. The whole process is well thought-out and the combination of the different materials is aesthetically pleasing and endorses the entire concept. The possibility of customization makes it even more personal and inspires others to change their food consumption habits,” added the jury.

This self-sufficient, parametric, adaptable storage-and shopping solution is something I would really love to see taking over the world and make that sustainable switch in our lifestyle convenient enough to ditch the plastic containers and shopping bags.

Designer: Gabriel Steinmann