Competing to be green

After winning the local competition, he will compete against finalists from the United States, Brazil, France, Hungary, Germany, South Korea and China from November 27 to 28.

Circompo is a compact solar-powered bin that decomposes organic waste, thereby reducing the amount of household waste created daily. Thanat says he came up with the idea looking at the food garbage around Bangkok.

"If every family has a household appliance that decomposes waste, then it could help bring back a natural balance in the environment," says Thanat. "We normally know how to grow and cook food, but rarely learn to dispose it. So, the cycle of nature might be destroyed because of this."

In France, Thanat will get the opportunity to attend a workshop with the world's top product designers.

The final round of the competition will be held at the Paris art museum, Palais de Tokyo. The panel of judges this year include award-winning French industrial designer Matali Crasset; Britain's best-known gadget and consumer technology presenter Jason Bradbury; Celine Cousteau, daughter of ocean explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau and granddaughter of legendary filmmaker Jacques Cousteau; and Henrik Otta, senior vice president of Global Design at Electrolux. The first prize winner will be awarded $5,000 (Bt245,000) and a six-month internship at an Electrolux global design centre.

Electrolux is also awarding the two Thai runners-up, both of whom are from the same university as Thanat.

The first runners-up prize went to Chaiyut Janeviriyasopak for his Steamanator - a steam pot that uses hydrogen fuel cells to generate electricity to heat water.

The second runners-up went to Adisorn Chongphanitkul, for the educational toy, "Green Pocket". Apart from being fun, the toy also collects data to see how much carbon-dioxide children create every day and how many trees they need to neutralise it. Adisorn says the toy should make people become more environmentally aware.

The Electrolux Design Lab Competition aims to encourage students around the world to apply their creativity to the design of household appliances, with the goal of fostering sustainable behaviour and product usage.

This year, about 414 students from 42 countries submitted their ideas for eco-friendly and sustainable household appliances and solutions for the year 2020.