Who Did You Interview?
- Family Friend
Demographics That Might Provide Helpful Context for Their Responses
- Age: 20
- Lebanese
- Lives in Dubai
- Female
Key Findings from the Interview
- She has never heard of composting before this interview, but is willing to learn more about it after talking to her.
- She believes that she never heard about it before is because it is not common in the Middle East for people to compost organic waste.
- One potential worry about composting she pointed out is that it may cause a very bad smell.
Below are the (slightly shortened) original answers to the questions:
- Can you share your experience with managing organic waste at home? Do you deal with it a lot at home? What challenges have you faced from it?
Answer: Managing organic waste at home isn’t really a number one priority in my home, honestly. But, I know the importance of it, especially since i don’t think composting is such a significant thing here in Dubai.
- Tell me about the last time you used a product (or service) to reduce the impact of organic waste in your home.
Answer: The last time I used a product to reduce the impact of regular waste was when I started using a biodegradable bag in the kitchen.
- Can you describe how important sustainability and the use of eco-friendly methods in agriculture is to you, and why?
Answer: Sustainability in agriculture is important to me. As a Lebanese, I grew up hearing different stories about how our ancestors farmed their lands and how old traditional methods were used. However, it's scary to see the harmful effects of chemical fertilizers on our lands. For that reason it is important to me.
- What are your hopes and expectations for a product such as a compact composting system in terms of reducing the use of harsh fertilizers?
Answer: With a product like that, I would use it to convert my kitchen waste into something useful for plants.
- Have you ever used a composting system before? If yes, what were the positive and negative aspects of your experience? If not, what barriers or concerns might have kept you from trying?
Answer: I haven't used a composting system before. Honestly, I didn’t fully understand it before you talked to me about it. Although, the smell it might produce and pests it might attract might be a negative.
- Are there any fears or concerns you might have regarding the use of composting systems or similar products in terms of efficiency, cleanliness, or other factors? Can you elaborate on these concerns?
Answer: Yes, I do have some concerns about using composting systems. I am worried about the smell it could make and if it would attract insects. I also have doubts about its efficiency or effectiveness especially in an apartment building like mine where there's not that much space and less overall ventilation.