https://saebeomi.blogspot.com/2026/05/handong-friend-dongju-seo-from-pohang.html
the image is generated by ai
H (Home Region)
In my neighborhood, food delivery culture is incredibly common. Every day, especially on weekends, I see apartment recycling zones overflowing with massive amounts of disposable plastic packaging from cafes and restaurants. Even though reusable containers are occasionally offered as an option by some apps, very few people around me actually choose them because returning them feels like too much of a hassle.
O (Observation & Objective)
Looking closely at this issue, the main barrier to reusable container adoption isn't a lack of eco-awareness, but the inconvenience of the return process. Currently, consumers often have to wash the containers and keep them outside their doors for a long time until a courier picks them up. My objective is to bridge this gap by introducing a frictionless, rewarding return infrastructure right where people live, turning a burdensome task into a quick, everyday habit.
P (Plan)
To solve this dilemma, I propose the "Smart Eco-Return Hub System." When ordering food, consumers could opt for reusable containers by paying a very small eco-deposit. After eating, instead of washing the containers or waiting days for a courier, residents could simply drop the unwashed containers into a "Smart Return Box" located right inside their apartment complex or neighborhood hub, scanning a quick QR code to complete the process.
E (Execute & Example)
To execute this idea efficiently, we could suggest integrating the return system with popular digital wallets. Once the QR code is scanned at the Smart Return Box, the deposit could be automatically refunded as app cash, Naver Pay, or campus reward points. By leveraging localized return hubs and instant monetary rewards, this system would maximize convenience, significantly accelerating the popularization of reusable containers and drastically reducing daily plastic waste.
What really impressed me about your writing is how the actual problem situation, the cause analysis, and the solution are all seamlessly connected. You presented it as a case based on your own direct observation of apartment recycling areas overflowing with cafe and restaurant takeout packaging every weekend, which directly connects to a student's real life. Instead of viewing the cause as a lack of environmental awareness, you analyzed it accurately as the inconvenience of the return process—having to wash the containers and wait for delivery drivers. The approach of paying a small deposit, returning items immediately via QR code at a smart return box inside the complex, directly reduces that inconvenience and precisely targets the root cause. Furthermore, designing it to instantly refund the deposit through mobile payment provides both convenience and a reward, and by placing the return location right inside the apartment complex, residents can participate casually in their daily lives, making it realistically feasible. Overall, the way the actual problem situation, cause analysis, and solution flowed together seamlessly was truly impressive.
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