At a NYCxDESIGN event yesterday, Kathryn Garcia, commissioner of the New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY), Heron Preston, well-known designer and designer in residence for DSNY, Clare Miflin, architect and member of the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter (AIANY), and Jessica Lax, director of competitions for the Van Alen Institute, discussed the role that designers play in New York City’s waste ecosystem and highlighted some creative solutions for reducing waste and designing with end of life in mind.

“At DSNY, we are always looking to connect with folks in the beginning stages when they’re thinking about building spaces and designing products,” says Garcia. “Often, designers are thinking about what’s easiest for the client or consumer, but we want them to begin thinking about the end of life for products and buildings during the early stages of the design process so that waste is included in that thought process.”