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Trash

This activity is a good exercise that helps participants develop various skills, including creativity, teamwork, communication, problem-solving, and sustainability. It is an engaging and enjoyable way to learn and collaborate with others.

Created by Sivasailam "Thiagi" Thiagarajan, a renowned game designer, trainer, and consultant in the field of experiential learning. The activity is designed to encourage participants to think creatively and come up with as many innovative ideas as possible within a given time frame.

Here's how the activity works:

  1. The facilitator divides the participants into groups of three to five people.

  2. The facilitator sets a topic for the activity. For example, the topic could be "ways to reduce plastic waste."

  3. Each group is given a pile of "trash," which can consist of any kind of material that the facilitator has collected beforehand. The trash can include things like paper cups, straws, plastic bags, bottle caps, etc.

  4. The facilitator sets a time limit, typically around 10 to 15 minutes, for the groups to come up with as many ideas as possible on the given topic, using the trash as inspiration.

  5. At the end of the time limit, each group presents their ideas to the rest of the participants. The facilitator can encourage the groups to explain their thought process and how they used the trash as inspiration.

The Trash activity is often used in brainstorming sessions, team-building activities, and creative problem-solving workshops. The activity is particularly effective because it encourages participants to think outside the box and come up with ideas that they may not have considered otherwise. It also promotes collaboration and communication within groups, as participants work together to generate ideas and build on each other's suggestions.