Summary

Drylab 2023 was a science-art project by Arizona State University in which eight students lived for nearly a month in the Mojave Desert under strict water and dietary constraints to simulate a near-future scenario of resource scarcity. Inspired by Elinor Ostrom’s work on commons governance, the participants were limited to four gallons of water per person per day and a water-wise, plant-based diet. They self-organized to manage their shared resources, successfully reducing usage to about three gallons daily, while also reflecting on privilege, responsibility, and fostering non-coercive, cooperative living.