TASK 3: ECOREDESIGN

Links:

http://pipconnolly-3292106.blogspot.com/2011/03/dome-16lt-kettle.html
http://pipconnolly-3292106.blogspot.com/2011/03/eco-redesign.html

TASK 2B: SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION

The story of cosmetics

Annie Leonard takes us through 'the story of cosmetics' by first revealing to us how obsessed the world is with material goods, and how we so carelessly treat the planet, along with each other, resulting in all-round unhappiness.

She suggests that we turn problems into solutions by first looking at everyday products such as shampoos, which masquerade around as being 'herbal', 'natural' or 'organic' but which in actual fact, have soaring toxicity levels and various cancer-causing agents present, such as carcinogens, neurotoxins and reproductive toxins.

She sums up the concept of why such products contain harmful chemicals quite succinctly with the phrase 'toxins in, toxins out', meaning, the poisons that are pumped in during the manufacturing process of a product, are directly what the product is made of.

She urges manufacturers such as Procter and Gamble to dump their 50s' mindsets, and for laws to be implemented, allowing a change in the system, towards a safer and healthier future of consumers.

Life psycle-ology

'Life psycle-ology' uncovers the secret and unseen life of a mobile phone, Eric, who is seeing a therapist as he is troubled with an existential crisis after his owner dumps him for a newer model.

The therapist takes Eric through his past life, while the video explores the unknown environmental impacts of everyday things, using an innovative approach in communicating and engaging people with the concept of sustainability.

It encourages product life-cycle thinking and environmentally sustainable decision-making in design and product development, promoting eco-design, allowing and educating designers in making more informed and conscious decisions that will result in products with an overall lighter
carbon footprint.

TASK 2A: RECYCLING

"Giving Packaging a New Life":


Recycling Aluminium:

It was definitely a relief to learn that the recycling quota for aluminium packaging is at a high of more than 87% in Germany.

Aluminium cans, foil caps and lids, to name a few, are quite neatly sorted out, allowing for the ease of recycling.

It was a comfort knowing that the raw material recovered could easily be processed by the aluminium industry, to later be manufactured aluminium products such as sheets.

In this sense, aluminium is quite sustainable and ranks quite high as a material to be chosen by industrial designers.


Recycling Glass:

I fancied the idea that consumers play a large role in the sorting of glass bottles, according to colour, at bottle banks. It highlighted the ease of taking the extra step to do your part when it comes to recycling.

The entire process of recycling glass however, seems to be quite a tedious one, requiring quite a series of steps and sorting.

Prior to seeing this video, I was unaware of the fact that coloured and clear glass had to so specifically be recycling separately, including fragments.

Overall, glass does not seem to be a wise material for industrial designers to use, given the amount of energy and manpower that has to be pumped into recycling it.


Recycling Paper:

The fact that most paper manufacturers are also recyclers is a plus point, as hopefully it cuts transport and other various costs involved.

It is encouraging to see that paper is quite easily recycled and to find out that about 60% of the material used to produce new paper is made from waste paper.

Different processes are used to churn out different types, grades and qualities of paper, which a bulk of the machinery in a paper mill is devoted to.

A consolation though, was that corrugated board, cardboard boxes and news-print, can be produced solely from waste paper, with tissues and toilet rolls not falling far behind.

Paper, especially forms that contain a high percentage of waste paper, is a favoured material that industrial designers can use, provided that it serves their needs.


Recycling Plastic:

It was shown that unlike the beginning of the 90s', where plastic were either incinerated or land-filled, it is easier than ever to recycle plastic.

It was good knowing however, that most types of plastic can be recycled, some more easily than others. Despite how difficult it may be to recycle certain kinds of plastic, today we would find it hard to live without plastic, with it being the preferred material to use.

Unfortunately, the recycling facts of plastic reveal that as compared to other materials like paper or glass, plastic lags far behind in the race to recycle as it is cheap to produce, does not corrode, can be molded into all sorts of shapes and is relatively ductile.

Industrial designers can surely cut down on the ways in which environmental pollution due to plastic, by reducing the use of it as a material.


Recycling Tetra Pak:

Knowing that everyday products such as sauce, juice and milk cartons contribute to the piles of garbage that make up beverage cartons, it is reassuring to know that the key component in each Tetra Pak carton is a specialised cardboard which, like all paper, is recyclable and is indeed fully recyclable.

Watching the process of recycling beverage cartons really shed light on the amount of energy involved, from our used cartons being transported to a recycling plant, where they are then soaked in water to separate the paper-board from the plastic and aluminium layers.

A comforting fact was that the paper content can then be turned into new products like toilet paper, tissue and notebooks, along with, the plastic and aluminium also being recovered to make tiles and pots, just to name a few.

Since the product developers of Tetra Pak profess to be using resources sparingly and designing cartons which can be recycled effectively, industrial designers should support their cause and help to minimise the packages' environmental impact as well.


Recycling Tinplate:

I came to see that tinplate is a extremely recyclable material, and the ease of the operation surprised me: The way their lifted out, compressed and processed.

Tin scrap is then the sole material used in the production of steel slabs, with nothing going to waste. What impressed me, was that the tin cans can be recycled infinity without any quality losses.

Industrial designers can indeed consider tinplate as a material, given that it is highly recyclable and reusable.


Sorting Innovations:

The concept of a sorting plant is new to me and it uses a variety of sorting devices, including screens, magnets and ultraviolet optical scanners that trigger blasts of air to separate certain items from the rest, as well as devices that separate paper from cans and bottles, including glass and plastic, were quite astonishing.

With the existence of sorting plants, consumers can simply put all recyclables into a single container to be sorted at the plant, encouraging recycling as a whole.

This should be good news industrial designers, knowing that the market for which they cater to, is only going to get more and more attuned with the idea of recycling and soon enough, it will be to them as a sort of second nature.

TASK 1: ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT

The Ecological Footprint is defined as a measure of human demand on the Earth. It highlights human demand with Earth's ability to regenerate, showcasing levels of consumption and waste production. It brings to our attention: How much nature we have, how quickly we deplete it, and who uses it.

Humanity's total Ecological Footprint currently uses the equivalent of 1.5 planets to provide the resources we use and to absorb our waste. My Ecological Footprint revealed that if everyone on the planet lived my lifestyle, we would need a whopping 5.83 Earths.

Measuring my Ecological Footprint, also identified that amongst all, my Food Footprint soars above the Country Average, which provides a sort of awakening to the environmental impact my lifestyle and everyday actions have on the Earth. My Food Footprint was taken from: My diet, where I obtain most of my food, whether I select foods that are certified organic or sustainably produced, my meal patterns and whether I have a garden or share one to grow my own vegetables and herbs.

Seeing these results have definitely made me think twice about my Ecological Footprint on this Earth and has driven me to want to make more of a conscious effort to apply various changes to my lifestyle, especially in the sector of food habits, in hopes that I will eventually lower my total Ecological Footprint.