Green Issues in Design :Overview

                                                                                                          5
                                                            Overview

       4R Rule:Refuse,Reduce,Reuse,Recycle,(+Rot)

Green issues or environmentally sustainable design principles: is the philosophy of design of physical objects and or services that comply with the principles of ecological sustainability. That is producing something that has been produced using the least amount of waste, using natural resources that are compostable in order to reduce pollution. Also extended longevity element to reduce landfill excessive use. This would include durability and design direction using classic models to keep its usability not only durable but also timeless within its design structure. These principles allow a product to have a longer physical use and when it has finished its life cycle returns to landfill or is recycled or even up cycled to reduce carbon emissions. A personal carbon footprint for a product design life cycle.

The definition of a carbon footprint is “the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere as a result of the activities of a particular individual, organisation or community”. Nearly everything a human being does will amount to a certain amount of emissions into the atmosphere, but how much depends on what is done or purchased. This means you can increase or decrease your own personal carbon footprint by making personal lifestyle choices. In turn when a product is made it has a consumption level which can be analysed through how much water, energy and natural resources it takes to make it.

My project brief analysis is based on looking at the contextual nature of green issues within design parameters, showing awareness through researching contemporary aspects of green questions and answers. Analysing economics, politics and social impact of design principles for a greener consumer environment. Including strategical campaigns historical and contemporary that include environmental issues that designers and consumers need to debate analyse and strategise. Weaving a pathway of concepts and viewpoints for a new generation of designers and consumers to follow or avoid.

“Curiosity is a desire to know how things work and interrelate and why the world is as it is. From explorers who sought new horizons and new lands to the scientists who have made discoveries that help how the world ticks, curiosity has been a major driver of development” (.Ambrose.G.Harris.P.(2015:p52)

I can remember one of my very first memories of curiosity was when I was a child in my junior school steering out of the classroom window towards the Wendy House that stood right outside the window. One of my most abiding memories of my school days was when my favourite teacher Mrs Jones got the key and opened it up, so we could all go in and play one afternoon, as I am sure we all have memories similar within the memory of curiosity. Curiosity can be divided into two types of thinking categories diverse curiosity and epistemic curiosity.

Within the forward chapters of this assignment I will attempt to disclose and examine the design thinking behind my test projects within my final MA Design Project brief. Including a detailed analysis of todays consumer desires for green ecology issues whether you are designing, manufacturing or buying. The need for change in terms of looking at individual carbon footprints to recognise the impact on our consumer worlds destructive globally known climate change effect.

The following clip shows a recent houses of commons debate including the speaker Sir David Attenborough helping the current MPs understand the need for action against plastic pollution

                                         (Go to appendix XVIII for the full 60 minute meeting)

Within the new climate change emergency campaign rallies and debates is a current and fundamentally important part of the future of design and for consumer behaviour to choose and dictate rather than except what’s on offer on the high street. The reasons for green issues, the greenhouse effect, global warming tragedy that is currently running within global affairs. I will be questioning and responding to the need for everyone of us to be more eco conscious and driving forward a need to be less wasteful which todays human mankind’s utopia of all things convenient is also killing off all our natural resources. Mass extinction, the destruction of our ozone layer and the ever-increasing depletion of our polar ice caps.

Within my research findings I have found links to current social, political and cultural needs within today’s world. While researching climate change, the reasons, why’s and how’s to answer current questions of how we can reduce global warming and answering the needs to make people aware of plastic waste and its destructive influence on our planet’s natural world. Has become one of the key areas of interest within my project. My exploration of visual responses linked to ecology and how within subtle visual campaigns for global environmental issues. I have attempted to investigate green conservation eco conscious processes including natural dyes and inks through to visual imagery to inform the viewer of conservation biology issues. How designers have links to this emerging social need to protect our blue planet. I  intend to make current conclusions to the collision between mass extinction and the current plastic waste pandemic problem. The need for environmental change within the human race, current behaviour and new strategies and laws emerging.
As we have all seen via media and news reports plastic waste is killing large numbers of marine mammals, fish and birds(Appendix VIII).It has also come to light that Japan has removed their links with the international banning of whales and is currently starting to kill whales for their whale industry.
Below is a short clip showing how the whaling industry has effected todays climate change current problems and how if we hadn't endangered one of the largest and most important mammals of our oceans(the apex mammal of the ocean food chain how things would be so much better in terms of carbon emissions in todays world).

(Appendix I) Overview of Proposal Plan MA Design Project.

Whale tail in heaven fabric repeat developed using traditional photographs integrated using photoshop techniques.