Showing posts with label eco conscious design. Show all posts
Showing posts with label eco conscious design. Show all posts

Sunday 21 July 2019

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.


Green Issues in Design : Introduction

                                                                                                          4




                                                   Introduction

Design responsibilities: Within this assignment I am posing to unpack the needs and desires required in todays world of responsible design perspectives, including in particular the needs of our planet in order for human mankind to find a sustainable future. My project is an exploration of the natural world, looking at the way natures resources are depleting and how ecology is developing and where it should be heading to create a better future for our planet. Integrating traditional and digital art to create new textiles and wall art. I did this by developing five test projects. My reasoning was to take a traditionalist practice and integrate it within digital imagery. To create new imagery that encourages consumers to think in a more eco conscious value and by doing this can help with the reduction of carbon emissions to draw down climate change to save Antarctica from disappearing. The need to experiment and resolve certain design aspects of my project was also inherent with my research including skills in natural dying and eco printing inks to evoke a concern and direction for better eco conscious green vales within my design practice.

The objectives for my exploratory projects is to encourage social impact in regard to ecology issues linked to our depleting natural world within visual impacts .Choosing to also develop natural dyes and inks( a forgotten skill which can easily be rekindled as the norm through education and knowledge distribution). My online blog has helped me with this task and became a crucial part of my final project appraisal.(Appendix II,V)
Blog introduction page(www.naturesarmour.blogspot.accessed.June.2019)


My point is to use materials and practical awareness of ecology-based practices to encourage consumers and viewers to seek a deeper understanding of their own carbon footprint.To change their consumer behavior to use less single use plastics and to also be aware of other issues to decrease carbon emissions for a better ecology future for our planet. I have chosen questions like : How much of the planets resources does it take to make a product and what are the key impacts on the environment are important?

What are the best green solutions within designing and what are the implications of global warming, pollution, plastics in our oceans, ice caps melting.

What does it all mean and how can we as individuals make a difference?

“My first plan of action was to look at my own consumption of single use plastics and see how I could make a positive change to reduce my own carbon footprint” I thought. By questioning myself I formulated a series of test projects to see what questions and answers I could study and develop. AppendixI/ II explains my proposal in more detail.The project brief in short, with this plan came a comprehensive journal which I developed in sketch book form, journalizing in leather bound diaries and actual practical work of which I added in a comprehensive why to an online blog which became the major driving force of my exploratory projects. Which was then printed in book form with added links using current phone and ipad technology, known as a QR code(Appendix II). This process of enquiry and journalism has been beneficial to my design practice of which I will continue to develop, not only does it help me it also allows me to share my beliefs and those of a bigger community online and through word of mouth.
Sketch books developed over MA course.
Note books
Sketch books developed during MA project.


Extract from blog (www.naturesarmour.blogspot.com.accessed June2019)

A Retrospective View.
In order to contextualize my current creative direction. I believe it's important to take a reflective view point moving in order to move forward with my project developments looking back on my previous career as a knitwear designer within a eco conscious designer lead handcrafted knitwear business. Designing soft accessories for a global market including customers Paul Smith Ltd, Burberry's, Harrods, Selfridges, Blue Marin, Sax's 5th Avenue.
Pret-a-porter fashion show
images from previous fashion business.
Fashion shoot for Good House keeping-Malta










Marketing image for Original Sample.

                          Fashion Show BA hons Knitwear Design 1987
Business News Clips and Documentary of previous business 






Brief over view of project

Poster for MA Show The Poster used for the end of project show at University Lincoln. MA studio in Design end of Degree Show June 20...