OUGD601 - Extended Essay Reading - Design and Environment by Helen Lewis and John Gertsakis

Notes and Quotes

Foreword

pg 9

- managing environmental impact within business will increase performance / success

- lose competitivity over others if do not consider the environment

- considering the lifecycle will allow for more effective production and disposal systems

- both business and the environment can both work well together

Introduction

pg 13

- design for the environment has become a trend around the world suggesting it will continue

early considerations about a product reduces the impact on the environment

- “prevention is better than cure”

- products impact the environment throughout their life

- decisions made at the design stage dictate the impact the product has throughout its life

pg 14

- impacts have to be considered early on in the design stage for them to be reduced

pg 15

- need to collaborate for different aspects to be considered and implemented

- designers create the bridge between product and consumer making them important facilitators of environmental design

- designers create the things around us, provide meaning and meet needs of consumer

- designers want to help but feel overwhelmed by the environmental problem or inhibited in making a change

pg 16

- need to design for the environment and consider all impacts of a product throughout its life and the design process

- eco design means taking responsibility of the impact a product will have on the environment

- the designer is not responsible for all the negative impacts a product may have

- a designer can make an impact on the environmental impacts that may occur due to their design / product

- the designers must prioritise the role of the product first

- LCA = cradle to grave analysis

considering the whole life cycle of a product helps determine environmental impacts that may arise

pg 17

- LCA includes:

-        Extraction and processing of raw materials

-        Manufacture of the product (including packaging and consumables)

-        Use or operation of product

-        End of life options e.g. reuse, remanufacture, recycling, treatment and disposal

bad research data can affect LCA

sustainable design takes a more holistic approach to design and considers all impacts ethically, socially or environmentally

pg 22

- regulation has forced design for the environment to be considered in designs

- showing how the environment can be considered in commercial design dispels negative and restrictive preconceptions of what environmental design is

- ‘DfE does not have to result in inferior, odd or undesirable products plagued by cliched colours, textures and forms’

pg 23

- government action has forced change in industry leading to new production methods

pg 24

- Extended Producer Responsibility means manufacturers have to take responsibility for the environmental effects of products through their entire life

- There will always be impact on the environment through production and consumption – damage to the environment is part of the production and consumption cycle

- decisions made at the beginning influence the environmental impact

- policies need to allow feedback opportunities so that money can be spent to continually decrease environmental impact – regulations and system analysis lessen this

pg 25

- there is more awareness from consumers about product impact on the environment

- made market / producers change to meet new demand

pg 25

- Extended Producer Responsibility programmes

-       ‘European countries introduced ‘product-orientated policies’ – measures aimed at ‘closing the loop’ in the production – consumption system, eliminating or reducing waste and pollution at al points in the chain’ (Cramer 1993). Included ‘resource taxes aimed at stimulating more resource-efficient production and the better utilisation of recycled materials (by improving their costs relative to virgin materials). They also include product stewardship or EPR.’ -

-        Used for packaging, tyres, batteries, waste oil, chlorofluorocarbons, printed matter, electrical and electronic products, office equipment, cars, furniture, building products and agricultural plastics

-        ERP policies that are to be considered by governments include: deposit refund schemes, product disposal charges, end – of – life product take – back requirements, environmental labelling

-        Deposit -refund schemes can be used for batteries, beverage containers, tyres, TVs, washing machines, PET bottles etc

-        Advance disposal fees consider the cost of disposal and recovery costs. This is then paid the government by the manufacturer

-        Product take – back systems mean it is the responsibility for the ‘individual producer or importer to ‘take back and recover’ their products unless certain other conditions are in place’. The Duales System Deutschland is a packaging take back system in Germany which collects and recycles packaging

pg 27

- leading companies invest in their production infrastructure to reduce environmental damage

Companies do this for different reasons:

-        To become ‘market leaders ad innovators’

-        Want to “anticipate’ the changing regulatory and market context rather than to ‘react’ to changes as they are upon them’

-        Want to ‘act responsibly’

-        Want to ‘improve the market image of the whole company’

-        See the change to a ‘new business paradigm and a new competitive terrain’

-        So they can get investment they want to ‘influence the direction of regulations and legislation’

-        Want to improve ‘technical competence and develop new areas of technical competency’

there is a need to consider the environment to stay competitive and there is an increasing demand for low – impact products

there is more consumer awareness which is actively influencing their purchasing decisions

pg 29

companies will use sustainable design as a way of meeting consumer demand and staying competitive over rivals

consumers will buy into design for the environment making it profitable