While most environmentalists are focussing on the big issue du jour, climate change and the talks in Bali, the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) has flagged up the fact that we still need to take care on more parochial issues such as not poisoning our water supply. The study takes in a wide range of pollutants, although the PR has focussed on personal hygiene products to stay media friendly (when did you last see the RSC quoted in the Mirror?).

One of the recommendations of the report is for more eco-design of products to eradicate the problem in the first place. I love the following quote from Bill McDonough and Michael Braungart:

"we've got to take the filters out of the pipes and put them where they belong - in the designers' minds"

Wise words - if we don't use such materials in the first place, it simplifies everything that goes after. It is particularly pertinent for dissipative products such as cosmetics, cleaning products and personal hygiene products as these, by definition, are left to the environment to deal with.

Labels: eco-design, water pollution

Those free eco-design sessions in Gateshead are today & tomorrow.

Labels: eco-design, training

One of my pet subjects is making products greener (don't forget about my free workshops at Dott this month), and the key question is "What makes a product green?".

The short answer is one that, across its life cycle:

1. Uses less stuff

and/or

2. Uses 'better' stuff

"Stuff" is a highly technical term covering materials, water and energy.

"Less stuff" appears straightforward, but can be compromised by the rebound effect. Techniques include lightweighting, reducing friction, reducing leaks, reducing electrical resistance and miniaturisation.

"Better stuff" is harder to conceptualise, but materials should be non-toxic and of low embodied energy (eg recycled or natural), energy should be from renewable sources. The main problem with this approach is finding a sustainable supply of material, water or energy, for example the biodiesel/rainforest controversy.

Of course there's a bit more to it than this, but these two principles underpin all the more complicated techniques and technologies.

Labels: eco-design, green products

Over the last year Terra Infirma has provided technical input and training sessions to the Dott07 programme, or Design of the Time 2007 to give it its full title. Dott 07 is "a year of community projects, events and exhibitions based in North East England that explore what life in a sustainable region could be like – and how design can help us get there". This month Dott is cumulating in a large design festival on the Gateshead Quayside by the famous Baltic 'art factory' and the Millennium Bridge. The festival runs from 16-28 October and highlights the various projects undertaken from the School's Eco-design Challenge to the Community Food project.

On 25th and 26th October, I'll be running some free eco-design workshops for novices, children (13+) and families. There will be two workshops on each day, starting at 10:30am and 1:30pm. The sessions will be fun and light hearted, but informative. If you are interested, simply drop in and take part.

More details of this and other Dott07 Festival highlights can be seen here. The location of the festival can be seen here.

Labels: dott07, eco-design, terra infirma, training

It's all a bit silly season here at Terra Infirma Towers at the minute - the usual series of holidays with sudden intense bursts of work in between, so service on the blog may be somewhat erratic until September. But, anyway...

Yesterday I was judging the entries for the Dott 07 Schools Eco-design Challenge. Schools from across the North East of England were invited to measure the ecological footprint of their school day and develop design solutions. Last year Terra Infirma provided technical support in the development of the teaching materials for the project and trained about 55 teachers in eco-design techniques, so it was great to go back and see the results of our efforts.

About 36 entries had made it through the initial screening and they ranged from an Eden-style bubble classroom to funky light switch covers to remind people to switch out the lights. I was particularly impressed with the toothbrush that stored water so you don't have to keep turning on the tap to rinse it, but simply squirted water through the bristles. The amount of work that had gone in across the board was astounding - the teams of pupils submitted photos, diagrams, models and even videos of their designs. I wonder if any of these kids will be inspired to become the eco-innovators of the future - I certainly hope so.

Labels: eco-design, education

It was announced yesterday that IKEA are giving away 9600 energy efficient lightbulbs to their UK staff to encourage them to reduce their ecological footprints. This isn't the first big staff giveaway from the Swedish interiors giant - they gave everyone a folding bike at Christmas to encourage them to cycle to work. 90 promptly appeared on ebay, leading to some snorts of derision, but a 1% unappreciative workforce isn't bad by anyone's standards.

IKEA first started down the environmental track in the 1980s. Their emergence as a lead retailer in Europe led to tall poppy syndrome as they started to get criticised for formaldehyde in their chipboard products, excessive packaging and use of PVC. Having initially flirted with an "eco-range", they decided it would be better to reduce the environmental impact of all their products. Adopting the "Natural Step"*, they started phasing out toxic materials, reducing formaldehyde and sourcing wood from certified sustainable sources. Their latest environment report is worth a glance as it is very honest about what they still have to achieve. This is obviously an effective approach as while researching this post I could only find positive comments, apart from anti-consumer/anti-globalisation groups complaining about the amount of product they sell.


* Terra Infirma doesn't recommend The Natural Step in general. The theory is sound, but in our opinion the methodology is over-complicated and difficult to communicate.

Labels: commuting, eco-design, ikea, lightbulbs, the natural step, transport