Check out this clip, I love it, it might bring back
some memories, maybe not, but check it out.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Bio Tiolet
I was searching Composting systems at HomeDepot.com and I can upon these toilets that supposedly turn 90% of human waste into recyclable material that can safely be returned to the environment. This toilet is also waterless. I'd be interested to see how the seperation process works, even though that's kind of gross. It costs a pretty penny, $1,400, but this might be a sustainable replacement for the current toilet.
RibCap
For all you skiers, snowboarders and winter lovers
technologies. These materials are supposed to absorb
impact while keeping your head warm. It's a "winter
hat helmet". These materials are supposed to have the
soft feel of a winter hat, but will harden on impact. Yeah,
I know, I'd have to see it to believe it. I first saw this
concept in Popular Science.
Take a Look at Dirtsurfer.com
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Green Toe shoe at SimpleShoes.com
Great recyclable shoes made of material like recycled
rubbers, water based cements and organic cottons.
RIT looks at Cornell and Roberts Wesleyan Composting
12/13 /07 Rochester, NY
College: Rochester Institute of Technology
I emailed RIT's recycling center early this week in interest of what RIT plans on doing as far as composting food scraps. RIT Recycling Administrator Tyler Stewart, told me that he is looking into a composting system and will be monitoring Roberts Wesleyan, who recently began their own composting system with Metro Waste. RIT disposes its waste through Heberle, which doesn't compost, obviously. He did say that he is looking into getting plastic silverware with sugar/corn based bi product, which can be composted. He referred me to Cornell's web page, since he said Cornell is a clear leader in college composting. So I took a look.
Cornell has a very good system. Every year around 350 tons of garbage is composted instead of going to the dump. At the moment most of Cornell's composting is done behind the scenes, but their goal is to get students to separate it through a simple separating system. The University has applied this system in a few places, yet it hasn't worked very well. Cornell student Stephan Zelno writes, that students seem to have a problem with separating their plastic forks from their spaghetti, thus only 1 out of every 3 bins ends up being composted. Stephen states that the students have to start learning and putting in effort to separate their trash for the better good of the environment.
That's where I come in. As an Industrial Designer I must create a system that alleviates this issue. Cornell is on the right track, but their system design is weak. According to RIT's recycling administrator Tyler Stewart RIT must first find a commercial composter, like Metro Waste. From there we can design this system to get students involved and compost much of the trash RIT sends to the landfill.
What's green?
Business Week October 29, 2007
Article: "Little green lies"
I was recently looking through magazine's in RIT's Wallace Library and I stumbled upon an old Business Week magazine headlined Little green lies. I figured it was referring to this whole Earth friendly idea that many companies are doing now a days. It got me thinking, "When was the first time I heard this term "green." Well probably when I was in kindergarten going over colors. Yet in all seriousness, I can exactly recall the term being stated, for it's more Earth friendly meaning. I was in Form II class, sophomore year(2005) with Stan Rickle. So this term is obviously new to me and new to many people.
The article I read touched upon one man, Auden Schendler, who is the Environmental Affairs director for Aspen Ski Company. A friend of the wilderness Auden has always been an outdoors person. He continually researches green design and is quoted as stating, "How do you really green your company, it's almost impossible." Almost is the key word because people are trying to go green, nevertheless green will have to be the way or else we will deplete ourselves of all resources. He has continuously found that companies claim they are green, when they are not. While at Aspen, Auden has tried to make a difference, but it has been an uphill battle.
For Example,he told one hotel owner that he would save thousands of dollars (esp. in energy costs) by switching his light bulbs from incandescent to fluorescent, yet the owner felt that the lights were weaker and it wasn't the tone he wanted to set for his Five Star Hotel, people just wouldn't buy it. Auden found many companies are stating they're Green to increase their REC or Renewable Energy Credits, which are are credits that a company can use to claim they are using renewable energy, while not contributing to Global Warming.
Auden states, "RECs have as much effect on the development of new renewable energy projects as would trading rocks, IOUs and pine cones."
Thus, companies are cheating the system in a sense. Is this what we want, obviously no, but this seems to be the way, until a majority of companies jump on. Thus it's such a challenge when everyone is competing for profit, but if it stays like this for much longer we won't have anything else to compete for. We need more Auden's in the world, preferably designers, who are the future of creating a better world for everyone.
Article: "Little green lies"
I was recently looking through magazine's in RIT's Wallace Library and I stumbled upon an old Business Week magazine headlined Little green lies. I figured it was referring to this whole Earth friendly idea that many companies are doing now a days. It got me thinking, "When was the first time I heard this term "green." Well probably when I was in kindergarten going over colors. Yet in all seriousness, I can exactly recall the term being stated, for it's more Earth friendly meaning. I was in Form II class, sophomore year(2005) with Stan Rickle. So this term is obviously new to me and new to many people.
The article I read touched upon one man, Auden Schendler, who is the Environmental Affairs director for Aspen Ski Company. A friend of the wilderness Auden has always been an outdoors person. He continually researches green design and is quoted as stating, "How do you really green your company, it's almost impossible." Almost is the key word because people are trying to go green, nevertheless green will have to be the way or else we will deplete ourselves of all resources. He has continuously found that companies claim they are green, when they are not. While at Aspen, Auden has tried to make a difference, but it has been an uphill battle.
For Example,he told one hotel owner that he would save thousands of dollars (esp. in energy costs) by switching his light bulbs from incandescent to fluorescent, yet the owner felt that the lights were weaker and it wasn't the tone he wanted to set for his Five Star Hotel, people just wouldn't buy it. Auden found many companies are stating they're Green to increase their REC or Renewable Energy Credits, which are are credits that a company can use to claim they are using renewable energy, while not contributing to Global Warming.
Auden states, "RECs have as much effect on the development of new renewable energy projects as would trading rocks, IOUs and pine cones."
Thus, companies are cheating the system in a sense. Is this what we want, obviously no, but this seems to be the way, until a majority of companies jump on. Thus it's such a challenge when everyone is competing for profit, but if it stays like this for much longer we won't have anything else to compete for. We need more Auden's in the world, preferably designers, who are the future of creating a better world for everyone.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
New Design Iniatives
Design for the greater good of everyone. As a designer I am challenged to create stuff, new stuff that is better than the old. Yet my ultimate goal is to create something that doesn't need to be replaced, it works well and people just don't want to get rid of it. I consider environmental impact as well because as we continue to make stuff we also continue to deplete the World's resources. In addition I must always question whether my solutions are the best for the problem at hand.
What makes good design? I think it is something that does it's job and lasts. It has the consumer wanting nothing more. Yet how is the consumer to decide what is good in today's capitalist society that has us going back for more all the time. It's all about the money, so where to start? From the beginning? No, we're too late, we can only do the best with what we have and a little motivation to change.
As a designer I am challenged to make beautiful things that last. We need to drop this "buy now and buy later" attitude. It all starts with the government and the people, we need to regulate ourselves as consumers and THINK.
Therefore I must design sustainably. People have lost value in their possessions because capitalism has us wanting the next best thing. We have come to expect it. The challenge now becomes how to make something that is beautiful and sustainable.
What makes good design? I think it is something that does it's job and lasts. It has the consumer wanting nothing more. Yet how is the consumer to decide what is good in today's capitalist society that has us going back for more all the time. It's all about the money, so where to start? From the beginning? No, we're too late, we can only do the best with what we have and a little motivation to change.
As a designer I am challenged to make beautiful things that last. We need to drop this "buy now and buy later" attitude. It all starts with the government and the people, we need to regulate ourselves as consumers and THINK.
Therefore I must design sustainably. People have lost value in their possessions because capitalism has us wanting the next best thing. We have come to expect it. The challenge now becomes how to make something that is beautiful and sustainable.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)