Sustainable Furniture Design

The Green Festival showcasing sustainable furniture design

1. Design to satisfy real needs as opposed to transient, fashionable or market-driven needs.
- Not only are these eco-friendly products attractive and contemporary, but they have been designed in such a way that they have a reduced Carbon Footprint and therefore a lesser affect on the environment, using local manufacturers and assemblers and cutting down on many resources coming into transport of the materials, and in the products themselves.

2. Design to minimise the ecological footprint of the product/material/service product, i.e. reduce resource consumption, including energy and water.
- These furniture designs reduce resource consumption as they reducing deforestation, and using recyclable materials such as household plastic milk jugs (Melt Jugs) and stainless steel. Stainless steel itself is an ideal material to use (particularly in kitchenware) as it is 100% recyclable, sustainable, non-rusting, healthy and hygienic. Especially replanted (by the company) Teak wood is also ideal to use as it of "heirloom quality" and lasts 10-20 years and also has no affect on the rainforest ecosystem.

3. Design to harness solar income (sun, wind, water or sea power) rather than use non
renewable nature capital such as fossil fuels.

4. Design to enable the separation of components of the product/material or service product at the end of life in order to encourage recycling or reuse of materials and/or components.
- As this furniture is made up of environmentally friendly materials, once the product has reached the end of its life, the components can be broken down into individual parts (Teak wood, recyclable plastics and stainless steel) and reused again for other products - therefore encouraging recycling in its consumers.

5. Design to exclude the use of substances toxic or hazardous to human and other forms of life at all stages of the product/material/service product's lifecycle.
- The only materials involved the creating of these products are eco-friendly - all durable, recycled and sustainable, using only particular variations of wood (for example, especially replanted young Teak wood which has not been taken from the rainforest ecosystem) and specific metals and plastics (stainless steel and recyclable plastic)

6. Design to engender maximum benefits to the intended audience and to educate the client and the user and thereby create a more equable future.
- These items of furniture (household and garden chairs, kitchen suits, drawers, cupboards etc) not only come with so many benefits, but they also come with so much information as to how they do benefit consumers. How every material involved in manufacture not only doesn't negatively affect environments such as the rainforests, but if anything, helps rebuild and put a stopper in Carbon use by reducing their own Carbon Footprint and encouraging their consumers to do the same.
One particular stand at the Green Festival showcasing furniture was a Fair-Trade brand, where all the producers, woodworkers and artisans are well-paid and well looked after - again - encouraging consumers to purchase these products and do their part for a low Carbon-using community and world, and also encouraging the public 'ideal' of a smaller Carbon Footprint but not on the quality of the end product.

7. Design to use locally available materials and resources wherever possible (thinking
globally but acting locally).
- These companies showcasing at the Green Festival not only have the idea, but have put the work in. After research in location, it has become apparent that the key is that more local your manufacturers and assemblers are to your company, the better. As you are using less Carbon emissions in transport of your materials (in many companies cases, materials are being shipped from country to country). The tighter the company's business is, the smaller the Carbon Footprint.

8. Design to exclude innovation lethargy by re-examining original assumptions behind existing concepts and products/materials/service products
- The existing concept of greener products is that although it benefits the environment, consumers lose out on quality of the end product. This does not have to be the case, as the companies showcasing at the Green Festival have put in an admirable amount of work in location research, sustainability, recyclable products and design to ensure that not only are the end products of good quality and durable, but are also attractive to a consumer.

9. Design to dematerialise products into services wherever feasible.

10. Design to maximise a product/material/service product's benefits to communities.
- Recycling is always a benefit to communities, and having these furniture products available to consumers can only encourage further recycling in households of simple materials such as paper, cardboard, plastic and metals to create other products akin to these ones in particular.

11. Design to encourage modularity in design to permit sequential purchases, as needs require and funds permit, to facilitate repair/reuse and to improve functionality.

12. Design to foster debate and challenge the status quo surrounding existing
products/materials/ service products.

13. Publish eco-pluralistic designs in the public domain for everyone's benefit, especially those designs that commerce will not manufacture.
- The ideas behind these sustainable and durable products is a transferable concept that can be applied to any area of design in respect to value engineered system/materials, maintenance of products, quality, sustainability, recyclable, and healthy and hygienic material choices.

14. Design to create more sustainable products/materials/service products for a more
sustainable future.
- As previously mentioned, having a eco-friendly end product made in such a way that it has the smallest possible Carbon Footprint in terms of transport, manufacture and production, yet still remains high-quality, is encouragement enough for consumers to follow suit and do what they can to keep the cycle going - to recycle household materials in order to create contemporary, durable furniture; and hopefully do their part to keep their own personal Carbon Footprint down to a minimum.

Research into Sustainable Furniture

The Green Festival

1. What makes good sustainability? - Local manufacturing and assembly of furniture products.

2. Healthy materials and materials that are 'value engineered'/a system that is value engineered' so that the end user is getting a product that will last a long time.

3. Stainless steel cabinets and drawers for kitchens, as stainless steel is a 100% recyclable material and is also sustainable, healthy and hygienic.

4. Use of engineered veneer fronts available in different, beautiful exotic woods without deforesting trees in their natural environment.

5. Healthy, durable, recycled content - all sustainable.

6. Not taking from trees that have been growing for years.

7. Fair-trade Organisations - all producers, woodworkers and artisans are well-paid and taken care of.

8. Use of Teak wood (heirloom type of wood quality)

9. Stainless steel hardware, so no rusting.

10. A little more expensive, but better quality.

11. Melt Jugs is the feedstock for the chairs (last forever!)

12. Sustainable furniture is durable and has a smaller Carbon Footprint.

13. Nearly 35 million Americans buy green products.

14. Chairs made of high-density polyethylene which is highly sustainable and maintenance free - made from recycled house plastic such as milk bottles 

15. Ideal = A smaller Carbon Footprint but not risk on quality of the end product.

Crude Awakening - Documenary Notes

 
. We are making ourselves dependent on oil.

. $1 of oil = 2,500 hours of manual labour (energy worth)

. 98% of transport energy comes from oil.

. "Oil is precious and non-renewable energy."

. In the early 1900's, Baku, Azerbaijan produced 95% of the world's oil. 

. "Venezuela was the Saudi Arabia for oil extraction" up until the 1950's, with masses of oil being pumped from the ground.

. "Oil is a magnet for war" > Elements of oil in World War I and World War II > 1970's war with Egyptians and Israelis > Saddam Hussein's war with Kuwait > Iraq war 2003 = all evidence points to the wars being completely about oil fields.

. "Oil fuels and intensifies war."

. Hubbert's Peak (turn of the century decline)

. China is growing at 10% every year. Highest importers of fuel/oil.

. "We are a victim of our own success."

. People are not willing to adapt to new changes.

. Stability of countries such as Saudi Arabia are now questionable.

Global Carbon Cap - A tax on Carbon use

What is it?

A ‘Global Carbon Cap’ is – in short – a restriction on our carbon intake as continents, affecting each and every one of us individually. As it stands, continents such as Europe, North and South America, Oceania and areas of Asia such as China and Japan are using much more Carbon than necessary, whereas continents such as Africa, Mid-Asia and Antarctica are using much less. This seems unjust, with some living in a more than comfortable environment, with easy access to everything and anything, while others live in poverty and are unable to find food, clean water and shelter.

Not only is carbon use having an effect on humans and their capability to live, but also on the environment. With ice caps and glaciers melting, precipitation increasing and species of animals migrating north to higher and cooler areas, the world is certainly turning into a different place than it was merely 20 years ago. Different ideas as to how, as a globe, we deal with these forever pressing issues have arisen – one being the Global Carbon Cap – a way to ensure each continent is using an even and fair amount of Carbon. This means continents such as the Americas and China cutting back substantially, and continents such as Africa being able to use more, which would also help against poverty.

Why would we need it?

The Global Carbon Cap is a long-term solution which would have an effect on every individual alive today. This resolution, although potentially putting a stopper in Global Warming, would also mean a change in lifestyle for everyone. There would be a drastic change in food supplies, transport, water use and electricity (sources we have grown to rely on) and so although the long-term effects would be positive, there may be negative short-term repercussions. However, at the speed climate and weather change is affecting us; we need something along these lines in order to keep our Carbon use down to a minimum.

Benefits?

With each continent having the same Carbon intake, this would mean an even lifestyle for all. Richer continents would need to cut back, and poorer continents would be able to live better lives. This would not only remove thousands of families from terrible living conditions and poverty, but would perhaps even put a stop to it. Not only this, but with a global law as to how much each person in each family in each village/town/city, country and continent uses, there would be a massive cutback in the global use of Carbon, hopefully putting a stop to the escalating issue of Global Warming.

Weaknesses?

With cutbacks in reliable sources, although having a positive effect on Global Warming (by not reversing, but putting a stop to it as it stands), it also has its downfalls. For example, each person/family would be given an amount of Carbon they can use, and only some food would be available during different seasons due to transport and crop growth. We would not be able to use our cars/fuel as often as we currently do, we would need to rely more so on buses and trains. Although these changes would be for the greater good, most people may be unhappy for the main reasons of being told how to live their lives and not being able to use certain necessities and buy particular foods from grocery stores, as people living in richer continents such as the Americas, Europe and Oceania etc are used to a somewhat ‘privileged’ lifestyle, where almost everything and anything is within reach. This Carbon Cap lifestyle may take some getting used to, however it would be for the greater good.

How the Carbon Cap would affect the world of Design:

. Only so much ink and electricity can be used per individual/company.

. Prices of essentials will sky-rocket.

. Packaging will be severely limited.  

The Age of Stupid - Drama Documentary Notes

. Changes in every day life make an impact on the future - smaller and bigger choices.

. Aim to look after the planet.

. Oil is a main contributing factor for global warming - "The oil business is the government".

. "Oil became the resource worth fighting for".

. Everything is consumerism.

. If the world consumed like America, we'd need five planets worth of resources.

. Big consumer countries such as China, America, Australia and European countries are big consumers - so much is being used yearly.

. Equity to resolve the issue, each continent having equal right and opportunity to use the resources. Everyone is given an 'annual yearly amount' - this is known as the Global Carbon Cap. Every continent in the world would be down to zero Carbon use by 2065.

. Look for replacements in renewable energy.

. Oil, population, money and land = all serious consumerism.

. American government censoring serious issues as 'potential problems'.

. There are counter arguments to the 'doom and gloom' too. Different benefits and weaknesses either-way.

. A consumerist society - a need for profit.

. We are, as a globe, seriously affected by advertising.