A Summary
The Green Imperative- Ecology and Ethics in Design and Architecture;
Papanek, V., 1995. The Green Imperative- Ecology and Ethics in Design and Architecture. London: Thames and Hudson.
Chapter 2 "Designing for a Safer Future"
"Ecology and the environmental equilibrium are the basic underpinnings of all human life on earth; there can be neither life nor human culture without it." pg29
This chapter starts with analysing how the lifecycle of any product can be divided up into six separate stages. It describes how each of these stages has potential for ecological harm. It is stated how when pollution related to products is usually discussed, it is normally pollution at point of use that is highlighted. However, pollution falls into several phases;
The choice of materials; Mining metal creates atmospheric pollution and uses oil and petrol, thus wasting natural resources that cannot be replaced. Foams are cheap to manufacture but damage the ozone layer. Designers must be made aware that every choice and dilemma in their work can have far-reaching and long-term ecological consequences.
The Manufacturing Processes. Is there anything in the manufacturing process itself that might endanger the workplace or the workers?
Packaging the product. Further choices face the designer when developing the package in which the product is transported, marketed and distributed.
The finished product. There are too many different versions of the same product in many cases. Most of the time there is no need for this and too many versions of the same product, depletes natural resources. Other products damage the environment more directly at their point of use.
Transporting the product. Transporting a product anywhere- with our infrastructure of trains, trucks, ships and planes- leads to the inevitable burning of fossil fuels.
Waste. Many products can have negative consequences after the useful product life is over. It has been estimated that the average family throws away some 16 to 20 tons of garbage and waste a year.
The chapter then goes on to talk about "Product Assessment" and the relationship between design and ecology. The issues of Product Assessment are as follows;
- The exhaustion of scare or finite resources.
- The production of greenhouse gases.
- The production of chloroflourocarbons leading to ozone depletion.
- The production of acid rain.
- Habitat destruction and species extinction.
- Materials or processes that harm plants, animals and humans.
- Air, soil and water pollution.
- Noise pollution with its deleterious effect on the human psyche.
- Visual pollution.
Packaging and shrouding are next discussed in this chapter. The "Six-sided Function Matrix" is introduced and is as follows;
- Method- tools, materials and processes.
- Association- Family and early environment, education and culture.
- Aesthetics- Perception and eidetic and biosocial "givens".
- Need- Survival, identity and goal formation.
- Consequences- Ecological/ environmental, social/ societal, material and energy use.
- Use- As a tool, as communication and as a symbol.
"It is a valuable concept that there is nothing now in the world that needs to be packed and shipped." Pg34
The text then goes on to discuss the possibility that packaging solutions of the past were more effective and responsible. Examples of such packaging materials include mosses, sawdust, crushed and dried leaves, dried grasses, woodchips and cotton bags filled with down or feathers. These materials can be recycled, organic and will return to the natural environment.
The next few pages go on to give the advantages and disadvantages of different materials and widely used products such as plastics and tyres. Some shocking statistics and anecdotes are employed;
"In 1984 seven million tyres began burning in Winchester, Virginia. The fire lasted for more than nine months and nearly seven hundred thousand gallons of oil oozed out."
Next, an interesting concept called "Design for Disassembly" is discussed and examples are given. The chapter ends looking forward to the future and what changes need to made to our design mentality and design schooling. How; "...all design education must be based on ecological methods and ideas." Pg48
A Summary
"William McDonough Lectures on Cradle 2 Cradle". Filmed Feb 2005. TED Productions. Viewed 26/ 11/ 10. Available at;
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/william_mcdonough_on_cradle_to_cradle_design.html
- William McDonough starts off the lecture by giving the example of the child's toy rubber duck. However, despite being a childrens toy, the duck has a warning sticker on it stating that chemicals in it can cause cancer and birth and reproductive defects. He also mentions the Pendleton Blanket that contains substances which can cause Alzheimer's.
- He then goes on to talk about "Abundance driven by the sun"; one of the ideals he works towards.
- "Intention of the human species" is then discussed. He states that the first question we ask ourselves as designers is; "How do we love the children of all species for all time?"
- McDonough then goes on to talk about how most corporations have a "Strategy of Tragedy" in that there are always negative end games such as global warming or mercury poisoning as a result of their existence. McDonough wants to see corporations with no end game, but an "infinite game". This is summed up in his manifesto; "Our goal is a delightfully diverse, safe, healthy and just world; with clean air, water, soil and power. Economicaly, equitably, ecologically and elegantly enjoyed."
- While referring to our age of oil, McDonough states that; "The Stone-Age didn't end because we ran out of stones."
- At this point in the lecture, William McDonough proceeds to cite a timeline of his development as a designer. He quotes his old college tutor, Roger Meyers;"Bill, you gotta understand...solar energy has nothing to do with architecture."
- The first chapter in Cradle 2 Cradle is called "This Book is Not a Tree." He expresses how he feels that it is degrading that something which is so complex is used to make something so banal; "Makes oxygen, sequesters carbon, fixes nitrogen, distills water, accrues solar energy as fuel, makes complex sugars and food, creates micro-climates, changes colour with the seasons and self replicates...lets knock it down and write on it!"
- The next section of the talk is under the heading "Growth is good" and McDonough muses over DNA and the ideas surrounding it. He talks about how growth is a precondition even for simple replication; how even simple life forms must have a free form of energy and how ther needs to be an open system of chemicals operating for the benefit of the organism and its reproduction. McDonough questions how we could apply these notions to the growth of businesses;
- "Could human artifice be a living thing? Therefore, the question becomes: What do you want to grow? "
- Another of the notions he describes is that of "Biological and Technical Nutrition"- materials in closed cycles that can be recycled infinitely.
- To the end of the lecture, he gives examples of his most recent work which includes work he has been doing for the Chinese government. He has designed several new cities for China, using the Cradle 2 Cradle model. Innovations include "waste-to-fertiliser" and "waste-to-natural gas" sewage systems and roof space which is used as argricultural land.
