consumption

Designing for a Sustainable Future

- Adam Clare 1 Comment

An Australian industrial designer, Paul Charlwood, has decided that disposable design is a waste. We’ve talked about consumerism here before and how it has a negative effect on the environment, but Charlwood wants to change our mind on that matter by encouraging consumerism to be something that can last.

Once Charlwood turned his mind to sustainability it meant reassessing his design philosophies. He decided he no longer wanted to design throwaway products, which led to him embracing “classic design” – products that you don’t need to, or want to, discard.

Charlwood’s conversion to environmentalism has coincided with what he sees as a “second wave” of environmentalism.

Consumers Can Make a Difference

- Adam Clare

Continuing this week’s focus on the successful Blog Action Day is an editorial from LifeHack. Dustin Wax waxes ecstatic about how the best solution for the environment is for us to buy less, just stop consuming. I agree with his conclusion, but how he gets there is not something I will blindly support. It’s a good read though and I encourage to go read it (and also to buy less).

For most of us, simply dropping out, growing our own food and living off our own labor, is not an option and is hardly desirable even if it were an option. The answer to the dreadful over-consumption that fills our landfills with completely unnecessary crap, pollutes our water sources, kills off species after species (something like 40 a day!), and leaves us in a world of ever-diminishing beauty and diversity can’t be to drop out of consumption entirely, because it’s simply not an option.

But we can change the way we consume, and more importantly lessen the demands we place on consumption to complete us as individuals. This means developing a higher sense of self-reflexivity about what we do buy, and replacing our identities as consumers with identities as part of our families and communities — and maybe even as producers, once again.

Shop on the Fringe and be Healthy

- Adam Clare

Shopping on the periphery of grocery stores ensures that you’ll purchase healthier food than if you were to go down ever aisle. Life Hacker agrees with shopping outside the aisle.

That’s where all the fresh foods are. The less you find yourself in the central aisles of the grocery store, the healthier your shopping trip will be. Make it a habit–work the perimeter of the store for the bulk of your groceries, then dip into the aisles for staples that you know you need.

All Recipes has a list of ten ways that will help in your regular food shopping including buying organic and shopping on a full stomach.

Eat good to stay good 🙂

Climate Savers Computing Initiative

- Adam Clare

earth.jpgComputers are not the most efficient when it comes to energy use. It is great to see that a lot of computer manufactures have teamed up to create the Climate Savers Computing Initiative to improve the energy efficiency of electronics. Even if this is greenwashing, its better than having the companies ignore the environment.

Improving the energy efficiency of computers is a cost-effective way to reduce electricity consumption and the emission of greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.

The Climate Savers Computing Initiative brings together industry, consumers and conservation organizations to significantly increase the energy efficiency of computers and servers.

Previously:
Greenpeace Influences Apple
Bamboo Ecobook
Sun is the Greenest
Use Linux and be Sustainable

Save Money, Save the World

- Adam Clare

MSNBC has a quick and simple list on things that you can do to help you save money and the planet. They have a list of 10 carbon-reducing actions that you can take if you own a house and a car. Those who have neither may not find this list that useful, but there is a bonus tip #11!

From the list:

10. Think about your refrigerator. Don’t locate this particular appliance in direct sunlight or next to the stove or dishwasher. Also, unplug that extra fridge, especially if it’s just keeping a six-pack cold.

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