Blog 7

Blog 7

1. In Chapter 1, on the first page, Papanek exhorts that we each examine our ethical responsibilities towards our eco-system, based on our specific role in society.

Describe how you could, or already are, making an undertaking to consider the impact of your work/ lifestyle on the environment.

On an individual or family level, I always try my best to make less impact on our environment. I always consider sharing ride with my friends when we go to school or go shopping together and I drive a economical car. I separate and recycle the garbage perfectly and I always use eco-friendly bags when buying groceries. I donate old or unused clothes to Salvation Army instead of throwing them away. As a student, I store my data in my computer instead of having hard copies. If I have to print out my works, I will try to paint them out double sided for less paper consumption.

Do you agree with Papanek that environmental considerations are a contemporary necessity for designers? Why?

Yea I do agree with Papanek on this. I think environmental considerations are for everyone and every sole in the society especially for designers. If designers could come out with some eco-friendly and environmental-friendly ideas and take the lifetime of the product into consideration, this will reduce the waste that generated during production. If designers could choose more recyclable materials, the products would become raw materials again rather than waste.

2. In Chapter 2, pg. 29- 32, Papanek describes 6 stages to consider for designers to produce environmentally sound projects. Find a “green star” rated building or an “eco-friendly” product in a journal or on the internet with enough information provided to answer the following: How does the object or building fit into Papanek’s 6 categories? Is the product or building really Green?

                                 http://www.carbonfund.org/site/uploads/biz_motorola.png 

·      Choice of material

The MOTO w233 Renew delivers the quality you expect from a Motorola device while empowering you to reduce your carbon footprint. Not only is the plastic housing of Renew made from plastics comprised of recycled water bottles and 100 percent recyclable, but it is also the world’s first Carbon Free Certified phone.

·      The manufacture processes

Motorola offsets the carbon dioxide required to manufacture, distribute and operate the phone through investments in third-party validated renewable energy and reforestation projects.

·      Packaging the product

When designing the packaging, Motorola was able to reduce its size by 22 percent and the box and all of the materials inside are printed on 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper. In addition, a postage-paid recycling envelope in box makes it easy to return your previous mobile phone for recycling at no cost.

·      The finished product

Although MOTO w233 does the same job as all other mobile phones do, it is unique in its category. This one of a kind mobile device will certainly make the right impact with consumers and the environment.

·      Transporting the product

Transporting the product is more eco-friendly compared with transporting other mobile phones as MOTO w233 has a 22% smaller package. Other than that, transporting the product will have no difference with other mobile phones.

·      Waste

Although it’s an eco-friendly phone, I doubt that the battery will become waste after its useable lifetime.

Works cited:

http://www.carbonfund.org/site/more/carbonfree_partner/motorola1 

http://www.carbonfund.org/site/uploads/biz_motorola.png 

 

Blog 5

Blog 5

Please describe in words your impressions of Auckland air quality; either how it looks or how it feels to 'breathe in'. You can describe your experiences in terms of senses or ‘affects’. When do you most notice the air? What are your memories and impressions of Auckland's air quality?

                                            Photo was taken in 2009 at my home yard.

As a student from China, I found that Auckland’s air quality is extremely high compared with the air quality in China. China has the world’s largest population and developed fast at the cost of sacrifice the environment. I could barely see crystal-clear blue sky in China in the past 10 years as most of the time the sky was a bit foggy. I have been in New Zealand for 4 years. I can clearly remember the day I first arrived at Auckland airport. I could not believe how clean Auckland city was and how blue the sky was. One thing really surprised me was that the cloud was moving incredibly fast and I guess it was just too windy. So I feel like every time I breathe in it was always the fresh air from the Ocean Pacific. I have lived in Auckland city for two years then moved to St Johns area. I personally feel that the air quality of the suburban area is better than Auckland city’s and the air quality in the morning and evening is better than the daytime’s. No matter what we cannot ignore over 600,000 vehicles and large number of smokers in Auckland, so the fewer households a suburb contain the better air quality the suburb will be. Besides Auckland city centre has less parks or reserves than suburb has. St Johns area has a couple of reserves and parks and even a large golf course. Overall as I have experienced myself, I don’t feel that the air quality has changed in the 4 years since I have been in Auckland but I do feel that Suburban area has better air quality that city centre.