Which is better?

What does “better” mean?

The paper bag might be better because it’s made from renewable resources and is biodegradable
The plastic bag might be better because it’s more durable and a lot lighter (burning much less energy in
transportation).

How about no bag?

 Which is better for the environment?

Toyota Hummer

Manufacturing
Transportation
Use
48/45 2008 EPA mpg (city/highway) 11/17 2008 EPA mpg (city/highway)

Disposal
~100K miles? Lifetime? 200K-300K miles?
Design for Use
(Usability, Accessibility, Clarity & Meaning)

The first thing you can do as a designer is to make things that are useful and usable. More meaningful products,
services, and events will be around a lot longer than trendy, dissatisfying ones. Usable items aren’t quickly discarded in
favor of alternatives. All about customers, therefore, customer and design research techniques are critical to know.
Dematerialization
(Materials, Energy & Transportation)

Dematerialization is easy: Do not own, reduce (materials, energy, and transportation as much as possible
throughout the entire lifecycle: manufacturing, distribution, use, servicing, recycling, and disposal, packaging
and collaterals) Your solutions can even dematerialize other products and services.
 Transmaterialization

Zip Cars

Where possible, turn products into services. Items are almost always used more efficiently, and better maintained, when
parts of services and services focus on delivery value instead of stuff. Rental agencies have been doing this for a long
time.
 Informationalization

Send the recipe, not the dish. Instead of building emergency housing and shipping it all over the world,
Architecture for Humanity’s Open Architecture Network helps people build their own with plans that can
use local materials and indigenous labor
Design for Reuse (intended)
Reuse of Materials, Energy, Components, and Functions

RePack is a reusable and returnable delivery packaging designed with reuse in mind. It is best suited for

soft goods. The reusable packaging is made from recycled material and designed for at least 40 use
cycles. Packaging is adjustable and does not ship any air
Design for Disassembly

Rickshaw Zero bag

Redesign products to have fewer parts, be quickly and easily taken apart with few tools. Don’t
permanently attach or laminate parts and avoid using paints. Label all parts clearly so recyclers know
what to do with them. When you get really good at this, your products won’t require any disassembly.
Rickshaw’s Zero bag is made from all Nylon--one material, hard and soft, the whole thing can be
recycled in one piece.
Close the Loop

Redesign your processes, institute take-back programs, and recycle at ever point. Work with
your partners, customers, supplies, and even competitors to rethink systems, share information
and resources, and ideas. Compete on high-value deliverables, not on low-value ones.

One Example:
https://www.e-education.psu.edu/eme807/node/624
Measuring Results:
• Testing
• Labeling and Rating Systems
• LCA
• System
• Tools
• Regulations
• Etc…..