How Sustainable Design Can Impact Consumerism

L6/3 Major Project Research Report – “How Will Sustainable Design Affect the Consumerist Society?”
– Fakrul Ahmad Azmey
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How Will Sustainable Design Affect the Consumerist Society?
Fakrul Ahmad Azmey
L6/3
BA (Hons) Product Design
A H M 09478651
Birmingham Institute of Art & Design

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1.0 Introduction
“Today’s consumption is undermining the environmental resource base. It is exacerbating
inequalities and the dynamics of the consumption-poverty-inequality-environment nexus are
accelerating. If the trends continue without change — not redistributing from high-income to low-
income consumers, not shifting from polluting to cleaner goods and production technologies, not
promoting goods that empower poor producers, not shifting priority from consumption for
conspicuous display to meeting basic needs — today’s problems of consumption and human
development will worsen.” Human Development Report 1998 Overview (1998)
Since ancient times, people of this planet have been obsessed with the behaviour of
personal wants & needs of material possession. What started out as dominance over the
need of material possession, later throughout history, became possession through fair trade
between materials of the same value or, known to more familiar terms as barter trading. It
was when economy was introduced to the world & the start of the industrial revolution,
which radically changed the worlds’ consumer behaviour. From packaged food to clothing to
furniture to the marketing & advertising of such products, mass production & distribution of
consumer goods inclined drastically. Within a short period of time, the increase in demand
was so high that the industry had to expand. Manufacturing factories bloomed like wild
mushrooms throughout the industrial world, mainly, the United Kingdom & parts of Europe.
These industrial size breeding grounds for waste are complete opposites of the term
environmentally friendly as they start to take their toll on ecology & the well being of the
planet. As technology evolved at an increasingly rapid pace, the manufacturing industry
grew too. The industry had to expand in order to survive the number of demands which
skyrocketed beyond what was produced & supplied which as a result, led to gigantic
amounts of waste, millions of tonnes of toxic material into air, water & soil, diminishing of
natural resources & the diminishing of diverse species & cultural practices.
CONSUMERISM & STANDARD OF LIVING;
“Between 1760 and 1860, technological progress, education, and an increasing capital stock,
transformed England into the workshop of the world. The industrial revolution, as the
transformation came to be known, caused a sustained rise in real income per person in England and,
as its effects spread, in the rest of the Western world. Historians agree that the industrial revolution
was one of the most important events in history, marking the rapid transition to the modern age.”
Nardinelli, Clark [no date] Industrial Revolution & the Standard of Living. 2
nd
Ed.

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Modern society & trends, or what sociologists refer to as socio-cultural evolution, demand
production of more useless wants rather than providing valuable needs. Clever corporate
idealist market & advertise their products, changing the perception of consumers from
wants to needs, providing them with the notion that is somewhat compulsory to have the
next best thing. Consumerism took its toll on the environment & well being off the planet.
With focus towards well-thought-out & eco-efficient product designs, can consumerism be
the solution to which apparently it has evidently caused? In present times, sustainable
consumer products & technology have already been around but seem to be overshadowed
by products of attractive packaging, clever catch phrases, advertising & marketing
campaigns. In this study, I focus on corporate case studies, consumer product designs &
ingenious technologies that have answered Mother Nature’s call & took matters into their
own hands by coming through with creative & innovative solutions in eco-efficiency &
sustainability in design & manufacturing. The main goal is to prove that clever breakthrough
designs or even the simple yet ingenious ones could reap the benefit of both, the well being
of the environment & stability of the worlds’ economy
The rapid change of industrialization divided the planet. Industrial countries developed
whilst leaving a trail of underdeveloped countries, most of them are poverty stricken due to
abuse of land or abuse of its people for cheap labour. The high demand in products requires
the use of natural resources & a large sum of it used as energy. Whether it is wood to
manufacture furniture or oil as an important medium for production, these natural
resources are of high value & apparently only available in certain parts of the world. The
value of natural resources increase as more & more are in demand to provide consumerist
behaviour & the never ending appetite for consumption of developed nations. Exploitation
of countries for their resources became the ‘easy’ way of doing it. Wars broke out which
evidently led to inequality of resource distribution. It’s funny that ‘easy’ was mentioned
earlier as statistics taken from the Human Development Report 1998 Overview (1998)
shows that the world military spending is the highest global spending priority which grossed
up to US$780 billion where as it only takes an accumulated amount of US$40 billion to
spend on basic education, water & sanitation, reproductive health for women, & basic
health & nutrition for the entire world. I guess spending billions of dollars on weapons of
mass destruction is ‘easier’ than spending a fraction of it for the good of the world!

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UNDERSTANDING CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR;
Let’s not just blame the world leaders just yet. If fingers are to be pointed, it should be
pointed to ourselves, the consuming consumers in a consumerist world. It was stated that
“Our consumption of goods obviously is a function of our culture. Only by producing and selling
things and services does capitalism in its present form work, and the more that is produced and the
more that is purchased the more we have progress and prosperity. The single most important
measure of economic growth is, after all, the gross national product (GNP), the sum total of goods
and services produced by a given society in a given year. It is a measure of the success of a consumer
society, obviously, to consume.” Robbins,Richard (1999) Global Problem and the Culture of Capitalism.
This, although being a positive outcome for a thriving nation such as the United States, is
actually a good example of how consumerism reflects on global inequality of distribution of
resources & wealth, & how several productions of its consumer goods severely affect the
well-being of the ecology. By understanding consumer behavior & sustainable design, by
means of gathering the required facts & figures &design case studies, a solution can be
conceptualized & designed with the main focus being on how well-thought-out product
designs can have a positive impact towards the consumerist society.
Currently, new systems of design that revolve around communication, production,
evolution, & exchange are being developed. All of which have the potential to create shared
wealth on an order of magnitude the world has yet to see. Design & its capacities promise
make this century a new era of wealth worldwide. The statistics from The Convergence of
the Human Development Index over time (1875 – 1995) show that for nearly 200 years
there has been a steady decline in the percentage of the world population living on less than
a dollar (US$1) a day, from 85% in 1820 to less than 5% today. Over the past 20 years,
despite an increase in world population of 1.6 billion, for the first time in history the number
living in poverty has dropped by 200 million.
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN;
We live & abide by a system, a system that is based upon the cycle of consumption. Without
sustainability in mind, the cycle will meet an end where there is nothing left to consume but
ourselves! I assume that with today’s advances in modern science & technology, sustainable
design is the path to be taken, but is it the path we’re on? Can consumerism survive if we
would want to live in a sustained ecological & equal world? The answer is not just a matter
of yes or no or even maybe, but yes. The information gathered in here depicts on the
positive change that sustainable design can have in our consumer-based ways. The
argument is, how will society adapt?

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2.0 Methodology
To ensure I acquire in-depth information & the statistical data relevant in carrying
out this report, I’ve decided to break-down my research & findings into several
categories based on the main question (title) & the outcome that I wish to achieve.
2.1 Web-based Findings
With little over 50 justifiable web-based sources & links, numerous published
& non-published web articles regarding sustainable design & consumerism,
these findings have helped provided me with a lot of data & information
regarding the present state of the world’s environment, consumption &
sustainable design issues as well as providing crucial numerical & statistical
data as you will find further into this reading.
Among the sources referred to from the World Wide Web include;
www.globalissues.org, www.unep.fr, www.globalcompact.org,
www.core77.com, www.fairtrade.org.uk, www.japanfs.org,
www.keynote.co.uk, www.un.org, www.deloitte.com,
www.mcdonough.com, www.treehugger.com, www.ecovativedesign.com,
www.poptech.org, www.nikebiz.com, www.ikea.com, www.yupousa.com,
www.naturalcollection.com, www.greengrowth.org,
www.blog.sustainablog.com & etc.
2.2 Published Readings
Similar to the internet, published readings gave me insight & useful
information on the topic of sustainable design. Different individual authors &
organizations have different perspectives concerning the matter, but each
share a general idea. Every published reading source referred to for the
purpose of this report inspired reason, argument, solutions & have very much
influenced the outcome of this report.
Numerous influential & idealistic books were referred to during the
preliminary stages. Those titles include Sustainable by Design (2006) by
Stuart Walker, Experimental Eco Design (2005) by Cara Bower & Rachel
Mallory, Massive Change (2004) by Bruce Mau, Cradle to Cradle (2002) by
Mcdonough & Braungart, The Total Beauty of Sustainable Products (2001) by
Edwin Datschefski, Design for Society (1997) by Nigel Whitely & etc.

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Furthermore, related articles, namely Designing for Sustainability: A
philosophy for Ecological Intentional Design by Nathan Stegall, The Rise &
Rise of ‘Anti Design’ by Martyn Perks, The Context of 'Low Product': How
designers can help articulate a new social language by Ann Thorpe, Tools of
Engagement: The New Practice of User-Centred Design by Robert Fabricant &
etc. were also viable references.
2.3 Other Sources
In addition to the internet, books & articles, I also referred to video blogs,
podcasts & documentaries mainly concerning global issues such as climate
change, sustainable design & design for consumers. Conference videos
acquired from PopTech has provided much in-depth insight towards the
social impact of new technologies, the forces of change shaping our future,
and new approaches to solving the world’s most significant challenges. The
speakers come from a global community of cutting-edge leaders, thinkers,
and doers from many different disciplines who are known for their thriving
community of thought-leaders, breakthrough innovation programs, visionary
annual conferences and deep media and storytelling capabilities.

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3.0 Sustainable Design & Eco-Efficiency
3.1 Consumer Trends
We are all consumers. Which a majority of, conform by consumerist trends.
Products are made using resources from this earth. The development of products
comes either to supply rising demand of certain needs or commodities within a
certain target market, or, to create needs within a target market. 21st
century
consumerism revolves more around the later. This trend is fuelled by the economy &
influence of social culture. In the book, Global Problem and the Culture of Capitalism
(1999), Richard Robbins writes, “Our consumption of goods obviously is a function of
our culture. Only by producing and selling things and services does capitalism in its
present form work, and the more that is produced and the more that is purchased
the more we have progress and prosperity. The single most important measure of
economic growth is, after all, the gross national product (GNP), the sum total of
goods and services produced by a given society in a given year. It is a measure of the
success of a consumer society, obviously, to consume.” Yet the GNP & GDP (Gross
domestic product) only takes into account economic activity. As revealed in the
book, Cradle to Cradle (2002), countries all over the world wants to increase their
level of economic activity. Boosting production & manufacturing & encouraging
people to buy & spend more is one way doing just that as proven by developed
nations, nations of G7 & GCC. But in that pursuit towards economic growth, social
equality, ecological impact, cultural activity & long-term effects can be overlooked.
External Trade Diversification & Economic Stability in the G7, GCC & Transformation Economies
1. Export data are net of re-exports & include only exports of non-oil goods – thus are not inclusive of
export services
2. Average data ranges vary for the different countries depending on data availability
Diagram (a) : taken from: Economic Diversification; The Road to Sustainable Development report (2008)

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However, the production, processing, and consumption, of commodities requires the
extraction and use of natural resources (wood, ore, fossil fuels, and water); it
requires the creation of factories and factory complexes whose operation creates
toxic byproducts, while the use of commodities themselves (e.g. automobiles)
creates pollutants and waste. Yet of the three factors environmentalists often point
to as responsible for environmental pollution — population, technology, and
consumption — consumption seems to get the least attention. One reason, no
doubt, is that it may be the most difficult to change. Our consumption patterns are
so much a part of our lives that to change them would require a massive cultural
overhaul, not to mention severe economic dislocation. A drop in demand for
products, as economists note, brings on economic recession or even depression,
along with massive unemployment as which the world just so recently encountered.
Such trends within our society will evidently lead to developments that are
destructive to the environment, a contributing factor to poverty around the world, a
contributing factor to hunger amongst such immense wealth and numerous other
social and ecological problems as stated in a web article by Anup Shah entitled
Effects of Consumerism (1995). While consumption has of course been a part of our
history, in the last 100 years or so, the level of mass consumption beyond basics has
been exponential and is now a fundamental part of many economies. Luxuries that
had to be turned into necessities for profiteering and entire cultural habits & social
activities had to be transformed to fuel this consumer trend of consumption.

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3.2 Design for Sustainability
In an interview back in 2009, ‘green’ architect, Andrew Maynard said,
"Sustainability is like teenage sex. Everybody says they're doing it, very few people
actually are doing it. Those that are doing it are doing it badly.” The statement is true
in the sense that sustainable design is still a very vast subject which many have
started to explore. Yes, indeed many are ‘doing it’ but for what reason?
Sustainability, green, eco-friendly, eco-efficient are all catch phrases thrown around
so very often nowadays that it has become a trend, similar to that of an art era such
as the Renaissance or Modern Art & Art Noveau. In his book, Sustainable by Design
(2006), Stuart Walker referred sustainable design as what is in reality, an embryonic,
dynamic & volatile area of human endeavour. This, meaning that sustainable design
may be defined differently depending on perspectives & different contexts.
However, sustainable design wouldn’t actually be sustainable design, if it wasn’t
100% truly sustainable by all means. William Mcdonough & Micheal Braungart wrote
in their book Cradle to Cradle (2002) that “less bad is no good!” & that the ‘be less
bad’ approach is a failure of the human imagination. The two books reveal certain
truths to their claims, Walker’s book takes a slightly timid approach in comparison to
Mcdonough & Braungart’s bold statements & ‘in your face’ approach but both have
similar takes on sustainable design.
As predicted by many individuals, writers, environmentalist, organizations & even
few industrialists, the world’s culture of consumption will evidently cause the rapid
depleting of natural resources, climate change, species extinction, acid rain,
deforestation, ozone depletion & soil loss. Not to forget the population crisis. All of
these issues will have a great impact on world politics, economics & public policies.
The well-being of this planet is as important as keeping the human race alive, if not
more important. The ideal sustained environment is where there is equal balance
between ecology, economy & social equity whereby each category is affected by one
another. This is the world as many see it in the 21st
century.
Diagram (b) : Relation of Sustainability
Ecological & social issues are becoming more important than ever, & a vital new role
is opening up for design. Current products that are in the market may seem beautiful
& aesthetically pleasing to the naked eye, as Edwin Datschefski puts it, “an

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underlying ugliness”. This term refers to invisible environmental impacts that
products have whether during the design stage, production stage or consumer
usage. For instance, the typical computer designs, despite a higher recycle rate, 30
million computers are dumped, incinerated & shipped as waste exports or put into a
temporary storage. Same goes for other products like plastic chairs, clothing,
magazines which contain harmful materials or emit harmful chemicals during the
production process.
It’s no longer enough for products just to have pleasing aesthetics & serve to simplify
people in doing daily routines. In order to have a future generation live a more
sustained environment, design of products, mainly consumer products, will have to
rely on a more sustainable production/manufacturing approach.
3.3 Sustainable Products & Breakthroughs
Cyclic, solar, safe, efficient & social are the main factors that define a
sustainable product. Edwin Datschefski claims that 99% of all environmental
innovations use one or more of the aforementioned principles. Sustainable living is
fairly possible nowadays unlike a few decades ago, when the term ‘green’ & ‘eco-
friendly’ were just concepts & ideas of a sustainable future to preserve the well
being of the planet for future generations.
The 11th
International Eco-Products 2009, Tokyo, showcased many new sustainable
& eco-efficient technologies from Japan. Japanese environmental technologies are
considered by some to be the best in the world. However, these technologies have
not expanded as much as expected, and the issues related to global warming are
becoming more urgent. To encourage wider use of environmentally friendly
products, people cannot simply rely on businesses or technologies to lead the way;
they need to make use of social power, which includes the power of the national and
local governments, NPOs, students and citizens. Eco-Products 2009 is an exhibition
of the power of business persons, the consuming public and students, as well as
companies and governments. Such products shown at the exhibition are the food
products where the use of tea leaf residues is used to make fragrant plastic bags and
stationary, where as in the bioplastics area, Japanese companies Braskem and
Toyota Tsusho have created the world's first 100% green polyethylene made from
sustainable, renewable Brazilian sugarcane ethanol. Furthermore, cutting edge
photovoltaic technologies developed by Kyocera Corporation & A One Meditec Corp
Ltd, a company displaying new multiple LED tubes that can directly replace old
fluorescent tubes using the same fittings, was also part of the technological
breakthroughs showcased at the fair. A One Meditec Corp Ltd’s breakthrough could
possibly cause dramatic reduction in utilities costs and carbon emissions. The huge
efforts of Japanese companies in areas ranging from conservation to carbon
reduction strategies has shown me the scale of commitment this nation has to
preserving this world for future generations.

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Image (a) : A One Meditec Corporation Ltd. Image (b) : Kyocera Corporation
Developments in solar energy have brought forth many new consumer products.
Products with PV cells range from calculators, radios to mobile phones, watches,
cameras, bikes & cars. Products like the Patagonia fleece which uses renewable
energy to produce this product & is made out of 90% post consumer recycled (PCR)
polyester, Citizen Promaster tough solar watch which uses photovoltaic (PV) cells
thus zero emissions, the Seiko thermic watch which is cleverly designed to turn body
heat into electricity & the Brompton folding bicycle which folds & allows it to be
brought in trains & keep in offices, a sustainable solution towards urban
transportation.
The term “re-“ is very important in identifying a product to be sustainable. Terms
such as recycle, remanufacture, refurbish & re-use are ways of having a continuous
cycle of materials. The down side is the materials quality degrades after every cycle.
This is referred to as down-cycle. Grown materials, however are cyclic in origin & has
a higher % of being up-cycled.

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Image (c) : Can O’ Worms
Image (d) : Aeron Office chair

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Image (e) : Ecobin
Image (f) : Remarkable pencils

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Image (c) is a waste processor. It’s called “Can O’ Worms” & is the worlds’ first
domestic continuous cycle composter. The sustainable characteristics of this product
is that it’s cyclic whereby it creates compost, it makes use of direct solar heating &
requires no dumping or waste collection.
Image (d) is the Aeron chair. A heavy & durable office furniture where, by its’ weight
is two thirds recyclable. The parts of the chair are easy to disassemble & labelled for
recycling. Not a perfect sustainable product but has a few positive characteristics of
one.
Image (e) is a simple product with a simple design. The product is called “Ecobin”, a
simple heavy wire structure that holds old plastic bags that can be operated as a
pedal bin. The product is not just sustainable but encourages sustainability especially
in terms of recycling waste.
Images (f) are recyclable pencils made from post consumer disposable products;
vending cup, called Remarkable pencils. Everyday items such as pens & pencils &
vending cups & other everyday products that are simply disposed of require a
sustainable solution such as this to avoid landfills & emissions from plastic
manufacturers.
Image (g) is the Emeco Hudson chair designed by Philipe Starck. Made up of 85%
recycled aluminium & is considered to be really strong, thus long lasting, thus can be
used over & over again thus less factory time thus less pollution & carbon emissions.
Requires minimal maintenance aside from polycarbonate glides on the foot, the
entire thing is recyclable.
Image (h) is a sustainable design for a photocopying machine developed by Xerox.
The product is called Xerox DC265 & is 98% ‘re-manufacturable’. Designed with
fewer machine parts & cuts power consumption in half in comparison to
conventional copiers. What’s sustainable is that if almost 100% of product is
reusable, which means less waste, less landfill, less overall material use & more
cyclic.

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Image (g) : Emeco Hudson chair
Image (h) : Xerox DC265
The book Eco-experimental Design by Cara Brower & Rachel Mallory (2005) explores
creative solutions towards designing stylish & practical products for today whilst
taking into consideration its lifespan & degradability to protect the environment &
help create a sustainable future. The book reviews various low impact solutions in
material usage such as recyclable paper & cardboard to make furniture & bamboo as
a substitute to timber based products.

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3.4 Corporate Goal: Eco-Efficiency & the Sustainable Approach
Mega corporations & large scale manufacturing companies have grown over
the past few decades. The key to a growing success is to always keep up with the
times & stay true to the nature of the business. Acquiring cheap labour, abusing
natural resources & finding cheap ways to get rid of waste is even better for
business, but highly unethical! Highly unethical & yet it happens, which reflects upon
the entire system or modus operandi of the manufacturing & production industry.
Competition during the times of economic slumps push companies to desperation &
in that desperation will resort to unsustainable means just to stay afloat. As
population increases, the availability of natural resources decreases, raising costs
and causing consumers to choose and regulators to act. A sustainable approach may
be the saviour for both consumers & producers.
Zero Waste, Close the Loop, or other similar titles bearing the eco-
banner are closed loop, eco-cycle concepts: The companies know it,
environmentalists know it, the people know it, and the world knows it!
Many large corporations that are involved in mass production of consumer goods
are now heading towards the eco-efficient, eco-friendly sustainable path, so they
claim. Much are true towards these statements, for instance NIKE Inc’s “The Green
Xchange” program applies several key guidelines in taking its business to a more
sustainable approach. Simple pointers such as products designed could be reused &
reborn, waste nothing, apply nothing to the product or process that can cause harm
& to seek fossil fuel independence.
NIKE, Inc. based near Beaverton, Oregon, is the world's leading designer, marketer
and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories
for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities. Wholly-owned Nike subsidiaries
include Cole Haan, which designs, markets and distributes luxury shoes, handbags,
accessories and coats; Converse Inc.; Hurley International LLC and Umbro Ltd., a
leading United Kingdom-based global football (soccer) brand. The opportunity is
greater than ever for corporate responsibility principles and practices to deliver
business returns and become a driver of growth, to build deeper consumer and
community connections and to create positive social and environmental impact in
the world.
In 2008, Nike debuted Nike Considered Design, its latest products which combine
sustainability principles with the newest innovations for sport. Nike Considered
Design is featured in all of Nike’s six key categories: basketball, running, football
(soccer), women’s training, men’s training and sportswear, as well as in tennis and
ACG (All Condition Gear). Nike’s best selling running shoe, the Pegasus, celebrating
its 25th anniversary, is the first pinnacle running shoe to be Nike Considered Design.
“As we look at how we design and develop products and run our global business, it’s
not enough to be solving the challenges of today,” said President and CEO Mark
Parker. “We are designing for the sustainable economy of tomorrow, and for us that

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means using fewer resources, more sustainable materials and renewable energy to
produce new products.”
Lorrie Vogel, Nike Considered GM said: “Nike has made huge strides in designing
more sustainable products but we know we can’t continue to tap into the earth’s
declining resources to make new and more innovative products. We have to unlock
the power of collective innovation to create a future where you can literally turn an
old shoe into a new shoe or an old shirt into a new shirt. That currently isn’t possible
because we don’t have access to the ideal sustainable and recyclable materials to
make these products in the first place.”
Diagram (c) : NIKE’s Global Footprint

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Diagram (d) : NIKE’s Zero Waste Concept
On another note, IKEA, for example, uses the "e-wheel" to understand and evaluate
the environmental impact of their products. The "e-wheel" has several checkpoints,
which are divided into five phases: raw material, manufacturing, distribution, use
and end of life. They also have their own forest tracing policy. This policy enforces
IKEA suppliers to regularly report the origin, volume and species of all wood used in
IKEA products. This information and a risk assessment are used to select a number of
wood supply chains for closer evaluation. IKEA forestry specialists audit the
suppliers' and sub-suppliers´ wood supply from the factory all the way back to the
forest of origin. Rainforest Alliance Smart Wood Program, a third-party auditor,
complements the IKEA auditing system by conducting a limited number of wood
supply chain audits.
Diagram (e) : IKEA’s e-Wheel

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Figure (a) : IKEA’s Turnover to date
Figure (b) : IKEA’s Visitors to date
Ever since its introduction to the world, IKEA has only increased its visitor count &
annual turnover. Most of the developed world either has had or currently have or
will soon enough have IKEA furniture in their home. It all started from Ingvar
Kamprad, the founder of IKEA. Ingvar's innovative idea was to offer home furnishing
products of good function and design at prices much lower than competitors by
using simple cost-cutting solutions that did not affect the quality of products. Ingvar
used every opportunity to reduce costs, and he scraped and saved in every way
possible - except on ideas and quality. This is how the IKEA Concept began.
It was a major issue a while back, oblivious to some, but many still remember the
report on how IKEAs’ plywood & MDF-based furniture contain traces of
formaldehyde, a chemical substance known to cause a number of detrimental
effects towards humans & has been classified as a known human carcinogen (cancer-
causing substance) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and as a

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probable human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This led
IKEA to come up with a policy complying with the new EU legislation on chemicals,
REACH. Such policies include safer products, both for the environment and human
health, phasing-out the use of questionable substances, for instance; IKEA has set an
early voluntary ban on PVC (decided 1991) except in cables, an early ban of all
organic brominates flame retardants in furniture (effective from 2000) and a ban on
formaldehyde emitting paints and lacquers on all products (effective from 1993).
Consumers are more aware & have become more knowledgeable in terms of where
products come from & how, when & where it was made. Majority of medium to
large manufacturing companies are becoming more transparent. Disclosing factory
base encourages transparency and collaboration. In 2005, Nike was the first
company in its industry to disclose its factory list. This strategic move provoked most
of the manufacturing world into doing the same thing as to show how ‘clean’ their
business is & to silence environmentalists, tree-hugger societies & labour-concerned
organizations.
4.0 Consumerism Overview & Analysis
4.1 Global Issues: Consumerism & Consumption
As pointed out in a Global Issues web-article entitled Consumption &
Consumerism, the Humans Development Report 1998 Overview by the United
Nations Development Program (UNDP) stated that inequalities in consumption are
stark. Globally, the 20% of the world’s people in the highest income countries
account for 86% of total private consumption expenditures — the poorest 20% a
minuscule 1.3%. More specifically, the richest fifth consume 45% of all meat and fish,
the poorest fifth 5%, consume 58% of total energy, the poorest fifth less than 4%,
have 74% of all telephone lines, the poorest fifth 1.5%, consume 84% of all paper,
the poorest fifth 1.1% & own 87% of the world’s vehicle fleet, the poorest fifth less
than 1%.
Global Priority $U.S. Billions
Cosmetics in the United States 8
Ice cream in Europe 11
Perfumes in Europe and the United States 12
Pet foods in Europe and the United States 17
Business entertainment in Japan 35
Cigarettes in Europe 50
Alcoholic drinks in Europe 105
Narcotics drugs in the world 400
Military spending in the world 780

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Global Priority $U.S. Billions
Basic education for all 6
Water and sanitation for all 9
Reproductive health for all women 12
Basic health and nutrition 13
4.2 Green Consumer: Market Study
Figure (c) : taken from 2009 GMA Deloitte Green Shopper Study
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) together with Deloitte, USA
(an auditing, consulting, financial advisory, risk management, and tax services
provider) teamed up to conduct a study to examine the behaviour of consumers
related to the purchase of sustainable products. They conducted a direct study of
more than 6,498 shopper experiences in 11 major retailers of varying formats to
understand the characteristics of the green shopper and to examine their shopping
responses to sustainability issues. They examined the characteristics and the
behaviours of these shoppers in greater detail to understand the emerging green
shopper and the market opportunity to serve them.

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Breakdown of Shoppers by Green Purchasing Development Level
Figure (d) : taken from 2009 GMA Deloitte Green Shopper Study
% of Green Purchases Based on Product Categories
Figure (e) : taken from 2009 GMA Deloitte Green Shopper Study
Boston Business Wire AMP Agency, an Alloy Media & Marketing company recently
released findings from “Green AMPlified”, a national survey of more than 3,000
consumers between the ages 18-49 conducted to unearth a solid understanding of
the current state of “Green”, its meaning and impact on consumer’s lifestyle and
purchasing behaviours and to provide vital learning’s for marketers endeavouring to
attract increasingly environmentally and socially conscious customers.

23
The survey went on to state that over half (53%) of consumers factor a company’s
social and environmental activities into their purchasing decisions and while overall,
consumer’s personal actions to protect the environment show minimal sacrifice in
terms of changing one’s lifestyle, consumers are ready to reward those companies
that prove their commitment to the cause. In fact, after learning a company is
environmentally friendly, the study found that 57% are likely to trust the company,
60% are likely to purchase its products, and 58% are likely to recommend the
company or its products to others.
“Our study aimed to uncover how the growing “Green” movement is impacting the
way consumers perceive, evaluate and talk about companies and brands,” stated
Anastasia Toomey, SVP, Consumer Insights, AMP Agency. “What became evident is
that “Green” is redefining business as usual. Consumers are becoming more savvy
and inquisitive, increasingly challenging companies and their green claims and
efforts and demanding certain factors in exchange for their loyalty. But, with that
also lies ample opportunity for brands to impact consumers in a positive way no
matter what shade of green that customer may be.”
The results of a survey on corporate social responsibility (CSR) and consumer
spending behavior was released on February 24, 2009, by Takahashi Ikuo, Professor
of the Faculty of Business and Commerce at Keio University, and NTT Resonant Inc.,
the Japanese provider of online survey service "Goo Research." According to the
survey, about 50 percent of consumers said they had purchased environment-
friendly products and products with a part of their sales donated to developing
countries.
The people that completed the survey said they mainly buy food and daily
necessities, and most often buy them in stores, but admitted they are not always
aware of environmental issues. Seventy percent of those who have never bought
green products said they would like to buy them in the future. If the price remains
the same or within 10 percent, many people said they would choose them. Many of
those not willing to "buy green" are unsure if doing so will really contribute to
society; they also think prices are higher.
Three surveys done in 3 different pools show more than 50% are leaning towards
green consumerism. It’s no argument that people around the world are noticing that
they can contribute in a sustainable future. These surveys show that, in order to
further the sale of green products or products for a donation program, it is key that
consumers feel that buying those products contributes to society and that their
prices are reasonable. However, the argument still valid here is that social inequality
is still remains a massive issue. Consumers in the developed regions of the world
have that luxury of choice, quality & quantity, which in some parts of the world have
not.

24
4.3 The Future of Consumerism: Post Analysis
The events of the past & the present times provide adequate knowledge for
designers, innovators & thinkers to provide the world with initial ideas & concepts
for a more sustainable way of living. Edwin Datschefski’s book, The Total Beauty of
Sustainable products (2001) creatively tells a story of how one can live with normal
consumer products whilst taking sustainability into consideration in everyday life. A
recent market research study done by Key Note, UK (2008) concerning green &
ethical consumers show that 83.5% are leaning towards energy saving & 88.9% are
leaning towards recycling in the UK. Furthermore, as shown 4.2 Green Consumer:
Market study, several surveys that were conducted show that more than 50% show
leniency towards buying ‘green’. Designers play a huge factor in influencing such
promising numbers as Nathan Stegall states in his article that designers have direct
influence over the actions of individuals & communities & evoke attitude change &
also shape society in surprisingly fundamental ways.
Image (i) : Phillipe Starck’s wind turbine, Democratic Ecology
PopTech is a renowned thought leadership and unique innovation network
dedicated to accelerating the positive impact of world-changing people, projects,
and ideas. It is one among many of networks & groups dedicated in creating
solutions for a more sustained environment. The research & development efforts
put together can harness new ground breaking technology in sustainability, design,
production & manufacturing. As what may seem radical ideas today, can become
mainstream tomorrow.

25
5.0 Conclusion
Based on the findings & arguments acquired & achieved, it is in my opinion that
sustainable design still has quite a challenging journey ahead of it in terms of
creating a healthier, more environmentally & economically balanced future.
Nevertheless, a drastic incline in green awareness amongst consumers within the
past decade has brought new discoveries & breakthroughs in designing & developing
eco-efficient consumer products. These products will no doubt help shape the way
people live. Consumer behaviour is not just behaviour, but rather a trend. &
products with the “sustainable” or “eco” label are currently high in demand. A
successful eco-efficient design for a consumer product is not considered fully
sustainable until it has completed its full eco-cycle, which in this case, minimal
negative impact towards the earth, zero to minimal waste & ready to be 100%
reused or reborn as a different product. As written earlier into the report, the issue
of whether a sustainable product is truly sustainable still remain curious to
consumers. But judging by the path of consumer products evolution, market trends
& consumer trends, it is most likely that society will be living more “green” in the
future. Hopefully with a more stable economy & equality slowly shifting towards the
right direction, the natural environment too, would be in a stable condition.
As the main question still remains subjective, the answers to which is embedded
within this piece, may seem obvious to some, as obvious as day. Nevertheless to
others, may contradict & raise questions & debate, or even encourage interest to
seek out truth however best it is towards individual perception & understanding.
As the higher-evolved-intelligent species that consume most of what makes this
earth, answer yourself, this: If design is a choice & sustainability being a direction,
are the choices you make leading you to the right direction? In the words of Arnold J.
Toynbee, English Historian, “The twentieth century will be chiefly remembered by future
generations not as an era of political conflicts or technical inventions, but as an age in which
human society dared to think of the welfare of the whole human race as a practical
objective.” The cycle of the rise & decline of mankind is inevitable, but civilization
could, & has been proven to have done so over & over again, choose & act wisely in
the times of recurring hardships & sufferings.

26
6.0 References
[1] Walker, S., 2006. Sustainable by design. Earthscan.
[2] Bower, C. & Mallory, R., 2005. Experimental eco design:
architecture/fashion/products. Rotovision.
[3] Mau, B., 2004. Massive change: A manifesto for the future global
design culture. Phaidon
[4] McDonough, W. & Braungart, M., 2002. Cradle to cradle: Remaking
the way we make things. First edition: North Point Press.
[5] Datschefski, E., 2001. The total beauty of sustainable products.
Rotovision.
[6] Whiteley, N., 1994. Design for society. New edition: Reaktion Books.
[7] Stegall, N., Designing for sustainability: A philosophy for ecological
intentional design.
[8] Perks, M., The rise & rise of ‘anti-design’.
[9] Thorpe, A., The Context of 'Low Product': How designers can help
articulate a new social language.
[10] Fabricant, R., Tools of Engagement: The New Practice of User-
Centred Design.
[11] Consumption & consumerism, 2008. Available from:
http://www.globalissues.org [Accessed 12 December 2009].
[12] Effects of consumerism, 2008. Available from:
http://www.globalissues.org [Accessed 12 December 2009].
[13] Regulation & re-design: tapping innovation & creativity to preserve
the commons, 2003. Available from: http://www.mcdonough.com
[Accessed 12 December 2009].

27
[14] Climate Leadership Makes Sense for Business and the Environment
Let the Clean Economy Begin, 2009. Available from:
http://www.nikebiz.com/responsibility/ [Accessed 12 December 2009].
[15] Nike’s Considered Design Products Redefining Performance and
Sustainability, 2009. Available from:
http://www.nikebiz.com/responsibility/considered_design/features/nik
es_considered_design_products.html [Accessed 12 December 2009].
[16] Swoosh Goes Green Nike Facilities More Sustainable, 2009.
Available from: http://www.nikebiz.com [Accessed 12 December 2009].
[17] IKEA and the new EU legislation on chemicals, REACH, 2009.
Available from: http://www.ikea.com [Accessed 12 December 2009].
[18] The IKEA concept, 2009. Available from: http://www.ikea.com
[Accessed 12 December 2009]
[19] IKEA GROUP, 2008. Sustainability report.
[20] GMA Deloitte, 2009. Sustainability trends & new shopper insights.
Grocery manufacturers association & Deloitte development LLC.
[21] Booz Allen Hamilton, 2008. Economic diversification: The road to
sustainable development. USA: Booz Allen Hamilton Inc.
[22] Consumers Seeing Green but Eco-Challenging Brands to Show Their
True Color, 2009. Available from:
http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_vi
ew&newsId=20080730005365&newsLang=en [Accessed 12 December
2009].
[23] Shreeves, R. 31 July, 2008. Whose Responsibility is Sustainable
Consumerism? Available from: http://blog.sustainablog.org/whose-
responsibility-is-sustainable-consumerism/ [Accessed 12 December
2009].

28
[24] UNEP & TUDelft, 2009. Design for sustainability: A practical
approach for developing economies. Available from:
http://www.unglobalcompact.org/docs/issues_doc [Accessed 12
December 2009]
[25] Emmings, J., Eco products exhibition, 2009. Available from:
http://www.econetworks.jp/eco-product-
support.en/about_ecoproducts/broadcast_from_ecoproducts_exh.php
[Accessed 12 December 2009]
[26] Vogel, L., Pioneering designs. Video. Available from:
http://poptech.org/popcasts/lorrie_vogel_pioneering_designs [Accessed
12December 2009]

29
7.0 Appendices
Wireless charging is a fairly new technology. The main idea is to avoid the mess &
clutter of cables & wires & like many other new product designs, to create a simpler
way of doing things for people –in this case, charging electrical products such as
hand phones, smart phones, portable games console, mp3 player & other handheld
devices which so many are already & going to be in the market. Current products in
the market include Powermat, Wildcharge, Powerpad for the iphone & etc. This
project requires further analysis & study on how wireless charging works, the
technology involved & how it is made. Furthermore, with the current issues being
sustainable designs & eco-efficiency, the main aspect of the proposed design is to
ensure the product is solar, cyclic & safe from the process of making it to using, to
disposing/reusing of it. In making it solar, the requirements mean that all materials
flow & energy use is powered by photosynthesis, muscle or renewable energy. A lot
of products in this category either have mounted photovoltaic (PV) solar cells,
hooked up to a mains supply powered by wind, wave or biomass through to
products that are grown & operated by hand or human muscle power. Bearing this
as the foundation of the concept, the proposed concept is mainly the integration of
how energy is sourced & stored & used to serve various functions.
The idea of incorporating 2 or more designs into 1 has often been done by
designers. The main goal is to create added value towards a certain product by
giving it more features, functions & to create convenience for consumer/user. The
main goal of this proposed design/concept is to be able to harness solar energy by
means of converting excess heat/waste heat or using the sun (PV) or by
manipulating gravity into electricity which besides storing electricity can also be
used as something different; for instance – furniture, be it a chair or a desk. With
the energy stored, the product can then serve a different purpose; for instance –
wirelessly charge handheld or portable devices. With today’s trend of mobility &
communication, more & more portable & multifunctional products are coming into
the market. The intent here is to not design another consumer product, but do
design a service product that can integrate with current & future consumer
products, a piece of equipment installed in public institutions, offices, service
stations, public facilities & etc. furthermore, the design/concept has to be modular
so that it can suit itself/mesh with different layouts & spaces that serve different
purposes. & like any other product design, appealing aesthetics is also a decisive
factor. As an overview, the proposed design will basically be a modular piece of
furniture with built in capability of energy generation & storage or can still be
plugged into a 13A socket & to use that energy to wirelessly charge
portable/handheld devices.

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