Nature's Beauty

            Throughout this week I learned so many things from my research and the research of others. I believe that nature was the most reoccurring idea in most of the blogs. Jessica reminded me in her blog, “we have lost our connection with nature.” This is a very valid point. We as a culture are so focused on our newfound technology. How many times a day do you see people texting, or listening to an iPod, or watching TV? I am guilty of all of these things. The problem is that we as a society have lost touch of the world around us. This to me is one reason why sustainability has not yet become an everyday factor for the whole of society. We get wrapped up in material things, and don’t always take a breath to admire or protect our world. Nature is therefore being discarded. Kaitlin stated in her blog “sadly our world has gone down a path in which unsustainable practices are demolishing our ecosystems”. This is something that needs to change. We need to look to nature, and treat the world around us in the same way. We need to find ways of reusing the resources we have taken and put them back into different products or materials. We need to be more conservative. Nature doesn’t waste so why do we? Previously, in this century we as a community recycled our resources. Just think of the milkman, he came by to drop off milk every morning, the bottles were returned in the morning, and the milk would be again replaced. This is one thing we need to again grasp: re-using and recycling. Therefore, we need to look to nature, take in its beauty, and focus on ways to protect it. 

Sustainable DIY

Do-It-Yourself. How empowering, to be able to “do-it-yourself.” As a designer, I have seen the change in approaches of design in the world. Just by watching HGTV for a decade, I have seen the shows I watch transform from the original idea of designers coming up with unique solutions only they could create to the idea that the viewers could take their ideas and recreate them at home “easily.” How many times do you read in a magazine or watch on a television show a designer exclaiming how easy it is to recreate their “look” or how the viewer or reader can find similar items in shops near them? As a viewer or reader I feel empowered to create! Anne Thorpe discusses in The Designers Atlas of Sustainability the idea that when consumers are engaged in the products or artifacts they are purchasing more meaning is created. This means to me, that when someone is involved in making decisions about a purchase there will be a longer lasting and better result in the product. The same goes for “DIY” projects. The person will be happier with what they have and the product will be more utilized and kept for a longer period than just some random Wal-Mart particle board furnishing or Hanes T-shirt. Therefore, I am an avid “DIY” girl. The products that I spent time on or re-created are some of my favorite pieces or accessories. These items will be in my home for many years to come, whereas my cheap Wal-Mart finds will be simply discarded. DIY is the way to go!

 Incidentally a differing opinion in the media is shown in Anne Thorpe’s Atlas as she suggests that “much of what we see in visuality looks real but isn’t”. This is the negative image that is stereotypical of the media. However, because of our “watching nature” as a society visuality is one part of our culture that I believe can be utilized as a tool for sustainability. In today’s culture, the media prominently does not portray reality. However, just as the Dove Company has recreated the so-called “image” of models, I believe that the same can be done in the design world. The beauty of the media is that it reaches so many people, and is able to aid in decisions of society.  Every day, and through every portal of technology: Facebook, YouTube, Google, Television, and Magazines I am exposed to hundreds of ads and commercials displaying products and opinions. Consequently, I am persuaded to try a new food at Taco Bell or to buy new shoes from Payless. Therefore, the media is one avenue that I believe can make a change in peoples opinions on “sustainability.” If a commercial was made for sustainability similar to the “above the influence” or “dove” campaigns societies opinion would be changed. There would be a greater movement to recycle or choose the cleaning product that is “eco-friendly” and a greater awareness for sustainability would then be created in our culture.

Frank Sherman author of Selling Sustainability suggests that many large corporations are moving towards the “green” movement of sustainability. Some of the companies he examples in his article are Wal-Mart and L.L. Bean. He explains that the Wal-Mart Corporation does not consider itself to exactly be a sustainable company, but many of their production practices are focused on this aspect. L.L. Bean however is a major leader in sustainability and even follows LEED in each and every aspect of their company. Both of these companies as well as other “green retailers” do not want customers to buy less, however suggesting that customers make better choices and purchase “greener” products which in turn will help to reduce the environmental footprint. He also states that “the best green retailers today promote their values, offer products that can have a positive environmental impact, and focus on the environmental efficiency of their operations and supply chain as core business improvement strategies. They lead by example and demonstrate that going green is good for business.” This view should be taken by many other companies and corporations to provide the world of consumers with more sustainable products and solutions. This would make a huge change in everyone’s lives!

Yet, design is heavily impacted by economics. This is problematic for the idea of sustainable design to spread. However, some companies have begun partaking in the cause of sustainability. The Fair Trade corporation has become a leading example of sustainability globally. Their idea is further explained in their mission statement:

“We seek to empower family farmers and workers around the world, while enriching the lives of those struggling in poverty. Rather than creating dependency on aid, we use a market-based approach that empowers farmers to get a fair price for their harvest, helps workers create safe working conditions, provides a decent living wage and guarantees the right to organize. Through direct, equitable trade, farming and working families are able to eat better, keep their kids in school, improve health and housing, and invest in the future. Keeping families, local economies, the natural environment, and the larger community strong today and for generations to come; these are the results we seek through Fair Trade.”

This is one of the best examples I have seen of a corporation focusing on sustainability. If more organizations focused on these types of standards, then the world would be altogether more sustainable. As I was researching I found out more about other organizations that follow this example of Fair Trade in the fashion industry: Autonomie Project Incorporated, Dhana, Esteam Europe LTD, Good and Fair Clothing, Greenlight Apparel, HAE Now, Indigenous Designs Corp, Liberty & Justice, Maggie’s Organics, Marci Zaroff Sustainable Brands, Prana, The Peanut Shell, Tompkins Point Apparel just to name a few. I was proud to find out that Prana was on this list, because I recently purchased a headband from them and loved it! You might be surprised to find out that some items you have previously purchased come from companies with sustainability in mind.

     Another example of sustainable strategies in our world is through the work of non-profit organizations. Thorpe explains, “a nonprofit structure allows you to make doing-things-for-a-good-cause your bottom line.” Two organizations I have found to be major incorporators of sustainability are: Architects for Humanity and ADPSR Architects/Designers/Planners for Social Responsibility. Similar to that of Free Trade USA, Architects for Humanity views design as:

Alleviating poverty and providing access to water, sanitation, power and essential services, bringing safe shelter to communities prone to disaster and displaced populations, rebuilding community and creating neutral spaces for dialogue in post-conflict areas, mitigating the effects of rapid urbanization in unplanned settlements, creating spaces to meet the needs of those with disabilities and other at-risk populations, and reducing the footprint of the built environment and addressing climate change.

Therefore, the design world is not just focusing on “sustainability” in the big corporations, but also through the different projects of non-profit organizations. So as designers we must push for a more sustainable world, and to do this we need to look for opportunities to help the change. Whether this means to purchase our resources and materials from the companies that focus on sustainability, convince our clients to “DIY” or look to other non-profit organizations as examples we need to encourage change! 

Think Twice

This week I learned so much, and have realized that the world isn’t always, as we perceive it at first glance. When I see a gold ring on a woman’s hand my first reaction is not to think about all the bad chemicals used to make the jewelry or even how much raw material is taken out of the environment to create this shiny object, but more so how beautiful it is. However, more than anything what I learned is to not assume something is one way when it is not. To be more aware of my surroundings, what I am purchasing, and where an item comes from and how it is made. Just as last week, this week my eyes were again widened to new information I had never even considered before. Really as a society we need to stop making assumptions about what we are buying or where something comes from, before we have researched it ourselves. We need to think with a third mindset, a mindset that values sustainability and the people, organizations and practices that carefully consider this idea. Without a change from each and every individual, the hope for a more sustainable world is dim. So next time you think about purchasing an object, research it first: Where does it come from? What practices are used in the production? Is it eco-friendly? Is it a sustainable object? Is there more than one option to choose from? Can I purchase at an affordable price? Can I learn more? Is what I thought I wanted really the best choice for the rest of society and myself? And how will my purchase benefit others? Maybe, if these questions were raised and answered more frequently we as a society would be more knowledgeable about our purchases and feel better about our part in the world. Next time think twice! 

All that glitters is not GOLD

Ever since I was a little girl I dreamt of the day I would find the man of my dreams. Whether that meant he was a prince riding on a white horse, a muskrat that found me out on the town, or a pioneer coming to a new land I always looked forward to the day I found him. The day I finally fell in love. Then, he would get down on one knee and ask for my hand in marriage with a little symbol of his love, a ring. We all want love and happiness, but we don’t realize that sometimes the most romantic or perfect items we long for can be the most harmful to our environment. I’m only stating that every item available, even the most luxurious, all have an ecological footprint that we need to consider.

In Anne Thorpe’s Atlas of Sustainability she states “estimates suggest that 90% or more of all materials used in the production process don’t end up in the product but go straight to being waste.” You might ask how can this be true? When I look at a table or lamp I can see exactly where and what it came from or how it was produced. A wooden table came from a tree that was cut and carved into my living room table. Or my lamp is metal and came from a mine heated and poured into a mold. But, what we don’t see are the raw materials of these elements. For a metal to be created raw ore must be found, dug, and purified to then be created into a new material called “pure” metal.

Let me explain what it takes to ore one of the most sought after metals into what it is today: Gold. “Two wedding rings require an amount of ore 10 feet long, 6 feet wide, and 6 feet high, and to make matters worse, the toxic chemical cyanide is used to separate the gold ore from the overburden” (Thorpe). Did you ever think that the symbol of love and commitment that is smaller than and a cubic inch could be created from something so big? Neither did I. Now think of how many people have this placed on their fingers or have numerous rings in their jewelry box and how many cubic feet of this material needs to be extracted from the environment to produce these items. If one person has six gold rings the amount of cubic material used is then 60 feet long, 36 feet wide, and 36 feet high. This is almost the size of a one-story house for six items that are less than 6 cubic inches in size. Do we really need to use such unsustainable materials as these?

During my reading of Waste Equals Food by McDonough and Braungart I was reminded of nature and its unique system. It was stated in this article that “wasted does not exist in nature, because the processes of each organism contribute to the health of the whole ecosystem.” This is a further definition of recycling, but at a completely natural level. So, why as humans do we have to become unnatural in our ways? One way to become more like nature would be to incorporate cradle-to-cradle standards in design, development, and productivity. So, if we want to create a ring we need instead of mining more and more of the environment we need to use what we already have. Turn old gold items into the new items we want.

ATTENTION: It is our job to look past the superficial product and into the raw forms from which it originated. We, as a society, need to realize that we are harming our own environment; the land that we love so much is hurting because of us. We have to find better ways of creating or making what we want. We as the human race need to find self-control. We need to get away from “I need this or I want this.” However, this is a dream I’m sure will never happen. So you ask what can we do? Well, the best solution  is to recycle. Stop taking more and more and just use what we already have. Find ways of reusing old materials and making them into something new.

We don’t see the connection of our daily life in connection to ecology. We don’t think about the decline in the environment in our day-to-day lives. The problem is, at least in the western world, we use so many materials and resources each and everyday. The term “rapid resource depletion” from Anne Thorpe’s Designer’s Atlas of Sustainability has become a very real factor. We as a society are using too many materials, many of which these are non-renewable meaning we cannot get more of what we use up given we have a fixed amount. When it is all used up it will simply be gone for all eternity.

John Roesch explains in his article “Environmental Harm Caused by Mining Gold” that mining has adverse effects on the environment because it is an inefficient process whereby large swaths of land are destroyed to extract a small portion of gold. During the extraction process of gold highly toxic chemicals are used on the minerals and can leak into the environment. The factories that produce gold further pollute the earth. And, mines are abandoned as soon as the resource is used up, yet continue to harm the environment by leaching poisonous chemicals into it.

If LEED, GOTS, and AAFA all have standards for sustainability why are no standards set for the gold industry? Gold jewelry is a huge part of the fashion world. Cartier, Tiffany’s, and Harry Winston. In every fashion magazine one see’s adds for these companies advertising their products. So, why do the fashion industries standards only apply to textiles?  I see a great need for standards in the gold industry. So many hazardous chemicals are used to extract gold from the minerals that encompass the precious metal. The hazards don’t stop there; air pollution is a major problem that comes from the open-air pits. The gold smelting process used to eliminate impurities can also produce massive amounts of air pollution. Yet another problem with gold mining is acid mine drainage which happens when water washes through the mine and into the ecosystem depositing toxic chemicals throughout. LEED has seven topics it focuses on. Two such topics are Materials Resources and Innovation in Design. I feel that these should be incorporated to help the gold industry become more ecologically viable. Pollution prevention is one area that is affected by materials and resources. Therefore, pollution prevention should be an important factor in gold production. Also, innovation in design is crucial to the  alleviation of bad practices and harmful effects on the environment. The innovation in design should focus on ways to recycle these materials from pre-existing items into new products for the fashion industry.

EXTRA READING: One interesting viewpoint on the gold industry is from a website titled the Third World Traveler. The title being “Fool’s Gold: Ten Problems with Gold Mining.” http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Transnational_corps/Fools_Gold.html.

Be the CHANGE

After constructing research about sustainability with the interest on animal cruelty, I realized so many things that I had not thought about before. I learned that raising awareness is the best possible solution to so many issues pertaining to sustainability. The problem is that so many people are unaware of their surroundings, what they are wearing, eating, and buying. I, as well as so many others, am at fault for these things. I was unmotivated to get out there and research what was truly going on, and what ways I could help to change it. But now that my eyes have been opened to so many issues that affect my daily life, I will no longer sit and wait for a solution. I will work with others to BE the SOLUTION. I will work to find better alternatives to the clothing I buy. I will look for the blue bunny, because hurting animals is not my intention. I will be one person that will in addition to so many others help to raise the awareness so that animal cruelty will no longer be a cause but have a solution. Knowledge is power, and from now on I want to research more on ways I can prevent purchasing from those producers who don’t have animal cruelty in mind. I want to learn more about vegan products and their impact on the world of sustainability. I want to learn more about how I can help as a consumer, and the effects of my purchases. I want to learn how to be a better activist of cruelty-free products!

The Blue Bunny Effect

Have you ever thought about what it takes to produce your everyday clothing? Have you ever thought about the pain and suffering that might be caused from buying clothing from your favorite store? Neither have I. In my mind when I think of clothing being manufactured, I think of the Devil Wears Prada, the designing aspect of clothing production, but my mind rarely wanders to where the materials actually come from. Most people forget that leather is made from cows, pigs, and even kangaroos. A snakeskin boot or a crocodile handbag was made from an actual reptile. Okay, maybe not too shocking, but from my research on the subject of clothing production and animal welfare I have found it is all too common that it isn’t animal welfare it is exactly the opposite, it’s animal cruelty. To get a better idea of the magnitude of this is in the definition of cruelty from Cruelty’s rewards: The gratifications of perpetrators and spectators by Andrew Rowan states “cruelty (from the Latin crudelem, “morally rough”) is the deliberate infliction of physical or psychological pain on a living creature.”


During my research, I viewed different sites ranging from the PETA and ASPCA foundations to YouTube and Blogger. Here is what I found on each and every site, abuse. The problem is for me, and many others out there we conclude that when animals are skinned they are already dead. However, this is far from the truth. On every site I viewed I found evidence of this and other abuses, and every time it took only seconds for my stomach to turn and for me to avert my eyes and stop the unimaginable video. The fact that it took me less than 30 minutes to find so easily countless videos of abuse makes my heart break. To me, cruelty of animals is all too real and evident in our “daily society”.

Well, now that my eyes are opened, and I hope yours are too, we can talk about how to avoid situations such as these. In the reading of Fashioning Sustainability (Forum for the Future), I have already solved one of the issues of ensuring animal welfare in my blog, “raising awareness”. In this portion of the forum it is discussed that 130,000 animals are killed every day just for their fur coats. 130,000 animals? That means that almost three times the population of Stillwater, OK could be clothed with fur coats in just one day. To me it seems quite ridiculous; to waste so many animals lives for just one portion of their bodies. Yes, not all, but some products are produced from animals slaughtered for only one purpose. These animals are not slaughtered for their meat, hooves, skin, fur, and horns, but slaughtered for only one part of the whole animal. This is where it becomes evident to me that I no longer want clothes that are produced from animals that are not cruelty free products. What is a cruelty free product you ask? It is essentially a product that is not created from an animal on an “endangered species list, but is a by-product of the meat industry, and has a ‘no-fur policy”. If you would like a list of companies or products that follow this policy on the products they produce you can search the PETA website or click this web address: http://www.peta.org/living/beauty-and-personal-care/companies/default.aspx.

 Another problem I discovered in the readings of Shifting the New Dominant Social Paradigm in the Apparel Industry: Acknowledging the Pink Elephant by Cosette Armstrong and Melody LeHew and in my own research is the problem of the so-called “pink elephant (consumerism).” In short, consumers without knowledge of what is put into the products they purchase will continue to go on choosing the “cheaper option” of products instead of choosing the cruelty free product which is more sustainable and ethical than the other. What needs to happen next is a paradigm shift, the “old procedures and rules need to be replaced as a new paradigm makes them flawed” (Armstrong). The new paradigm needs to be pro cruelty free products! As consumers gain awareness and knowledge of this subject, cruelty free products will be quite possibly be in higher demand. You might ask, “how can just one person help when so many producers do not provide cruelty free products?” The answer is that you are not alone, after further research one can assume consumers are the driving force behind sustainability in clothing, and care about the materials used in the products they purchase. This means that if given a choice between a cruelty free product and a non-cruelty free product the consumer will choose to purchase the cruelty free product despite a possible increase in price. Understandably, consumers want more human and environmentally friendly products. Quite possibly, the more people that incorporate this idea will help to drive clothing markets to make safer and more humane choices simply because of the consumers needs! Another question you might ask,  “how do I find such items? What do I look for when purchasing cruelty-free products?” Regrettably the government does not mandate that products be labeled as such. Therefore, you as a consumer must do your research before you shop alleviating this problem. One last alternative is to look for the bunny. This is a label that has been deemed for the cruelty-free products.

The idea of creating a sustainable product has the preface that it needs to “meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” as The Designer’s Atlas of Sustainability by Anne Thorpe states. Therefore, the next time you go shopping for a new pair of shoes, a belt, or countless other options check if you can find out about the product first before purchasing. Is it a cruelty free product? Does it help on the quest of sustainability? Is it eco friendly? If it is, then you are helping the present and future generations carry on the sustainable endeavor and giving us the consumer a better and more humane choice.

http://youtu.be/_BJ7qh4GxGo.