- Eco design is design that takes account of the consequences of its action on the natural world.
Eco design is very broad. It can be about the design of a building, a gadget, or a policy. It can involve both what we make and how we use it. Eco design considers the consequences of our actions on people, animals, plants, and the entire planet. It is about doing the math and taking responsibility for the consequences. It asks not only “how,” but also “what.”
- Eco design is about economics.
Making something costs money. Eco design must take into account environmental costs and consequences, including social costs such as job dislocation.
It is about ethics. Eco design asks not just “how?” but also “morally?”
Eco design is about innovation, solving problems, not just finding them. It is about finding and using solutions. If eco design is about problem solving, it is also about creativity. Eco design challenges us to be more creative and ingenious, to come up with better ideas.It is also about inspiration. Eco design is not about making things that are already green. It’s about finding things that would not otherwise exist. It’s about finding values that are new and surprising. It’s about making something that’s beautiful as well as useful.
- Eco design can also have cultural or political effects.
The goal of my project
is to reawaken uses of hemp in design industry.
The fact of the matter is that hemp was grown by our ancestors, and successfully. Hemp fibers have been the most important plant fiber for 10,000 years or more. The fiber can be used for making rope, cloth, paper, canvas, and insulation. Hemp hurds, or the outer covering of hemp stalks, are excellent for papermaking, but can also be used as mulch for gardens. The leaves make excellent mulch, too, and when composted, make excellent soil for the garden. The seeds, which are excellent for eating, can also be used as fertilizer.Hemp was widely used for fuel and building materials. It was predominantly grown on farms until the 20th century, when growing cotton and other plants became more profitable. Hemp seeds, when processed into hemp shives or other eco materials, can be used for making eco-friendly construction materials, insulation, and as a fuel.Hemp has another advantage over many other plants. Hemp plants have very few natural enemies; it doesn’t need pesticides or other chemicals. The plant grows vigorously without fertilizer, and can also withstand drought.Hemp is also fast growing, and can be harvested every 30 to 90 days, depending on the variety. Other plants take years to mature, and can’t be harvested as often as hemp.Hemp plants can also be used to sequester carbon. They absorb significant amounts of atmospheric carbon, and then when harvested, are able to put carbon back into the atmosphere.