5 Eco-friendly Designs

With Plastic Free July coming up, I wanted to discuss 5 design ideas with sustainability in mind.

have mentioned how the Environment is a designer’s responsibility but what happens when good design is in effect? I will be taking part in the Plastic Free July at home and in business starting from 1st July. For those who don’t know, Plastic Free July is an international initiative to raise awareness of the environment’s alarming issues as well as get everyone to avoid purchasing single-use plastic for one single month.

This is a perfect time to bring light to some great initiatives already being taken and to inspire others in using creativity and knowledge and help reduce our footprint.

1. World’s first plastic-free grocery aisle opens in Amsterdam

Amsterdam has been at the forefront of a number of innovative ideas for sustainable design – the world’s first stock exchange was established in the city in 1602, and in 2016 Amsterdam was the setting for the test of the world’s first driverless passenger bus. Now, British environmental campaign group A Plastic Planet and Dutch supermarket chain Ekoplaza have teamed up to create the world’s first entirely plastic-free supermarket aisle to help shoppers cut down on plastic packaging.

2. Using the never-ending supply of poop!

Eco Maximus caught a lot of attention after a viral video by Nas Daily. A family business manufacturing handmade paper and value-added products out of elephant dung and other waste matter. It is a fully home grown company. They progressed from humble beginnings employing just 7 people in 1997 to an employer of nearly 200 by 2009. The Incredible part is that the entire production process is all eco-friendly using only post-consumer raw materials and non – toxic consumables!

3. Biome – convenience without needing your effort.

Designers have a responsibility to produce products that are environmentally conscious without your extra effort to know the difference. Australian E-commerce company Biome allows you to shop affordable products without any worries about what is environmentally safe. They are the first company in Australia to be a Certified B Corporation. This means suppliers to high standards, and they are part of a global movement of people using business as a force for good.

4.One Central Park, Sydney

Two years ago, Central Park topped the list of the best tall buildings in the world, beating 87 other entries from around the world. The designers were especially praised for their visible use of the green design.

The surface of the building is covered with more than 3,500 square feet of vertical gardens, which house 383 different species of plants. The 623-apartment building also contains a tri-generation plant, which will save the equivalent around 140,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emission over the next 25 years.

5. IKEA – The most environmentally sustainable company.

Who doesn’t love a visit to Ikea? IKEA’s invested in sustainability throughout its entire business operations, including things customers can readily see and things they can’t. It starts with their supply chain, where the Swedish furniture-maker has sourced close to 50 percent of its wood from sustainable foresters and 100 percent of its cotton from farms that meet the Better Cotton standards, which mandate reduced user of water, energy, and chemical fertilisers and pesticides. You can also see their commitment to sustainability at the store. IKEA has more than 700,000 solar panels powering its stores and plans to start selling them to customers in the UK. In 2012, IKEA announced its goal to be powered by 100 percent renewables by 2020 – but just four years later, it upped the ante aiming to be a net energy exporter in the same time.

Educating yourself about the sustainability movement can be an invaluable tool when making the choice to go green. If you’re interested in taking part of Plastic Free July click here to find out more information on how you can do your part.

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