1) How do you as a designer want to skillfully and creatively meet the realities of the Great Acceleration? (What kind of projects and actions do you think might be needed)?
When designing fashion, using eco-friendly materials helps lower down the damage human do to the Earth. Knowing where materials came from, knowing how much water it needed in the production, and how much pollution it causes… understand the system of fashion and choose recyclable materials.
2) Research the word Anthropocene and write a short description that you would share with a close friend (using your own words/language to explain, not an internet definition). Images are encouraged. How resilient is your hometown ecology to climate change/the Anthropocene? Do people have a relationship with the natural environment today? Gather reported scientific data on climate change and the vulnerabilities of your hometown or region. What human or environmental systems are affected by climate hazards? Are people doing anything about it? Images are encouraged. Come to class prepared to discuss.
Antropocene is when human activity started affecting environment on the Earth. The climate change, the ecosystems, etc.
My hometown Beijing is not quite resilient. The air pollution is problematic. One night I came out of a shopping mall and the air was grey, the dust can easily be seen. It looked and smelled like someone is burning coal in the city. And some days I get home and clean my face using makeup cleanser, when I wipe my face with cotton tissue, there are dusts on the tissue. Everyone in the city wears masks every day. I also have multiple air purifiers at home. The government tries to control the situation by limiting cars on the road. Car plates ending with certain number are allowed only on certain days. There must be good effect to the environment, but I think it’s insignificant. Carbon emission is still a problem.
3) Next week we will tour the Donghia healthier Materials Library on campus. Please visit their site (Links to an external site.) to learn about their work.
What are you most interested in learning about at the library during the tour?
Ecor board and Milk paint. The board is made out of waste and it seems to have a lot of possibilities in design process. The milk paint is made of water. Its non-toxic quality is crucial for protecting the environment.
What are two questions that you have for the librarian?
How are these materials used in the industry? To what level have they replaced traditional materials? What needs to be done to have them more widely used?
4) Watch 2-3 videos from the Green Science Policy Institute’s video series (7 videos in total, each about 3 minutes long) on the “Six Classes of Chemical Concern.” Answer the following questions on your LP and come to class prepared to discuss your research and responses in class.
Which videos did you watch? Explain in detail what was most surprising to you about the videos and why. Do you use any of these materials commonly in your work or personal life? Which ones? Will you change your behavior as a result of watching this series? Why do you think so many chemicals exist in contemporary design?
I watched Antimicrobials and Solvents. I was surprised by how close these chemicals are to our daily life, almost in everything we use. I use yoga mats where there are antimicrobials, and I use cosmetic products and go to nail salon where there are solvents. And also use paints. I will definitely change behavior, such as decreasing the times I do nails, choose water-based paints, do less dry cleaning… I think the reason why so many chemicals exist in contemporary design is that these artificial / synthetic materials are cheap and easy to achieve certain effects. However, the side effects are the real problem. We have to have a sustainable mindset, use healthier materials which might be more expensive, but it’s trade-off for a better future.