Lesson 5 showcases minimalism and modernism in technological design. Arguably, our desire for simplicity in design speaks to our desire to have less clutter in the world. This goes to show that there is so much in our lives that provides visual clutter that we want to get rid of that. Additionally, it should be noted that the lesson only discusses minimalism as it relates to software design. This could indicate that society is becoming increasingly aware of the costs of constant hardware upgrades and is more interested in focusing on software upgrades, which would be significantly more sustainable.
Lesson 9 discusses consolidation of many functions into one electronic band. This is another form of efficiency. Without all of the research that went into this product, it is entirely possible that Disney would be asking visitors to wear multiple items, have multiple apps, or something else that is inefficient. But given that they researched everything it was feasible for this device to do, they were able to produce just one device and one app that makes for a wonderful and efficient user experience that prevents waste in terms of time, money, and design.
Lesson 10 discusses how Virgin airlines made many very small changes to its food service. While all of these small changes might seem ridiculous at first, when the scale of Virgin airlines is taken into account, the changes represent great cost-savings for the airline. Additionally, by redesigning the entirety of the experience simultaneously, the designers were able to take into account new issues that came up as a result of their changes. This allows for even greater savings/efficiency, but also goes over the breaking point that Amory Lovins hypothesized, resulting in increased savings all around, with lower expenditures.
