In the social realm, most everyone wants to reduce waste. People want to be green and help the environment, however companies are not always to do that and to a certain extent consumers know this. Yet some demand more from their companies in terms of environmental responsibilities when others are content with their person efforts. In my personal opinion, I believe that there are more important things we need to conquer socially, but with that said there is no need for unnecessary waste. I believe with splits in passions we can make the necessary steps toward our goals.
For example, although my overall passion is not for the benefit of the earth, it is necessary to have those that do to encourage those who are not passionate. For example design students of Los Angeles are creating a campaign to have residents switch to native plants on their properties in order to save on water. 60% of the residential water use was for up keep of their landscape. Now even if residents don't switch the design students have made a social impact on parts of Los Angeles. People discuss the campaign, families work harder on conserving their water use, and perhaps let the grass go without water for sometime. Although the overall goal was to have lawns switch to native plants not efforts were lost, by making this an issue that is discussed socially is moving towards the right steps. If the campaign is continued I believe it would benefit the society and the earth as a whole.
Although some companies are set in their ways, the earth has benefited from the push of environmentalists. The radicals set into motion a social movement of green. This caused companies to rethink their marketing and their product. Green and environmentally aware were more prominent with the public and companies were pressured to keep up. For example when people realized how much ink was being wasted in inkjet cartridges it created a social stir and caused the company to go back into the lab and find out how to fix it. It also started a wave a recycling cartridges. It changed how things were thrown away when printing.
Waste has become a big issue socially and it continues to have effect on environmental, social, financial, and personal issues. Each part sets into motion a continuous circle of improvement or failure. The issues effect each other.
www.worldchanging.com. Website. World Changing 15 Apr. 2009. Web.
www.pcworld.com. Website. Half of Inkjet Printer Ink is Thrown Away. Web.
"it is necessary to have those that do to encourage those who are not passionate"
Agreed. I think people are so busy with their lives today that they want everything to come quick without having to think or do anything. So it is the role of designer, as the well informed, to inspire the average person to take action or at least be aware of what's going on. I'd like to think that most people want to be environmentally friendly but just don't have the time, patience or belief that anything can be fixed. If a designer can create something that makes being environmentally friendly easier, I believe people will follow and use the tools designers have created.
Waste is, in many cases, designed and marketed in a way that makes people feel guilty for not being more environmentally concerned... but guilt is not always. Giving people solutions like local plants is a great way to think outside the box and give people a solution they can actively do. What other ways can we design with solutions?
Just curious, what more important things do you think we need to conquer socially?