Global Responsibility Sustainability The six R’s Product Lifecycle Carbon Footprint and Fairtrade Sustainability The six R’s Product Lifecycle Carbon Footprint and Fairtrade

Learning Objectives When analysing and designing products to be able to consider and solve associated environmental and sustainability issues Understand the main factors relating to recycling and/or re-using products To understand that products have a ‘life cycle’ and designers can minimise their impact on the environment at their ‘end of life’ When analysing and designing products to be able to consider and solve associated environmental and sustainability issues Understand the main factors relating to recycling and/or re-using products To understand that products have a ‘life cycle’ and designers can minimise their impact on the environment at their ‘end of life’

We generate about 177 million tonnes of waste every year in England alone. This is a poor use of resources and costs businesses and households money. It also causes environmental damage - for example, waste sent to landfill produces methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. We want to move towards a ‘zero waste economy’. This doesn’t mean that no waste exists - it’s a society where resources are fully valued, financially and environmentally. It means we reduce, reuse and recycle all we can, and throw things away only as a last resort. Why bother?

Sustainability Non-renewable resources: Oil, Coal, Ores, Minerals are a finite resource and will eventually run out. Production and disposal of products made from these can have a negative impact on the environment. Renewables: Timber from sustainable sources (FSC) Biofuels made from grown crops Energy from solar, wind, hydro solutions Products made from biodegradable materials

The ‘Six R’s’ Reduce Refuse Re-use Repair Recycle Re-think Write a brief sentence about their meaning to you.

Reduce This means using less non-renewable resources. Reducing the amount of raw materials we use to manufacture products. Reduce wastage of raw materials used in the manufacture of products. Reduce the amount of energy used to transport products. Perhaps, by manufacturing products locally. Reducing the packaging we use to ‘contain’ products. Use less supermarket carrier bags.

In 2013, supermarkets gave out over 8 billion single-use carrier bags across the UK. That is nearly 130 bags per person. This equates to about 57,000 tonnes of single-use carrier bags in total over the year. Discarded plastic bags are a very visible form of littering and can cause injury to marine wildlife. The effect of plastic bags on the environment goes beyond littering. They consume resources, including oil, in their creation. Even when disposed of responsibly, plastic bags can last for long periods of time in landfill sites. We expect that this targeted, proportionate charge will reduce the number of plastic bags used in England, increase their re-use and reduce littering. We have introduced a 5p charge on single-use plastic carrier bags in England from 5 October There is already a similar 5p charge on single-use bags in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Re-use Where possible, we should reuse products or their components / parts when they are disassembled, at the end of their life cycles. Products should be designed, so that they can be used again or at least their parts, with minimal reprocessing. This is usually cheaper and more environmentally friendly, than using new raw materials. A good example of reuse is glass bottles, which are washed and refilled. Also applies to some plastic bottles

Non-R’s Up-cycling- Adding value to discarded products and materials Upcycling is a form of recycling. When a product reaches the end of its lifecycle, it is converted into a new high quality product, or is dismantled and it’s parts are recycled into several high quality products. When upcycling, the new product is of a higher quality than the original product. These quality drinking glasses have been upcycled from glass wine bottles. The top of the bottle has been removed and sent for recycling into new glass. The bottom part of the bottle becomes the drinking glass.

Down-cycling Down cycling is a form of recycling. When a product reaches the end of it’s lifecycle, it is converted into a lower quality product, or is dismantled and it’s parts are recycled into several low quality products. Using down-cycled materials and components, means that less new raw materials are needed. This saves on energy consumption and reduces pollution, helping to protect the environment.

Example of down-cycling When paper is recycled and processed, it loses some of its original quality. Recycled writing paper often ends up as lower quality card board and manilla folders. Quality writing paper can be down cycled only four / five times.

Life cycle assessment (LCA) We should be able to predict the effect of the product upon the environment, from manufacture to disposal. Typical short term product- newspaper Longer term product, road vehicle, ship etc

Carbon footprint Everything we buy and use has a carbon footprint, the total amount of greenhouse gases emitted during the product’s lifetime. Designers and manufacturers should try to minimise these effects by reducing the use of fossil fuels, energy use/consumption, and transportation. Many materials travel long distances before reaching the processing factory, and these should be sourced locally if possible. Everything we buy and use has a carbon footprint, the total amount of greenhouse gases emitted during the product’s lifetime. Designers and manufacturers should try to minimise these effects by reducing the use of fossil fuels, energy use/consumption, and transportation. Many materials travel long distances before reaching the processing factory, and these should be sourced locally if possible.

LCA-newspaper

Assessment stages:- Raw materials extraction and processing What types and range of materials are required? Manufacturing stages and assembly Does manufacture rely heavily upon energy/automation etc? Product distribution - Is the product locally made to it’s target market? In use energy consumption and pollution How energy efficient is the product? End of life disposal What scope is there for recycling/re-tasking its use etc? What are the meanings of Planned and perceived obsolescence ? Focus products--- newspapers, cars, mobile phones, glass bottles, washing machines, kettles, irons LCA Breakdown

Fairtrade The Fairtrade Foundation, based in the UK was set up to alleviate poverty amongst overseas farmers and workers. The accreditation logo is applied where their standards are met. What are these standards?