DT IB Topic 8 - Sustainability

Green design

Design that focuses on reducing or eliminating the negative environmental impact of a product. It is mainly concerned about the short-term effects on the environment, such as selecting non-toxic materials, reducing energy use, and minimizing waste. Cradle to grave approach

Sustainable design

Design that focuses on the broader aspects, considering not only environmental but also social and economic impacts of a product (Deals with TBL). It focuses on long-term effects and building a better future for next generations, involving changes to materials, manufacturing processes, distribution, etc. Cradle to cradle approach.

Triple bottom line sustainability

A framework that determines how successful a business is, measuring sucess in three ways, not just money. Social, Environmental, and Economic. (People, planet, profit). A business must have all three balanced, and should invest equally into each aspect in order to be balanced and sustainable, but most companies focus on economic as they want to make more money.

Social in the TBL (People)

As a company, trying to make sure that the people who work for you are to just slaves, they are treated fairly and have access to education. Look after your workers by giving them good wages and training opportunities.

Environmental in the TBL (Planet)

Businesses ensure that everything they do benefits the environment, has no negative impact on the environment. E.g. taking their equipment from sustainable sources, not dumping toxic waste into water supplies, transporting goods by battery powered vehicles so they don’t cause pollution.

Economic in the TBL (Profit)

The economic well-being of the company (MOST IMPORTANT OF THE TBL). Companies must make a profit. If they don’t make profit, people and the planet are the first that go down.

Decoupling

Break apart the reliance on resources to grow. The concept of separating economic growth (business success) from environmental impact. This involves using resources more efficiently, adopting cleaner technologies, reducing waste, and shifting towards sustainable business models.

Resource decoupling

Process of increasing profits while reducing the amount of natural resources used and the environmental impact caused. E.g. using the same amount of resources efficiently, using less materials to make the same product, recycling.

Impact decoupling

Process that aims to lower harmful effects such as pollution, waste, and carbon emissions as production and sales increase. E.g. through cleaner technologies, better waste management, and renewable energy use.

International laws

Agreements where countries come together and say that for XXX amount of time, we are going to reduce the amount of carbon output (e.g.)

• The Kyoto Protocol 1997

• The Paris Agreement 2015

National laws

Laws an individual country sets in order to meet international targets (easier to control).

• $1HKD on plastic bags in Hong Kong as a response to The Paris Agreement (companies get fined if they give out plastic bags for free)

Sustainability reporting

A company report that focuses on four aspects of performance.

• Economic

• Environmental

• Social

• Governance

Sustainability reporting is a vital step towards achieving a sustainable global economy. Companies do this to reduce their tax.

Benefits of sustainability reporting to governments

They can see how much companies are actually following their rules/laws

Benefits of sustainability reporting to manufacturers

They can set targets for the future and to see what they have done so far

Benefits of sustainability reporting to consumers

It helps with brand loyalty, as they can see the level of sustainability of a company

Product stewardship

It is an environmental management strategy whoever designs, produces, sells, uses the product takes full responsibility for minimizing the products environmental impact throughout all stages of the products life cycle, including the end of life management (disposal).
E.g. helping consumers dispose their TV after delivering a new one

E.g. Apple buying your old iphone off you as it is cheaper than the fines that they get if they don’t dispose it

Eco-warriors

People who actively demonstrate on environmental issues. E.g. Greta Thunberg and people who tie themselves to trees. They have strong beliefs and they are there to demonstrate and make petitions to make people change, making the world a better place

Eco-champions

They champion environmental issues within an organisation. They are groups of people who try to change organisations to be more green and sustainable from within. They put pressure within an organisation to change their behaviour and practices, usually employed and supported by the organisation.
E.g. SUSCO at SIS

Eco-fans

Consumers who enthusiastically adopt environmentally friendly practices. They are they people who specifically choose environmentally friendly products over regular products.

Eco-phobes

The Donald Trumps of the world. The people who actively resent talk of environmental protection. They think the world is fine and don’t care about the environment at all. Some fund research organisations to prove that climate change is false.

Eco-labelling

Labels that say the product is guaranteed to be environmentally friendly, as said by governments and eco-friendly departments. (eco-fans love this)

Pricing considerations

Price at purchase: people would buy the cheaper product even if the environmentally friendly one is more expensive

Long term costs: LED light bulbs or regular ones? LED light bulbs cost 100x more than regular ones, but they last longer. These are choices that consumers need to make.

Stimulating demand for green products

A way of developing the market would be to get people to see the benefits of the environmentally friendly products.

Education

Consumers need to be aware of the impact of poor environmentally choices and how the green products that they purchase could reduce environmental impact

Production of green products

The more green products are purchased, the more will be made (including other companies)

Companies know they can make more money making eco-friendly products as it can cover eco-warriors, eco-champions, eco-fans, and everyone else who doesn’t care about green products and just buy whatever, it just doesn’t cover the eco-phobes, which is just a small percentage so it doesn’t matter

Pressure groups

People who are there to try to influence the market and put pressure on governments. They are often organisations  and charities that are directly related to eco-friendliness. Often made up of eco-warriors and eco-champions.

Advantages of pressure groups

• They are vital links between the government and are governed

• They keep governments more responsive to the wishes of the community, especially in between elections

• Pressure groups are able to express the views of minority groups in the community who might not otherwise receive a hearing 

Disadvantages of pressure groups

• Some pressure groups are not democratic in themselves

• Some have powerful, but unrepresentative leaders who may not be representative of anyone but themselves

• Some leaders do not reflect the opinions of their organisation's members

Sustainable consumption

Using products and services in a way that fulfills people’s basic needs while minimizing harm to the environment.

E.g. choosing sustainable transportation (e.g. walking/biking/public transport) instead of driving

Consumer power

Consumers have the power to change the market, by not buying products that they don’t agree with.
E.g. Gap, when people found out that they were using slave labour as their manufacturing process, children in India were making children's clothes for kids in America. People started to boycott Gap until they changed their manufacturing process. Gap realised they were not making money so they had to change their manufacturing process, because of the consumers

Consumerism

An economic and social idea that encourages people to buy and use more goods and services constantly, based on the belief that buying and consuming products is good for individual happiness and essential for economic growth.

Ethical consumerism

Consumers choosing to buy products which are ethical products and/or which are not harmful to the environment and society.

E.g. fair trade products. Farmers are paid a fair price so they are not exploited. 

Lifestyle consumerism

People buy things based on their lifestyle choices. Not necessarily about how good/bad the product is for the environment, but how well it fits into the consumer’s lifestyle.

Take back legislation

A government puts in place that companies have to take back (or buy back) the product from the consumer after the product's end of life and dispose of it, so that the consumer doesn’t just throw it in the bin.

E.g. Apple buys your iphone back from you and helps you recycle it

Datschefski’s five principles of sustainable design

A set of guidelines developed to help designers create products that are environmentally friendly, socially responsible, and economically viable.

1. Cyclic: Creates no waste

2. Solar: Uses clean energy

3. Safe: Ensuring it is harmless

4. Efficient: Running with less

5. Social: Caring for people

Complexity of sustainable innovation

The state or quality of being intricate or complicated. Sustainable innovation relies on cooperation between different stakeholders such as government and manufacturing.

Timescale of sustainable innovation

The time allowed for or taken by a process or sequence of events. The huge time scale means that sustainability is difficult to maintain as conditions/criteria can change significantly, e.g., a lengthy period of economic downturn.

Sustainable innovation is a hugely complex concept that requires a long time for implementation, typically 20-40 years depending on the nature of the innovation.

Sustainable top-down strategies

It is the breaking down of a system into component parts.

E.g. Leadership level (CEOs, governments, school principals) determine the goals and the people below them follow in order to meet the goals

(e.g. HK $1 dollar plastic bags)

Sustainable bottom-up strategies

It is piecing together components or systems in order to give rise to a more complex system or product.

People figure out the problem and start working together from the bottom to bring it into the attention of the government.

(e.g. beach cleanups)

Government intervention in innovation

There are various strategies that governments use to promote knowledge exchange and technology transfer by the four methods of regulation, education, subsidies and taxes. 

Regulation

Settling policies and rules to avoid or limit environmental issues caused by undesirable technologies

Education

Providing consumers with information and guidance in the choice of products and services that are more sustainable 

Subsidies

Giving gifts (or money) to companies who are following the rules/regulations/sustainable practices, to stimulate and support sustainable innovations

Taxes

To penalise environmentally damaging technologies and influence consumer choice of sustainable products and services 

Macro energy sustainability

Refers to the large-scale approach to ensuring sustainable energy use and production at international levels. It involves policies, treaties, and agreements. It is the area of sustainable development that focuses on how the entire world can contribute to sustainability.

Micro energy sustainability

Focuses on small-scale, individual, or local initiatives and technologies that contribute to sustainable energy use. It can be influenced by the role of government raising awareness and changing attitudes, and promotion of individual and business action towards energy sustainability 

Energy security

The ability of a country or region to ensure a reliable, affordable, and continuous supply of energy to meet its needs for daily life, economic activities, and national security.

Energy forecasting

Process of predicting future energy demand, supply, or prices based on analyzing historical and current data, trends, and influencing factors. It helps decision-makers plan energy production, distribution, and consumption efficiently.

Energy demand 

The amount of energy required by individuals, households, businesses, and industries to perform daily activities and support economic and social functions.

Smart grid

An advanced electrical grid that uses digital technology and communication to monitor, manage, and optimize the production, distribution, and consumption of electricity in real time.

Advantages of Smart Grid

• Mostly electromechanical 

• One-way communication

• Mostly centralised generation

• Sensors are not widely used 

• Lack of monitoring manual

• Failures and blackouts

• Lack of control

• Less energy-efficient

• Usually not possible to integrate with renewable energy

• Customers have less scope to modify uses

Disadvantages of Smart Grid

• Digital in nature 

• Two-way communication

• Distributed generation

• Sensors are widely used

• Digital self-monitoring 

• Adaptive and intelligent

• Robust control technology

• Energy efficient 

• Possible integrate large scale renewable energy 

• Customers can check uses and modify