Greenwashing (Biodegradable vs. Compostable)

We talked in class about all sorts of different green washing terms that are misleading consumers to believe that they are supporting the environment, but are actually just greenwashed to look like they are. we
Biodegradable products are products that eventually break down. It may take a long time but everything is essentially biodegradable. This is a term that is used when companies choose to "greenwash" their products to make them look more sustainable.

For example, this bag tells consumers that it is 100% biodegradable, but this term doesn't actually mean that this bag will degrade quicker than lets say a normal plastic bag. The look of the bag is greenwashed to look like it is better for the environment, but it could actually be just as bad as a normal plastic bag. It has a pretty picture of the environment and environmental friendly language, but this product is greenwashed to deceive the people that use it.

In contrast a compostable bag will compost in a certain timeframe.

 

For more information:

http://thegreenwashingblog.com/2014/03/17/biodegradable-vs-compostable-dont-greenwashed/

 

Written Assignment #7

EPEAT eco-label stands for Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool it globally rates electronics and there lifestyle cycle. These electronic products are then rated on a scale of Gold, Silver, or Bronze depending on which environmental criteria they complete from the list below.  

·         removal of harmful toxins

·         product design recyclability

·         use of recycled materials

·         length of time that a product lasts

·         energy efficiency

·         packaging attributes

·         performance

I think that there logo is similar to worldwide eco-friendly label. The check-mark for example is in the environmental choice label. However, from the consumer’s perspective it is difficult to discern what the acromion EPEAT stands for. I wouldn’t say that the label is misleading consumers, but it is unclear what the label actually stands for. I would redesign the label to include a Black T.V. Television is the ancestor of technology today and it would be an easy addition to the label that gives it a little bit of context to the consumer. The green check mark and the e starting the acronym give the consumer a helpful hint that it has something to do with sustainability. I think that the T.V. will give consumers the idea that the environmental impact is being reduced through electronics. The Otterman text mentioned that creating labels is an expensive process so instead of completely redoing the label I would suggest updating it to make the label clearer to the consumer.

 

“Electronic lifestyle impacts on earth”                        

 The USSP that I created puts electronics as the consumer. The point of difference of EPEAT is that there electronic lifestyle is accounted for via a check mark ranking system. “Electronic lifestyle impacts on earth”, emphasizes that an electronic impacts the environment by the life cycle of materials that are used in its product design.  The environmental movement focuses in on an individual lifestyle’s impact on the environment. Consumers are able to clearly identify if the EPEAT product gives benefits towards their personal values and lifestyle.

Water Problems?

California has been in a drought for the last four years. To provide water for the densely populated areas of Orange County and other locations in southern California that are in need of water and there supply is running out. California has started to turn to purifying water from their population sewage. Many people are not thrilled about this option, but this new filter will save California money that would be used to import water from other countries.

I am personally skeptical with the knowledge that the water in California is safe to drink. However, according to, "David Sedlak, a UC Berkeley professor of civil and environmental engineering" it is even cleaner with less salt  than water that are from these areas. If you have ever tasted water from southern California it is really not to difficult to make water taste better than the tap water there. Especially, if you are from the Pacific Northwest area there water is horrible. This article interested me because it is a prime example of how sustainability practices can be a part of a solution to a natural problem.

 

For more Information:

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2015/04/09/can-turning-recycled-sewage-water-into-drinking-water-help-california-with-the-drought-climate-change/

 

Food Packaging can be eliminated

The topic of food packaging waste has come up many times in our class discussions.  I found this article that described an entire store; called Original Unverpackt located Berlin, Germany that has zero waste for food products that they sell. Everything that a customer buys in this store is purchased in bulk. Reusable jars and containers are used in place of the plastic containers and bags. This company was founded by private investors who want to change the way we shop for food. This store sells food that is sourced regionally.  Original Unverpackt vision is to transform the shopping experience to something that customers enjoyed.

Although the U.S is pretty far from changing their shopping habits forerunners like Original Unverpackt are paving the way for this change. In the article it showed these two pictures. Both had the same food display the only difference being that one had packaged food and the other sold food that was in reusable containers. 

 

 

Article from the Business Insider:

http://www.businessinsider.com/german-grocery-store-without-trash-2015-5

Original Unverpackt Website:

https://socialimpactfinance.startnext.com/original-unverpackt

Written Assignment #5

      I was inspired by the biological form of an ant and the way that it cools itself down on a hot day. Ants are able to cool themselves by using air scoops.  Evaporation is used to create these air scoops which cool down when they are crawling around in the sun on a warm day. A product that I thought would be a sustainable is to create a personal cooling system for humans to use during the warm spring and summer months. Imagine all the energy that could be saved if a product focused on cooling/heating an individual wearer instead of cooling an entire house/building. The cooling system would rest on the shoulders of the wearer and be a more sustainable way to keep people cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

            I did some research and I found several products that were already tackling the personal air conditioning issue. I didn’t realize that this issue was already being tackled, but after dipping my toes into this industry. I believe, I have some ideas for improvements that could be used to make the product more appealing to the consumer. An air-conditioned collar was a product already on the market for $49.99. There was a lot of information that was helpful. I was able to get information about the segmentation of this product which include ages 18-55. Unfortunately, the success rate of this product is pretty slim. The air conditioned collar rests on the neck to cool the body. I believe that the problem with this product is the image of the product. It holds no status like headphones and other electronic devises in our society that we wear on our bodies. The air-conditioned collar is not fashionable and would probably have a difficult time becoming a device that the general public uses. (Image1)   I think it’s fair to say that it fits in the head gear category in the eyes of the general public. Head gear is not bad because it does gets peoples teeth straight, but people don’t like wearing them. To fix this problem, orthodontists have come up with new innovative methods like putting the head gear inside the mouth that still accomplish the same end goal of straight teeth.

With this in mind, the product needs to have a certain image preferably something that matched the technology that is in our society. I found an article that described a device called Wristify. Wristify is a thermoelectric bracelet that can fit on the wrist of an individual. (Image 2).   I believe that had the idea that it could take the place of a watch. Watches are no longer an item that consumers need to check the time with the development of cell phone. Watches usefulness is obsolete. However, to accommodate this change the watch industry has made the switch to making watches a fashion icon. However, with the release of the new apple watch, the watch industry is going into another direction that gives watches completely new functions and how watches will look. The personal temperature controller could be one of the new options that the watch could contribute to.  This new device would decrease the amount of energy that would be required in homes the same as the air conditioned collar, but it could become popular with the general public. Perhaps, even impact the amount of energy that is actually used per person in our society.

Image 1:                                                                                        

      

*Air conditioned collars       

  Image 2:

                                                  



*Wristify

Works Cited:

Air scoops provide cooling: Ants. (n.d.). Retrieved May 7, 2015, from http://www.asknature.org/strategy/679517306e815ab19b4b04ba75a543eb#.VUrxWk1FDIU

Young, M. (2011, April 16). Air-Conditioning Collars : CoolWare Personal Cooling System. Retrieved May 7, 2015, from http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/coolware-personal-cooling-system

Ramachandran, S. (2013, November 2). Heat or Cool a Person with the Wristify Personal Air Conditioner. Retrieved May 7, 2015, from http://www.devicemag.com/2013/11/02/heat-or-cool-a-person-with-the-wristify/