Within this unit there are three activities related to sustainability. The units aim to give you an opportunity to talk and express your opinions on issues concerning sustainability. ‘The Wheels of Industry’ Choosing sustainable materials Choosing sustainable materials Design Room 101

Pick eco friendly materials for your projects Tell the life story of a pair of jeans! Get rid of annoying products! Choosing sustainable materials Choosing sustainable materials ‘The Wheels of Industry’ Be a ‘conscious consumer’, a designer with good ethics. Make decisions you can be proud of. Design Room 101 Sustainable Design

Choosing sustainable materials Choosing materials for your projects can be confusing, a good way to work out which is most suitable is to make a selection chart. Let’s use a surfy’ dirt shirt as an example… Start by listing ‘Material specifications. Ergonomics - the T-shirt will be worn next to the skin – maybe during exercise- so needs to feel soft/ fresh against the skin. Recyclable - it should be possible to recycle the material in the garment once its useful life has ended. Cost - the garment has to retail for less than £20. Batches of 500 T-Shirts will be made so the material could be bought in bulk Manufacturing methods - The T-shirt will be machine sewn and dyed – consider effects of some dyes on the environmental. Durability and Aesthetics The T-shirt should be tough enough to withstand every day wear for at least 1 year without failure- it should age to an aesthetically pleasing finish. Selected with care to outlast some short fashion trends. Low Water use - The processes used to produce my shirt should use a minimum amount of water. Embedded Energy - manufacturing and processing the T-shirt material should not use much energy. main menu User care - it is expected that the shirt could be washed in a 30 or 40 o C wash, be reduced ironing energy needs etc..

Material Easy/cost effective to recycle Embedded energy Renewability Use of water total Cotton               7 Organic Cotton                             10 Polyester Cotton mix           6 Hemp                                     12 Nylon Viscose Bamboo                                 How much energy is used to process and manufacture the material Is the supply of this material renewable or will it eventually be used up and cannot be replaced? Water is used in the manufacture of most materials, in some countries water is in very short supply. How easy/ how much energy is needed to change the material into a reusable state? iiiiiii main menu Total scores to find most suitable material Choose your own ‘sustainable’ criteria and make a selection matrix for one of your projects Choose your own ‘sustainable’ criteria and make a selection matrix for one of your projects Write your Specifications across the top Click to find material data

back How about some natural fibres? Cotton Cotton is grown on a large scale in countries like China, Northern America and India. In order for their cotton to grow free from pests and diseases farmers use pesticides and fertilizers. In fact, cotton plants are the most intensely pesticide treated species in the world. Lots of people are killed and injured by pesticides. When harvest time comes large industrial machinery is required, to prepare the plants for harvesting herbicides are sometimes used to make plants shed their leaves. main menu Key Facts: Production of non-organic cotton requires a large amount of chemicals including fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. Chemical residues stay in the cloth for a long time. GM (genetically modified) cotton has been developed which may require less water and which may be resistant to some pests and diseases. Genetic Modification has a negative effect on biodiversity affecting food chains with unpredictable results. Cotton crops require a large amount of water, mechanisms for irrigating fields also consume fossil fuels.

back How about some natural fibres? Hemp Hemp is the plant from which cannabis is derived although the Hemp grown for industrial purposes (oils, fibres, rope, fish food) has no narcotic effect whatsoever. Hemp is a very versatile plant species, it has been used for centuries to make hardwearing garments due to its abrasion resistance. Farmers who cultivate Hemp do not need to use pesticides as the crop is naturally resistant to most pests, the plant puts down deep roots which hold the soil together and it does not need as much water as some other cloth producing plants. Hemp clothing has become popular in the surf/skate market and products sold range from hats to trainers! main menu Key Facts: Hemp is naturally pest resistant so requires very few chemical pesticides to help it grow. Hemp is very hard wearing and has a wide range of uses. Hemp does not need as much water as some plants.

Here are some you might not have considered back Linen main menu Linen is made from flax, a traditional fibre crop which needs few chemical fertilisers, and less pesticide than cotton. Key Facts: Linen garments are traditionally worn in hot climates as the fabric is comfortable against the skin in warm weather. Linen has a reputation for creasing very badly- although many argue that this aesthetic is ‘part of the appeal’. Crease resistant properties can be increased by blending with other fibres

Bamboo some you might not have considered back main menu Bamboo grows very quickly in the right climate- as much as 1cm per day! Bamboo fibres are very strong and pliable (flexible). They can be woven to form a fabric which is hypoallergenic/ anti- bacterial, very absorbent and quick to dry. Bamboo yarn for knitting feels a bit like silk. Key Facts: Very environmentally friendly, fast growing species provides habitat for fauna such as pandas.

what about some polymers back main menu Nylon and polyester Both of these Thermoplastics are derived from Fossil Fuels. Crude Oil is ‘cracked’ to make Naptha from which we get useful polymers/plastics. Synthetic materials such as these are also non-biodegradable making them doubly unsustainable. Plastics have high ‘Embedded energy’ they require a lot of energy and water to process them. Making Nylon creates Nitrous Oxide which is over 300 times more powerful as Greenhouse gas than Carbon Dioxide.

back what about some polymers main menu Rayon (viscose) Viscose is not a natural material although it does come from trees. Wood is pulped using machinery and toxic chemicals such as Sulphuric Acid and Caustic Soda to prepare it for processing. The tree species which are used for Rayon replace traditional forest plants with terrible effects on local farmers and biodiversity. Eucalyptus is frequently used- it drains large amounts of water from the soil.

Ethical material matrix Teachers notes Ethical materials selection matrix Teachers Notes This resource is not designed as an exhaustive bank of information about different materials, it is one suggestion for a way of getting students to choose suitable materials for a project with reference to criteria they choose. Selections charts can include any criteria to gauge the relative strengths & weaknesses of a variety of materials but with sustainability issues in mind it would be good to guide the criteria along the lines of: Embedded Energy: for example Aluminium- the amount of energy needed to extract Bauxite ore, smelt it, roll the material into slab/ foil transport it etc. In Food Tech’ is it a strawberry grown in a heated greenhouse in the UK in January? Recyclability: how energy efficient is it to recycle the material compared to the energy used to make it originally? Aluminium: very efficient, lots of energy 1 st time much less 2 nd. Glass: not so efficient, a large amount of energy required to recycle- compared to 1 st processing. Take into consideration transport to recycle facilities and the quality of the material recovered. Ease of disposal: For paints, how do remnants get safely disposed of for example. Sustainably sourced: In terms of timber for RMT, is the item certified FSC from a managed forest or is it virgin tropical rainforest hardwood or 300 yr old Oak! continued..

Ethical material matrix Teachers notes Air Miles: For the Food Technologists is it a New Zealand Kiwi fruit which has used the equivalent of its own weight in Aviation Fuel to transport it to market? Has it travelled overland, by container ship or by plane? Ethically sourced: Does the material come from a location where there is civil unrest? Is it processed by people using the correct safety equipment? Do the workers receive fair pay? C02 and other harmful gas emissions produced during manufacture/use/disposal: Concrete emits large quantities of Carbon Dioxide, VOC emissions from solvent based paints compared to water based products. Durability: What is the expected lifespan of the material in day to day use? Abrasion resistance of Hemp Vs Cordura in Textiles Technology etc. Working with others: It is feasible that students could be given scope to work in groups. Their shared experiences and knowledge of materials may help students produce a piece of display work or a resource which could be used with future groups. Problem solving: Limited scope for problem solving- would depend on the application devised by the teacher. Communication: Students could be asked to disseminate the information on their selection matrix –peer teaching the class perhaps. Applications of Key Skills

THE WHEELS OF INDUSTRY The products we buy and use every day have a story to tell. As consumers you and I form part of a long chain of people with a part to play in the ‘life –cycle’ of any product you can think of. It would be wrong to suggest that all products are designed and made in an ethically unsound way. Some companies pride themselves on their moral integrity and strive to make money ethically. Look at 2 contrasting products from 2 different companies and see if you can work out who’s driving ‘the Wheels of Indusrty’ and who’s getting squashed by them! main menu

Introducing…the ‘Key Players’ Take a simple pair of jeans for example, how many different people are involved in their lifestory? Shareholders Refuse Operative Manufacturer (worker) Managing Director Designer Retailer Transportation firm Marketing Director Advertising Agency Consumer Manufacturer (boss) Model

main menu Use the ‘Key Players’ cards to describe the product lifecycles of 2 ‘ethically contrasting’ Products. THE WHEELS OF INDUSTRY

main menu THE WHEELS OF INDUSTRY Select the cards to print and copy (open in Word) reverse of cards (optional)

Rationale: To encourage students to think about the impact the products they use have on others, positive and negative. Delivery: use the presentation to discuss how new products come about- are they consumer led or supply driven? What is the chain of command? Who is responsible to whom? Who makes the most profit? Who does the most labour intensive work? Who benefits? Who loses out? Are current business practices sustainable? Acquaint students with terms like Carbon Footprint, Air Miles, Fair Trade, Cooperatives etc. THE WHEELS OF INDUSTRY

Teachers notes Wheels of Industry Teachers Notes There is no right or wrong way to use the resources, the cards can be used to promote discussion about the products we all use daily, how they are designed, manufactured, advertised, marketed, retailed, disposed of etc. They could be used to prompt some form of role play or to link business studies theory into D&T theory lessons. The main aim of the resource is to have students consider what makes up the price of a product and to realise that many factors influence the Retail Cost of it, workforce location, quality of materials scale of production etc. The cards could start off some discussion about the ethics of manufacturing products cheaply in developing countries in order to increase the share values of large companies. Fair-trade initiatives, minimum wages and cooperative schemes alongside worker’s rights campaigns might be an area for further debate. Continued..

Working with others: There is scope for group work in this task, students are expected to discuss roles and responsibilities of characters before planning a presentation which could again be delivered in a group –roll play for example. Problem solving: Good range of opportunities, dependent upon the way the scheme is used. It might lead to an exercise where ethical business models are generated. Communication: Students will be expected to communicate throughout the unit with either the teacher or with their peers, verbally or perhaps through planned formal presentations. Applications of Key Skills THE WHEELS OF INDUSTRY Teachers notes Encourage students to ‘look behind’ the low retail price of products, encourage them to empathise with workers in developing countries who are kept in poverty due to the unjust business practices of some companies. Question whether the system where by our never ending need for new consumer goods is sustainable- if a better way can be suggested- if modifying our behaviour as consumers will have positive or negative effects on the global economy. The Key Player cards show 12 fictitious characters who play a part in the lifecycle of most products produced by large companies. The cards contain basic details about the responsibilities and the rewards earned by the Key Players. An anticipated use would be to have students work in small groups to narrate the story of a product (or a pair of ethically contrasting products) from its/their original inception to the end of its/their useful life. It might make a good role play exercise. Another use might be producing an organization chart which shows the structure of companies in terms of financial gain and responsibility.

“BAD DESIGN”Room 101 “You asked me once, what was in Room 101. I told you that you knew the answer already. Everyone knows it. The thing that is in Room 101 is the worst thing in the world”. The character O’Brien in George Orwell’s 1984 published in 1949 In Orwell’s famous book 1984 Room 101 was a torture chamber in ‘The Ministry of Love’ where suspects had to face their worst fear. Room 101 contained the most terrible items. That’s the idea with this activity, you are going to choose the items which will be going to Room 101. main menu

“BAD DESIGN”Room 101 Given the chance what would you put in room 101? main menu

hmmm what makes me angry?...  Dangerous products- either because they have been badly designed or made.  Bad ergonomics- products which are awkward to use or which might even cause injury in normal circumstances.  Inefficient products- products which consume too much energy or resources- either during manufacture or in use. Products which might not be recyclable or reusable.  Fad Products- the type of item which is destined for the rubbish dump in a few months time.  ‘Non Products’- items which have no real purpose at all- the type of thing you see on gadget programmes or in catalogues that come through your front door. ‘Style over function’- products which look great but which are totally useless. Badly made products- that don’t last as long as they should- built in obsolescence. Products made by exploiting others- child labour or poorly paid farmers  Products which rely on brand image to sell- The type of product which is exorbitantly over priced because it has a label of some sort but which is not really worth any more than a similar item.  Ugly Aesthetics- this might be a bit subjective but you might successfully argue the case!  Products you can’t fix yourself 

“BAD DESIGN”Room 101 Electric toothbrush Over designed…makes you lazy! inefficient In your groups use the criteria from the last Slide to think of 4 ‘bad designs’. Decide amongst yourselves which is the product you have most chance of persuading the class should enter Room 101 and prepare your case! main menu

These are some examples… Fake shampoo science- have you ever wondered how that new brand of conditioner only does the ends? It’s the miracle of ‘pro-lushtastic-ium’ –the new chemical element they’ve just discovered- the advert shows it working in close-up -CSI style! The companies selling shampoo are looking to entice customers by suggesting the benefits of using their new, improved product. The advertisements are designed to make you think that the new technology is essential to your day to day life “BAD DESIGN”Room 101 Now with.. Pro-lush-tasticium Now with.. Pro-lush-tasticium “It only does the ends!”

“BAD DESIGN”Room 101 Bull bars on cars- if your daily drive involves crossing a field of elephants- all those 4x4 adverts would like you to imagine it does- then I suppose a substantial bull bar might make you feel a bit safer. The truth is, most 4x4’s are used on normal roads where they are sometimes involved in accidents, often involving pedestrians. Off-Road vehicles have their place- off road! Fitting a bull bar to your car makes it more rugged- the problem is, in a collision a car fitted with one is far more likely to cause serious injuries to people.

“BAD DESIGN”Room 101 Rationale: Getting students to make value judgements about the things they see and use in day to day life. Using a familiar format, encouraging group work and debate about the worthy-ness/ sustainability of products. Delivery: Use the presentation to start a discussion on the merits of certain products and the negative aspects of others. Set up groups of 4 or so. Pupils have 10 minutes to brainstorm products they want to nominate- 4 ideas initially per group. A further 5 minutes to consider the best example of BAD design and to prepare a short presentation to the class to justify WHY it should be banished forever. Class to use their voting cards during the presentations to end up with an overall winner/loser! main menu

click to open voting slips 2 to a page (opens in MS word) Bad Design “Room 101” Teachers notes Bad Design- Room 101 Teachers Notes Room 101 may be familiar to some of your students through the book or by the comedy show. The idea is very similar to the TV programme, the students will have to come up with products they think should be banished for ever because they do not fit certain criteria (criteria which we guide using sustainability issues). One possible format would be to have students work in small groups of 4 to 6 and to brainstorm products they consider to be suitable. They choose the strongest amongst their group and prepare a short presentation which they will give to the class putting forward their case for the product to be banished. continued…

Working with others: Students should be set to work in groups- arranged at the discretion of the teacher of numbers in the region of 3-5. Within these groups clear aims will be shared and a shared resource created. Problem solving: Limited scope for problem solving- would depend on the application devised by the teacher. Communication: Students are expected to communicate well using subject specific vocabulary, expressing their opinions and justifying their choices. Communication also expected through written and drawn media. Applications of Key Skills Presentations could take the form of an A2 sheet with key points clearly visible and sketches of the product annotated to show the problem with it. Voting, after the presentations students should use their voting slips (available in the pack) to cast their vote on which product will be voted ‘most offensive’- public enemy #1. An extension on this lesson could be to create the opposite- a selection of products they feel should be applauded for good, effective, efficient design and to vote for the class best as a counterpoint to the worst. Bad Design “Room 101” Teachers notes

main menu Sustainable Design Some other ideas about promoting sustainable design Re-write the Design Process to consider sustainability. Include stages such as Identify and justify Situation’s ethics, Evaluate, Carry out a simple Life Cycle Analysis of the product. Work on the Specifications stage not just listing primary/secondary- essential/desirable but assessing what the core features of a well designed and made product really are. Set pseudo ‘Live Briefs’ where students might design food packaging for a local sandwich company that has strong/clear stand on ethical design. Consider their opinions on seasonality, air miles, organic/freerange/animal welfare packaging waste etc. Assess the impact of occasions like Pet’s Day, days that have been promoted by the card/gift industry to raise revenue, are they genuine or a cynical ploy to make you buy over packaged products.