Weekly Progress Report 1 : Green Gifting

Peer 1 - Richard Pang

Solid concept. Likes the angle of the green thinking, of conserving the power consumption of the laptop. Also the idea of having it being able to be a pencil case, and can be converted into a pen holder, further suggesting the green initiative; as several products are made into one. The materials are minimal and environmentally friendly, while being durable as well.

Peer 2 - I-Min Lu

It's a good idea as everyone has laptops there days, and as a gift it will most likely actually be used be the recipient. Also as laptops get smaller, it gets harder to cool the laptops internally, so something like this is a good compact choice.


Tutor Feedback - Tom Marlay 
(Taken from email)

The concept as a laptop ‘cooler’ is good from a sustainability point of view in that it has the knock-on effect of making the laptop more efficient i.e. charging less often, reduced stress on components thus allowing longer lifetime – you should ensure this is conveyed well in the presentation. This aspect helps to cover the point in the brief that talks of helping the receiver (of the gift) to consider the reduction of impacts on the environment.

Aluminium, as you mentioned, is an ideal material to act as a heatsink. Are there other ways you can look to evacuate heat? Airflow? Structure? Surface area? Aluminium is commonly produced in ‘extrusions’, so could this be an area of opportunity to use waste offcuts? Excess stock?


 

Video Reflection 3 : Who Killed the Electric Car?

For this weeks video reflection, I watched 'Who Killed the Electric Car?" This conveys how the electric car, which is the future of the world; has never came to be. With the environment constantly deteriorating as the world gets larger, with a growing population, it is important as the inhabitants of this world to adopt methods in which keeps the planet alive. In this realisation, the electric car was thought of.

Cars are the main mode of transportation around the world, and in order to make them run, non renewable fuels have to be pumped out of the earth, and when consumed; releases gases into the atmosphere. Therefore, surely there must be another solution to drive people around the world. Even though there is the solution of the electric car, one thing holding it back is money. Unfortunately in our world, environmental sustainability and ecological methods are ignored only for the sake of money and profit.

This is where the electric car suffers. Oil is a major commodity and is worth wealthy amounts of money, with oil companies gaining millions of dollars and profit. With so much power and money we can understand why these oil companies don't want the electric car to emerge. This would mean that oil would be unwanted and therefore drastically fall in price.

As designers, corruption and money is something that can hold us back from creating new things that will actually benefit the world, instead of wanting profit over well being. In this case, designers and all the potential electric car designers have been held back, just so money for oil companies can be sustained. This is especially worse as the topic of environmental sustainability is at the forefront of the worlds problems, behind poverty and hunger.

Furthermore, this trend can be seen in other designs and technologies. In where large companies periodically release new technologies only when it needs to. This was seen previously with the light bulb. Where the emergence of LED lighting was slowed down, as companies would lose money due to the long life the new LED lights have.

Some take home points :

1. Design can suffer at the hand of higher powers, due to corruption and money gaining.
2. Unfortunately, the environment and ecological sustainability is not recognised as a higher priority in comparison to money making.
3. As designers, it is important to keep pushing new and innovative products that help the well being of the Earth and the environment we live in.

Sustainable Packaging : Peer Comments

The following are my comments on others projects :

I-Min Lu : http://i-minlu.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/rationale.html

Richard Pang : http://richard-pang.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/rationale.html

Ronald Ng : http://rtrdesigns.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/design-rationale.html

Jinbo Xiao : http://jinbodesign.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/packaging-design-booklet-chewing-gum_17.html

Joshua Steven Hermawan : http://jshermawan.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/socially-responsible-packaging-rationale.html

Green Gifting Concept

Socially Responsible Packaging : Peoples Aid

Socially Responsible Packaging : Rationale

Weekly Progress Report 3 : Socially Responsible Packging

Peer Feedback - Rice Bag Filter Concept

I changed my direction of my socially responsible packaging project, from a rice bag that converts into a shopping bag (which addresses the social issue of plastic bags), to a rice bag that doubles up as a filter bag (for filtering water in aid situations, with the distribution of rice). This was as a result of the following feedback :

Feedback from other Tutor - Mar (From previous week)

"Rice bags are NOT “littered”. Littering is an issue of items consumed outside of the home, which are irresponsibly disposed of (candy wrappers, chewing gum, cigarette butts).

I don’t accept your argument that the rice bags present wildlife suffocation dangers; that is an issue with thin-film plastic grocery bags, not the thick-film plastic rice bags.

I would suggest redirect your social issue to distribution of rice during natural disasters, which is a social issue. The issues you have highlighted are only environmental issues, and I reiterate that this project is about socially responsible packaging."

Peer 1 - Sunprit Singh

Strong idea, in addressing deep global problems. Consider how the rice is packaged and if it will be okay to just enclose it in a filtering material. Research on materials used, and the level of filtering they do.

Peer 2 -  Hyunjin Kim

Food and water aid is a huge social issue in the world, and this product packaging may help contribute to the solution. The bag has to cheap, so it can be well distributed, unlike many current solutions which aren't distributed well because of the price.

Consider what will happen to the bag after its use as a water filter. Maybe it can be used as a normal bag later on?

Feedback from tutor - Sam

Changing the direction of the concept from a rice bag that turns into a shopping bag, to a rice bag that can be used as a water filter bag with the distribution of aid, is a much stronger option. Taking on global social issues especially in relation to the necessities of life, being food and water, will make my project much stronger and appealing. 

May not have to completely purify water, as other current solutions do, which include purifying water bottles. As these are a more expensive and less distributed option.

The rationale must be direct and precise. When writing about existing current solutions, it has to be done properly, instead of just copy and pasting an image. Talk about pros and cons.