GD Capstone 09

Background:      

 

09 Capstone Brief:

Not yet approved.

 

General Sustainable Design Research:

 

Name it whatever you see fit, sustainable design, green design, eco-design or environmentally friendly design, but companies all over the world are trying to stay true to the concept of sustainable design to escape the inevitable consequences of our inconsiderate choices. When we waste water, energy, food, natural resources and etc. we are not only harming our planet but we are putting future generations at stake. There are many definitions that come to mind when defining sustainable design one is Paul Hawken’s definition which states: “Sustainability is an economic state where the demands placed upon the environment by people and commerce can be met without reducing the capacity of the environment to provide for future generations. It can also be expressed in the simple terms of an economic golden rule for the restorative economy: leave the world better than you found it, take no more than you need, try not to harm life of the environment, make amends if you do.” Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, on the other hand states: “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

William McDonough’s book, Cradle to Cradle, is a truly enlightening book that really questions the notion of sustainable design that works as a manifesto to a green movement. It calls for a transformation in lifestyle by turning to ecologically intelligent design. It represents how science and design should come hand in hand; nature and design are interdependent. It highlights the compelling innovation in product design that combines both aspects, sustainability and design, to reshape the marketplace. The book truly seeks to revolutionize the way in which we go about our lives.

 

Emotional Statement:

 

When brainstorming for an idea for the capstone project I came to think about the after life of the electronics we have been so accustomed to.  Where do they end up? What happens to them when they are no longer in use? Our daily life seems to be consumed with the usage of electronics from cell phones to laptops to T.V. sets. We have grown to be attached to them, refusing a life without them. It is hard to think of a world without electronics since a mere cell phone offers much more than just communication to a person. Cell phones have been revolutionized through the years allowing people to capture photos and videos, listen to music, surf the web and chat. With in just a decade the meaning of a computer, a processing machine, has been transformed and it seems as though people consider it to be a necessity for survival. From record players, jukeboxes, stereos, walkmans, Discmans, to MP3 players it is amazing to see the major transformation of music players along the years. New IPods seem to hit the market almost every 8 months or so, with new features and new colors to your hearts desire. Consumers often find themselves torn and trapped to purchase new possessions when a new updated version of electronic gadget is released. We are experiencing an outrageous consumption in electronics.

 

Going back to my initial question, where do all retired electronics end up? To my disbelief I discovered the horrendous illegal act of exporting these mountains and mountains of obsolete electronic wastes to landfills in third world countries. Countries such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, and Nigeria are left to deal with the leftovers of our electronic consumption. These electronics are extremely polluting and damaging to humans. Electronic waste is going to keep on accumulating because of newer updated electronics that are being produced. Knowing that I was one of the ignorant people out there going about my day and purchasing new electronics and throwing out my old one with no consideration, made me think of the simple decisions I make in life and how it can have an effect on the world. I am sure that I am one of the millions and millions of people who are not aware of such a problem. I am confident that when people would know the real truth behind this problem they would act differently, by simply choosing to recycle their electronics.

 

Inspirations:

What truly inspired me to act on the issue of electronic waste was, knowing that I myself had an ignorant contribution to the number of electronics ending up in landfills. By bringing this issue to the public I want people to become conscious consumers rather than being mindless ones. Educating people and making them aware that they can prevent such a problem by simply making conscious decision when purchasing. Chris Jordan’s photo series “Intolerable Beauty” was truly what kick started my mission to start a campaign against e-waste. “Intolerable Beauty” is a piece that discusses the tremendous affect of an American consumerist society and the tons and tons of waste generated by it. The following is his artist statement on the piece, which I found to be truly inspiring:

“Exploring around our country’s shipping ports and industrial yards, where the accumulated detritus of our consumption is exposed to view like eroded layers in the Grand Canyon, I find evidence of a slow-motion apocalypse in progress. I am appalled by these scenes, and yet also drawn into them with awe and fascination. The immense scale of our consumption can appear desolate, macabre, oddly comical and ironic, and even darkly beautiful; for me its consistent feature is a staggering complexity.

 

The pervasiveness of our consumerism holds a seductive kind of mob mentality. Collectively we are committing a vast and unsustainable act of taking, but we each are anonymous and no one is in charge or accountable for the consequences. I fear that in this process we are doing irreparable harm to our planet and to our individual spirits.

 

As an American consumer myself, I am in no position to finger wag; but I do know that when we reflect on a difficult question in the absence of an answer, our attention can turn inward, and in that space may exist the possibility of some evolution of thought or action. So my hope is that these photographs can serve as portals to a kind of cultural self-inquiry. It may not be the most comfortable terrain, but I have heard it said that in risking self-awareness, at least we know that we are awake.”

Capstone Brief:

Cell phones, iPods, cameras, laptops, T.V sets, VCRs, printers etc: we all own our set of electronic gadgets. But what happens to our old electronics once we replace them with new ones? Well they end up being dumped in landfills or exported to third world countries. Thousands and thousands of obsolete electronics are being dumped daily, which contain hazardous chemicals and heavy metals. These in turn poison and contaminate our soil, water supply and most importantly are fatal to human beings.

 

The aim of this campaign is firstly to raise awareness of the horrific practice of exporting electronic waste to third world countries where the people there are left to suffer the leftovers of our unwanted electronics while we blissfully and ignorantly buy and throw out our electronics, without thinking of the disastrous consequences.

 

Secondly, we want people to be aware that they can recycle their electronics to be either refurbished, donated, or properly disposed of.

 

Research:

Project Specific Research: Problems:

Electronic devices are becoming a bigger and bigger part of our lives, especially as they get smaller and smaller. They have come to consume us as we depend on them in every aspect of our lives. Cell phones are used to seal important top-notch deals with clients. IPods are used as a source of entertainment in long hour rides and etc. We use them as tools and toys to communicate, work, enjoy media, and be expressive. Electronics waste is growing exponentially. Televisions are used on average for less than two years. For computers, it’s three. Recycling, or “E-cycling,” these and other electronic items is critical for preserving landfill space and for ensuring that hazardous materials used to make electronics are properly disposed. But the biggest mystery here is the secret life of our electronics.

 

With electronics it’s only a matter of time until a newer sleeker version of an electronic is produced, then it’s out with the old and in with the new. Companies have some how convinced us that newer is always better. With the supply of newer electronics, the demand goes up and consequently sales go up. It’s an ongoing cycle from there that keeps repeating itself on and on. Attaining new electronics requires us to get rid of our old ones. Hence, with the fast pace cycle of our disposal of electronics we are bound to end with a heap of obsolete electronic garbage. One solution that companies have come up with to deal with heap of electronic waste they have acquired is to find new locations to dump them in. The cheapest and easiest way to export these electronics is through the illegal export to third world countries. Thrown out electronics generate tons and tons of potentially harmful landfills. These electronics contain a number of substances including precious metals and some potentially hazardous materials. Some of these toxic chemicals include: “Lead, cadmium, mercury, chromium, polyvinyl chlorides. All of these materials have known toxicological effects that range from brain damage to kidney disease to mutations, cancers,” Allen Hershkowitz, a senior scientist and authority on waste management at the Natural Resources Defense Council, explained. They are completely harmless until they are thrown in landfills where they degrade and can cause damage to the environment. Illegal export of obsolete electronics waste is sent to India, Pakistan, China, Nigeria, and Bangladesh.

Allen Hershkowitz, a senior scientist and authority on waste management at the Natural Resources Defense Council, explains that: “The problem with e-waste is that it is the fastest-growing component of the municipal waste stream worldwide,” “Well, we throw out about 130,000 computers every day in the United States.” He also stated that over 100 million cell phones are thrown out annually. It is evident that electronic waste is becoming a bigger more dangerous issue year by year. The problem is not going to be solved until we find an efficient greener, healthier way of properly disposing our electronics and prolonging the life cycle of our existing ones. The problem with shipping electronic waste overseas, Brandon Richter, the CEO of Executive Recycling argued, “Well, you know, they’ve got low-income labor over there. So obviously they don’t have all of the right materials, the safety equipment to handle some of this material.” Third world countries don’t have the right resources to handle recycling. Often the laborers who work in recycling centers are children as young as six years old and pregnant mothers who become exposed to toxic substances. Some children burn and disassemble apart the electronics to extract metals that can be sold for cash. Landfills of electronic waste seeps toxic substances and heavy metals in to the soil and water, which contaminates our environment. Many companies export their e-waste without properly testing the toxicity levels in electronics. This illegal practice is causing developing countries their health and eventually their lives. A recent documentary done by CBS’s 60 minutes stated:  “Scientists have studied the area and discovered that Guiyu has the highest levels of cancer-causing dioxins in the world. They found pregnancies are six times more likely to end in miscarriage, and that seven out of ten kids have too much lead in their blood.” The people in Guiyu are not only exposed to these materials at working ours but also living amongst concentrated piles of toxic electronics. “The situation in Guiyu is actually pre-capitalist. It’s mercantile. It reverts back to a time when people lived where they worked, lived at their shop. Open, uncontrolled burning of plastics. Chlorinated and brominated plastics is known worldwide to cause the emission of polychlorinated and polybrominated dioxins. These are among the most toxic compounds known on earth,” Hershkowitz explained.“There’s a real electronics-waste crisis,” said Basel Action Network coordinator Jim Puckett, whose group monitors the global toxic waste trade. “The U.S. just looks the other way as we use these cheap and dirty dumping grounds.” Toxic dumps of discarded electronics have sprung up in nearly three different continents spreading in about eleven developing countries. With developed countries having a greater power in controlling things the poorer developing nations try to hold on as they suffer the consequences of our selfish choices.

 

Case Study Project: Solutions:

With such a huge problem threatening our environment and population, people around the world have joined up to come up with a solution to an ever-expanding problem. According to Regenersis’s website companies and individuals have a choice of being green with their existing electronics and with the purchasing of new electronics. Companies can reduce or eliminate any of the environmentally sensitive materials in their products. They can also carefully select healthy non-toxic materials for future products. The products should be carefully designed for end of life, so that it can be easily disassembled for recycling. Life cycle extension is another aspect that electronic companies are looking in to, where they try to extend the period of battery power. Prolonging the life span of your electronics saves the planet from more electronics ending up in landfills. Energy conservation, end of life management, and corporate performance are some other ways in which electronic companies are trying to green their products. Individuals can also have a hand in being green with electronics. First off, save energy with products you already own. You can do that by simply following the below steps:

·      Unplug when batteries are fully charged or when the chargers are not in use.

·      Be power-wise with your PC. Most personal computers have management features that control energy          use.

·      Plug electronics, into power strips.

Another way that you can go green with your electronics is to plan green when purchasing. Here are some tips on how to do so:

·      Look for the “ENERGY STAR” label. It can help you identify energy-efficient appliances and other                    electronic products.

·      When shopping for home office products, consider a multifunction device, which combines printing,              copying, scanning and faxing. 

The most important aspect of being green with your electronics is making your products last. Here are some tips on how you can maintain your products to last longer:

·      Never block or cover the ventilation areas of your electronics.

·      Keep electronics out of direct sunlight.

·      Never use a vacuum to clean dust from electronics. This can create static and harm your components.

·      Dust your components with a damp, lint-free cloth and a mild, heavily-diluted cleaning agent or                  specialty anti-static wipes. Be careful with solvents as they can damage television and PDA screens.

·      Never spray water or cleaners directly onto electronics.

·      If you spill liquid on your electronics, stop using it immediately, unplug it and seek customer service.

·      LCD and plasma screens should never be stored in enclosed cases, as they are prone to overheating.

 

Most of the electronic recycling centers and campaigns against e-waste exist in the U.S and U.K. “Green Mouse Recycling started as an electronic waste recycling business committed to building communities by providing a friendly and convenient way for business and residential consumers to dispose of unwanted waste.  Evelyn O’Donnell, a Silicon Valley veteran, founded the company after a 15-year career in high-tech marketing and sales. Following a brief retirement, Evelyn’s vision was to create a purpose-driven company that would provide sustainable employment and training to disadvantaged adults.

In the summer of 2004, she founded eWaste Services after a friend introduced her to the electronic recycling market.  She was amazed to learn that there was such a demand by both businesses and individuals to dispose of their electronic waste and too few businesses that offered recycling services. Word of her friendly, direct-to-your-door service quickly spread throughout the Bay Area and soon Evelyn was fielding requests for pick-ups from as far as Southern California. In 2008, eWaste Services changed its name to GreenMouse, a reflection of the company’s commitment to environmental sustainability, particularly in regards to high-tech.

GreenMouse is approved by the State of California to collect and recycle electronic products from consumers and businesses of all types, including government, non-profit and educational institutions. GreenMouse, Inc. will pick-up and recycle your obsolete or non-working electronics, such as computers, monitors, fax machines, copiers, printers, phones, cabling, keyboards, mice, scanners, scrap metal and more.  We’re able to provide this service at no cost because we are subsidized in part by the State of California.”

 

Vodafone has also contributed to reducing the number of e-waste being dumped. With the fast pace development in mobile technology consumers are lead to perceive that mobile phones quickly become outdated. Therefore, people with high-income typically replace their handset every 18 months, often replacing used phones that are still in good condition. Vodafone understands that more electronics being dumped in landfills causes a threat to the environment. Thus, Vodafone tool on the initiative of collecting used mobile phones, along with accessories such as batteries, chargers and headsets. These phone are either refurbished for reuse or when a handset cannot be refurbished, it can be broken down into component parts for recycling.

 

Designers:

Visual Communication:

Survey:

To have a better understanding of what the public here in Dubai knows about e-waste, a survey was done. The survey was first sent out to friends, family members and colleagues as a first trial. Later a Facebook group was developed to encourage people to engage and discuss the issue of e-waste. The survey link was also posted on the group to have a broader spectrum of people’s knowledge about the issue. The following are questions included in the survey:

1.   Gender

2.   Age

3.   Do you know about electronic waste aka e-waste?

4.   Do you know that electronic waste contains many toxic chemicals such as Cadmium, Lead, Cobalt, and Mercury that is truly hazardous to humans?

5.   Do you know that electronic waste is being exported to landfills in third world countries such as India, Pakistan, China & Nigeria?

6.   Do you know that electronic waste is being exported without proper testing of toxicity levels?

7.   Knowing that electronic waste is being exported to third world countries without proper testing of toxicity. Do you think you will join a campaign against it?

8.   If you were provided with electronic recycling centers that properly & safely disposes of electronics. Do you think you will discard of your electronics properly and healthily?

9.   Do you think such a campaign will succeed in the UAE? Explain why or why not and give suggestions.

10. Did you know that the number of cell phone users in the UAE is estimated to be about 70%?

11. What to do you do with your cell phone once you no longer want or need it?

12. Would you be willing to recycle your cell phone?

13.Why do you change your cell phone?

14.How often do you change your cell phone?

15.Are you aware of the harmful substances in cell phones?

 

A number of 15 people took the survey, all of which are females. The age groups were from 13 years and above. Four people where from the age group of 13 to 19. Ten people were from the age group of 20 to 30 and one person was 30 +. Ten people knew nothing about electronic waste while five people were aware of the issue. Similarly, ten people didn’t know that electronic waste contains many toxic hazardous chemicals while five people were aware. An astounding twelve people didn’t know about the export of electronics to third world countries while only three people knew. When asked if they knew about the export of electronics without proper testing of toxicity levels, a whopping 14 people didn’t know, where as one person was aware. People where then asked if they would join a campaign against the export of toxic electronic waste to third world countries, 14 people responded with a yes, while one person declined. “If you were provided with electronic recycling centers that properly & safely disposes of electronics. Do you think you will discard of your electronics properly and healthily?” 13 people replied with a yes while the other 2 replied with a maybe. For the following question, “Do you think such a campaign will succeed in the UAE? Explain why or why not and give suggestions.”. This I what people had to say:

1.   It will take a lot of publicity and education to get people to recycle their e-waste. I don’t think it will be easy because people are not used to recycling - but it is possible to change people. I think the process of educating people in Dubai should begin with schools - from primary to high schools. Children are better suited to learning new habits. There should be recycling collection bins in all schools. Recycling collections bins should be placed at the entrance of Malls or supermarkets - because people go to there regularly.

2.   It will succeed if a large group has joined for their support and if there is a department in charge.

3.   Yes, I think it will succeed if it was addressed in a creative way that would encourage people.

4.   Yes defiantly, but this requires a lot of publicity because a lot of people here do not really know that such technological advances carry harmful chemicals.

5.   Yes and no. This is because we have a very high number of people who are illiterate environmental-wise in the UAE. Also people in the UAE are very lazy and I don’t think that they will actually get up and bring their waste to a certain center.

6.   Maybe, if it was properly advertised.

7.   Yes such a campaign can surely succeed in the UAE. People in the UAE are becoming more aware of the importance of saving the environment. They purchase a lot of electronics on a daily bases and replace old ones with new ones, and with the right approach and awareness people can gladly participate in the success of the campaign to help the environment.

8.   Yes, but only if you aimed towards the whole population and not focusing on one or two strata.

9.   Yes, because many people aren’t aware of such things and they could benefit from the campaign and it’s a new idea.

10. It may and it may not, it all depends on the people’s willingness to do it and of course either their ignorance or laziness to do something against it. It might become successful with the right amount of campaigning and the right amount of advertising and promotion. This country works on advertising and if you promote it aggressively it might actually work.

11. Depends. Many people don’t really care here, which sucks. But I’m sure there will be people who care, and will get involved. Minority though, I think.

12.  Yes, because people want to dispose their electronics safely but don’t know how or where to go. So hopefully this campaign will help them do that.

13.  If done properly, yes. You will need to make it accessible and easy, because people in the UAE are lazy. They want to do well, but not if it will inconvenience them.

14.  If it were promoted in a right way, it would definitely succeed. Because there are no outlets that provide this services and here in the UAE people consume these electronic products on a daily basis, like mobile phones and computers.

15.  To some degree it would, if it was done correctly. By that I mean that the campaign really needs to show the targeted audience that their attention, interest, and action is extremely important and if they did not provide the previous, then there would detrimental effects on them.

People were asked: “Did you know that the number of cell phone users in the UAE is estimated to be about 70%?”. Nine people responded with a no and six with a yes. “What do you do with your cell phone once you no longer want or need it?” eleven people kept it, three people repurposed it and one person disposed it. The survey also asked people if they would be willing to recycle their cell phones. The results were: 14 people yes and 1 person maybe. When asked for the reason behind the change of cell phone, this is what the people had to say:

1.    The old one is chipped or damaged.

2.    I change when the current one stops working.

3.    New features and styles of the mobiles attract my attention.

4.    I change mine when it is damaged.

5.    For many reasons: Out dated features and reception problems.

6.    I change it when it is outdated.

7.    Because of the availability of newer models/updated options.

8.    I only change my cell phone when I feel that it’s not very up to date, and that I’m missing out on newer and higher quality features.

9.    Because it gets old and not usable.

10.   Either because its old and outdated, or because its interface is terrible or because I got bored of it.

11.   They get old and start to get damaged.

12.   I only change it when it breaks or is unusable anymore.

13.  Because it stopped working.

14.  It usually stops working or I grow very bored of it I guess.

15.  Because there is better option out there, or because my phone stopped working correctly.

 

People were also asked the following question: How often do you change your cell phone?. Seven people said that they change their phones once a year, two people change their phones twice a year, five people change their phones once every 2-3 years and one person changes his/her up to 4 times a year. Finally, the last question they were asked was if they knew about the harmful substances in cell phones. Seven people were not aware while eight people knew of the harmful substances.

The survey results were very enlightening and gave me a better understanding of how to target people. With the results it is evident that people if guided properly on how to discard of their electronics healthily would be more than happy to do so.