IDFX Magazine, September 2008, Page 1 Of 3
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ISSUES | 113 www.idfxmagazine.com | September 2008 Universities and colleges are increasingly offering eco-design to environmentally conscious students, either as modules or as entire courses. But what does this actually mean for the students on these courses – and what should employers expect from them? Eco design used to be firmly on the fringe of an industry better known for promoting conspicuous consumption than saving the planet. But times have changed, and it is now unusual to find someone who doesn’t care about sustainability and product life cycle. Those who have been in the design industry for years might find themselves taken aback by this new frugal streak – but it seems that the next generation of designers are being prepared (some might even say indoctrinated) into the reduce/reuse/recycle mantra. All over the country, higher education institutions are rebranding their design courses to appeal to tomorrow’s eco-warriors; while some of the first venues to offer such courses are now striking out the ‘sustainable’ tag on the grounds that all design should now fall into that category. The UK’s first eco-design degree was launched at Goldsmiths in the mid- 1990s, as a four-year course running alongside its regular BA in design. But the last Eco-design students graduated last year, and since then, all the students have studied simply a BA in design. ‘We were seen as forward thinking at the time for setting up the eco-design course,’ says senior workshop tutor Eco E ducation WORDS KAY HILL LIGHTEN UP Right: Chandelier made from recycled PET plastic bottles, by Joanna Riddle and Ondrej Lewis from University of Teesside
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Pages 113 - 116, September 2008 issue of IDFX. The EcoPETlite was used as an example in this article.
Transcript of IDFX Magazine, September 2008, Page 1 Of 3
ISSUES | 113
www.idfxmagazine.com | September 2008
Universities and colleges are increasinglyoffering eco-design to environmentallyconscious students, either as modules or asentire courses. But what does this actuallymean for the students on these courses –and what should employers expect from them?
Eco design used to be firmly on thefringe of an industry better known forpromoting conspicuous consumptionthan saving the planet. But times havechanged, and it is now unusual to findsomeone who doesn’t care aboutsustainability and product life cycle.Those who have been in the design
industry for years might find themselvestaken aback by this new frugal streak –but it seems that the next generation ofdesigners are being prepared (somemight even say indoctrinated) into thereduce/reuse/recycle mantra.All over the country, higher education
institutions are rebranding their design
courses to appeal to tomorrow’seco-warriors; while some of the firstvenues to offer such courses are nowstriking out the ‘sustainable’ tag on thegrounds that all design should now fallinto that category.The UK’s first eco-design degree
was launched at Goldsmiths in the mid-1990s,as a four-year course runningalongside its regular BA in design. Butthe last Eco-design students graduatedlast year, and since then,all the studentshave studied simply a BA in design.‘Wewere seen as forward thinking at
the time for setting up the eco-designcourse,’ says senior workshop tutor
EcoEducation
WORDS KAY HILL
LIGHTEN UPRight: Chandeliermade from recycledPET plastic bottles, byJoanna Riddle andOndrej Lewis fromUniversity of Teesside
