Sustainable Innovations

In his lecture about the sustainability and innovatins, Nathan Shedroff points out the increasing importance of being multi-talented by being able to integrating the design, business and sustainability together to create new products that are better for the environment and consumers.

He described how the Western societies are trapped within a world run by corporations and consumerism. The designers are not forced to sit down and think about ways to solve the problem, but they design purely to make money.

On the contrary, there are places where they used creativity and sustainability to solve their problems. One example Shedroff gave was of Curitiba Brazil. Their designers were forced to sit down and address their limitations; the small budget and not being able to build subway systems underground. Their solution? A bus system that runs like a subway, above ground!


http://covblogs.com/eatingbark/archives/800px-Bus_Stops_2_curitiba_brasil.jpg

This solution is sustainable by saving money and materials it would have used if it was built below grounds. Not only does it solve the problem, it also gives way to a pleasing design that brightens up the city.

Just because a subway system was originally designed for the underground, doesn't mean that there cannot be creative uses for the same content. This new and innovative way of thinking is just what we need in this society. We need to step out of our rut and keep thinking sustainable.