VA: CP Lecture Afterthoughts

Tonight was the Current Prospectives Lecture with Kristen Dettoni that dealt with sustainable design. I figured since this is the focus that my degree project is headed, it would be a great idea if I went. So I went. Well, there was a lot said about design and sustainability. Some of the topics such as bio-mimicry and "green washing" were discussed and it really got my brain thinking. Towards the end of the lecture she showed us examples of how nature has already impacted design. (which is what I'm going to have to start doing). For example, cat eye reflectors does just that. It's a device that was made for all types of uses, such as on the road, and is used to reflect the light from on coming traffic in order to keep track of boundaries and stay on the road at night. Another example is Whale Power. There was a need to move through the air more effectively and efficiently with propellers, and this company discovered whales have texture and ragged edges. This somehow helps slice and dice the air to increase movement with less energy. Some other companies that have come up with more sustainable practices are Walmart, Timberland, Patagonia, Rural Studios, Speedofast skin, and of course many more.

Hearing all of these companies that were coming to the speaker for advice on how to become more sustainable, including Walmart, starting getting me excited. It reminded of the conversation I had with Chris about how I should start brainstorming and the approach I should start with. So, I was thinking that in my research in finding the top 5 things that are wasted and occupy the most space in landfills, I could use this as an opportunity to develop and create a new system for this product to become more sustainable. I'm still unsure on what that will be, but I'm excited to see where this takes me.