Ecological and social footprint of materials and components

Question 1

How can society be encouraged to reduce waste?

Answer 1

• Recycling - disposing of materials correctly so they can be put to another use.
• The circular economy - refers to society putting waste back into a good use and continuing this cycle. This means that once a material, component or product comes to the end of its useful life with the owner, it is disposed of and becomes re-usable in some way.

Question 2

What are some ways to live in a greener world?

Answer 2

• Cutting down on packaging is a great way of reducing unnecessary waste that is not really an essential part of the product we purchase.
  -Reducing plastics where possible will be a massive gain. Plastics can be difficult to recycle and biodegrade, so finding an alternative would be very helpful.
• Recycling waste correctly is another area for improvement.
• Repairing products or choosing not to upgrade when a newer version becomes available can be beneficial.
• Green energy should be used where possible.
• Greener travel options, car sharing, or cycling should be chosen instead of driving, where possible.

Question 3

What are some greener power supplies?

Answer 3

-Solar power can often improve energy consumption for users and also makes the product more flexible and less reliant on ‘plugging in’
- Photovoltaic (PV) cells can be used as power supplies and ‘trickle chargers’, converting free sunlight into electricity.
- Wind-up technology offers far more opportunities for designers. A wind-up torch uses the mechanical movement provided by turning the handle of the device. This can then operate without the need for batteries.