"Sustainable Innovation"

Nathan Shedroff is a prominent author who focuses on design, and the importance of sustainability within design. According to Shedroff, sustainability, design, and business are all ideal to successful business. Without one of these aspects, the other two can not thrive. In Shedroff's presentation he proposes three questions for the audience. What does a more sustainable world look like ? What's a more meaningful world look like? What's a post - consumer world look like? In order to answer these questions he asked the audience to consider nations that varied quite significantly from the US, such as Cuba. Due to Cuba's lack if access to the outside world, the country is the most sustainable nation on the face of the planet. India is considered to be the "least consumerist" nation, in that its residents purchase less goods than any other country. The purpose of these examples is not to suggest the the US must convert all of its means and mimic India, or Cuba's example, but simply to learn ways of improving our own lifestyles to become a more sustainable nation. Shedroff used the following quote by Hunter Lovins to further explain the significance of sustainability within the economy.

“In a stable economy,

sustainability is the competitive

advantage strategy.

In a down economy, sustainability

is the turnaround strategy.

In a collapse, sustainability is a

survival strategy.” - Hunter Lovins

Another of the key principles of his presentation was the concept," Don't design things today that makes tomorrow worse." Thus understanding the principle that sustainable design is not yet entirely achievable, but more sustainable design is possible. Shedroff suggested the following design strategies to aid new designers : REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE, AND RESTORE. Always consider the usability, accessibility, meaning and dematerialization of any products you wish to use. Consider the length of energy that is put forth into the transportation of materials that are put forth to create your product. In addition, Shedroff reminds designers to be cautious of toxic materials, and the affect such materials will have in the future on the environment through the process of recycling. Lastly, he reminds us to design things to last, endure, and sustain the disposal of society.