An MFA Degree For Designers Who Want To Change The World
by: fast company, 2011-09-29 19:15:10 UTC

So you want to change the world? Cynics may send you off to Wall Street or a white-shoe law firm. Those with gumption will look for another way. The new Master's of Fine Arts in Design for Social Innovation has opened its doors just for them.

"We're adamant this not be a program where people sit in a classroom and talk about how great it's going to be when they go out and change the world," says program chair Cheryl Heller at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York, and a board member of PopTech. "It is helping designers go beyond self-expression, which is how most designers are taught, and how to put [design] into practice to create a change."

Programs such as Stanford's d.school and Carnegie Mellon's School of Architecture teach sustainable design principles across a range of disciplines, but SVA's program also explicitly tries to create leaders out of designers able to work everywhere from multinational retailers to non-profits in Africa, and apply design thinking as a driver for social change. "Design has the potential to have lasting revolutionary change in the way we think about systems...and the way we understand how to improve the world," says Heller.

Students accepted into the Fall 2012 class will start designing during their first year at SVA. Courses will be taught by a faculty of CEOs, PhDs, and other professionals from communications agencies (Purpose), product design (Method Products), or game design firms (Gaming for Change).

SVA is not entirely alone in thinking design is good for business. The University of Michigan offers an MFA/MBA program, while Stanford's d.school has taken a similar approach to technology, business, and human values, placing design innovation at the center of that Venn digram.

Maybe Daniel Pink's (somewhat hyperbolic) statement in 2008 that the MFA is the new MBA still isn't true for most of corporate America, but skills to design lasting change will take you anywhere.  

[Image: SVA]

Reach Michael J. Coren via Twitter or email.

4 Reasons Why The Smart Grid Has Failed To Take Off
by: fast company, 2011-09-29 23:05:02 UTC

Since performing research for my book, Climate Capitalism (written with Hunter Lovins) a few years ago, I have become increasingly convinced that the smart grid has the potential to be one of the "holy grails" in the clean tech revolution. I believe that the smart grid can be the enabling technology that enable all kinds of other low-carbon innovations to flourish.

The smart grid will give industrial, commercial, and residential consumers real-time access to energy consumption and costs, which will lead to demand side reductions (i.e. energy efficiency). It also promises to support distributed, renewable energies from rooftop solar panels to electric vehicles (EVs). Combined with smart homes, the latter could even be used to power a consumer's home for a few days in the case of power outages, which could be reduced in frequency, volume, and duration with help from smart grids.

With huge corporate behemoths like GE, Cisco, and IBM as well as hundreds (if not thousands) of tech startups already in this space, why hasn't the smart grid become more ubiquitous? Unsurprisingly, Europe seems further down the path with the potential to leverage wind power from the North Sea Grid and solar power from southern Europe in a continental supergrid. But why hasn't the U.S. made more progress towards smart grid connectivity?

I think one of the biggest challenges is the industry's lack of stakeholder engagement from consumers (corporate and residential) and politicians. When utilities have in the past held referendums regarding the investment in smart grid technologies, the vote does not always go in their favor. This is often because consumers believe that the costs outweigh the benefits. More needs to be done to clearly establish the business case for smart grid adoption. Of course, I am not alone in recognizing this issue. The Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative is focused squarely on the problem. And Katharine Brass, the Program Manager for GE's Ecoimagination program, recently argued that the biggest barrier to more widespread adoption is consumer perception. Security Concerns. In today's world of heightened concerns over terrorism and increasingly sophisticated hackers, there is no wonder many worry about the vulnerability that our energy system could be exposed to if it truly were as IT-focused (and dependent) as we envision. This is a legitimate concern being addressed by the industry, as evidenced by the forthcoming Smart Grid Security Summit to be held next week in San Diego.Standards. To Fast Company readers, this will sound like a familiar problem. Numerous technology providers are providing a range of technology solutions from smart meters to grid automation software--and many of them have a vested interest or a desire to use proprietary, closed standards. The smart grid will only succeed on a large scale if technology suppliers agree to work on an open standard. Regulatory and Policy Support. The U.S. has a difficult landscape for bringing the energy industry into the 21st century. We have a mix of federal regulation and state legislation, as well as some level of autonomy at the municipal level. A great book that explains this issue is Smart Power: Climate Change, The Smart Grid, and the Future of Electric Utilities. Guido Bartels, IBM’s head of Global Energy and Utilities, as well as Chairman of GridWise Alliance and an adviser to the Obama Administration, has also spoken up about the need for more regulatory action to provide the proper incentives for the adoption of smart grid technology.

I have no doubt that we will see continued progress towards the adoption of smart grid technology in the U.S. And yes, there has been progress. More than 20 million smart meters have already been installed in the country, with approximately 60 million planned for near-term installation. However, the barriers discussed above are legitimate challenges that the industry and its stakeholders need to overcome.  For example, in the past few months, BC Hydro encountered opposition from consumers and municipalities in British Columbia to its smart reader rollout because of fears about low-level radiation.  For now, BC Hydro has committed to moving forward with or without community support. Perhaps the utility should consider addressing barriers number one and four for their next phase of the smart grid rollout.

[Image: Flickr user pgegreenenergy]

Boyd Cohen, Ph.D., LEED AP, a climate strategist helping to lead communities, cities and companies on the journey towards the low carbon economy. Dr. Cohen is the co-author of Climate Capitalism: Capitalism in the Age of Climate Change.

10 Eco-friendly clothes for Eco-lovers
by: Ecofriend, 2011-09-29 08:38:12 UTC
Apara Bhattacharya:

Eco-consciousness is on the rise these days. Every sphere of the society is attempting to go green by discovering products that offer the same functional aspects as their non Eco-friendly counterparts, but are kinder to the nature. But they do not grab much of extra cash from your pocket. Therefore, they are superior in respect that they are natural, aesthetically attractive, and functional and within the affordability of the buyers. This awareness towards the nature has even inspired the designers to produce clothes that are Eco-friendly. People, who ogle for fashion might only think that these are impractical garments, meant only to be displayed. On the contrary, the fashion designers have accepted the challenge to provide Eco-friendly dresses that offer the similar level of comfort, are aesthetically improved and functional too. Thus, it is believed that the Eco-lovers will definitely fall in love with these Eco-friendly clothes and would desire to try out one of two. Here are ten such Eco-friendly dresses for eco-lovers.

1. Bangledox

Price:

The T-shirts are priced at US $1.18 approximately.

Product overview

The Latin T-shirt company, Bangledox, have accepted the challenge to produce Eco-friendly dresses for the young generation. Once a stall at the flea market at Robert Mo, in USA, this company expanded like anything in the recent years with its innovative and high class, fashionable clothes that draw a number of loyal clients towards it. Now the products made by the company are also available at the Bangledox online store too. Bangle box realized the harm that is created when dyes and pigments are used for coloring the T-shirts and making prints on them. They have also designed the official website displaying their products in such a way that the people who visit the same will get aware of the harm being caused to the environment throughout the process of clothing manufacturing.

USP of the product

It have been taken care of to ensure that the T-shirts manufactured by the company use organic materials throughout the process of manufacturing. Thus, the dyes used, the color pigments used are all obtained from natural products that do not emit harmful byproducts.

What is the benefit of the product

Since the basic material of these T-shirt is organic cotton, obtained from cotton balls through natural extraction process and the inks are also Eco-friendly, so the customer can be assured that there will be no skin eruption or anything like that while using the same. The T-shirts also fit the pocket well.

2. Beautiful Newspaper Dresses

Price:

The price of paper dresses vary from US $1800 to US $2200.

Product Overview

The dress that is now in focus is a great creation from the US based designer, Isaac Mizrahi. It is the paper cutting and the origami folding that one learns in school, which went into the making of this innovative dress. This designer used as many as 1000 paper cranes to produce this paper dress. This garment was launched in a competition held at the Cut and Sew fashion reality show, Bravo. The excellent drape, the characteristic folds, the brilliant contour of the dress was a great challenge in face of the general dresses made from fabrics that use pigments and dyes that harm the nature. The demerits of newspaper print dresses, like the smudging, fragile nature and the easy to destroy attributes were focused at and attempted to be amended in this newspaper print gown. The resultant pin tucked cocktail evening gown in a black and white combination grabbed the attention of the judges too.

USP of the product

This dress makes brilliant use of expired newspapers. The primary black and white combination of newsprint becomes the dominant color of the cocktail gown. Colored advertisements on newsprint can also be incorporated to make it colorful. It is totally devoid of seams and tapes are used instead to hold the garment together.

What are the benefits of the dress

This totally natural, staple base material is harmless for skin. Although there is still doubt whether it is really functional, owing of the newspapers, but the dress depicts the designer’s genius in drapes by means of pleat all along the bias. The single shoulder and nipped waist feature the dress that brings out body contour of the user brilliantly.

3. Jessica Leigh Rogers collection

Price:

The dresses are offered at an approximate price of US $8.24.

Product overview

The designer, Jessica Leigh Rogers has tried to bring about a revolutionary green movement in clothing too by incorporating the use of natural, biodegradable products while making her signature Eco-friendly garments. She has taken special care to ensure that each of her Eco-friendly dress stands apart from the other and steals the show whenever the user flaunts it in any occasion. The various papers that have gone into the making of each of the garment have been carefully handpicked to ensure that each of them is a masterpiece of its own kind.

USP of the product

The handwork on each of the paper pieces that are included together to make the dresses makes the collection of Eco-dresses of Jessica Leigh Rogers worth including for your wardrobe. The different handmade papers used in these dresses give a textured look to the same.

What are the benefits of the product

Quite evidently, the natural product that went into the making of the dresses will surely excite the Eco-lovers. The appeal of these natural dresses is sure to steal the show and the economical rate offered by the designer is exactly justified.

4. Eco-friendly summer collection by Steward and Brown

Price:

These dresses are available around a price range of US $10.

Product overview

The craze for organic clothing is in its peak in the recent times and keeping this hunger for going green in mind, the designer duo from Los Angeles in California, by the name Karen Steward and Howard Brown have created a range of green clothing for their summer collection. The use of natural materials have been made judiciously so that the garments are light weight and spares the body from carrying additional burdens of clothing while trying to combat the scorching weather. The love of nature of the designers and their commitment to avoid products that will not deteriorate the environment is evident in these cent percent organic dresses.

USP of the product

The organic materials that are used for the dresses are safe on the skin. They also help in keeping the body cool in summer and preventing skin eruptions. Another great factor is the lightweight of the garments. There are series of dresses under this brand which can be worn in mixing and matching too, to reflect the style diva in you.

What are the benefits of the product

These Eco-friendly dresses are chaste and modest in their appearance. Hence they are suited for every occasion. They are available in a variety of styles ranging from cowl necks, Capri, tank tops, reversible tops, which can be mixed and matched well and the same time Eco-consciousness will also be retained.

5. Onitsuka Tiger’s spring/summer Eco-friendly 2011 collection

Price

The dresses are offered at a price around US $600.

Product overview

The Japanese designer Onitsuka has joined the green movement by launching garments that use natural products. The term ink and pigments, that emit harmful byproducts, have been replaced by this designer quite wisely by adopting the terms like dye and indigo. The designer had been extra critical about using every product, right from the base fabric to the color, that are used while making the dresses in this collection. So, they are 100 percent natural. Thus, each of the dresses this spring /summer 2011 collection of the designer is made from natural cotton. Even the dye used in it has been procured naturally from the indigo plant, which had been famous in the yesteryear as natural dying agent.

USP of the product

The cotton that forms the base material of these garments is soothing for the hot summers. It is further given a water repellant finish to make it sustain the rains when you are outdoors. The process of preparing the dye also curbs emission of harmful gases. The contrasting threads that are used for the top stitches of the dress make it even more attractive.

What are the benefits of these products

The naturally dyed fabrics are safe for the skin and do not cause any eruption or irritation. It has been specially kept light weight so that the user finds it convenient to wear. There are various styles to choose from, ranging from tops, jackets, etc.

6. Chic cycling clothing

Price

The dresses are all high end ones and are a bit expensive, the highest offer price being US $2000.

Product overview

The most efficient Eco-friendly transport so far is the bicycle. It is manually driven and has no options for harmful emissions. But it was totally unimaginable that bicycle parts can also be a part of Eco-friendly garments. Thus, the designer brand, Segrasegra, from Prague has launched a range of women’s wear that include T-shirts, jeans, sweatshirts, etc. which are made from the inner tubes of bicycle.

USP of the product

The use of inner tubes in the clothing line of the dresses made by the brand provide extra padding and shock absorbing quality to the same. Thus, the user feels comfortable wearing them. The reflective strips and prints provided in these dresses improve the visibility of the cyclist in low light. They are washable and can be maintained easily.

What are the benefits of the product

The rubber padding of these dresses makes them easy to iron. It is also weather friendly and can be washed at home without any hassle. The inner padding further makes the dress withstand water and rainfall. The reflective strips and prints help in curbing road accidents of the cyclist. Thus, they are products worth buying.

7. Stylish dresses handcrafted from recycled materials

Price

The dresses are of mid range

Product overview

The dress designed by Rachel Wright, combines comfort and style. Thus, it is an apt answer to the people who think that Eco-friendly dresses might not be comfortable. These fashionable garments also depict a classic look and are made from recycled materials, like rugged bed sheets, old clothes, polythene foam, etc. But the designer leaves her signature on each of her garment by incorporating handcrafted embellishments on them, which are either in the form of prints or applique designs. From traditional tattoos to asymmetrical skirts, these garments depict hi fashion trends.

USP of these garments

Stuffs that are usually thrown away as dumps find great use in the dresses of the designer. The recycled products are so neatly crafted with intricate work that it is extremely difficult to spot the origin of each of the dress. These dresses are a great forerunner of the eco friendly movement by diverting the path of the rugged household materials from landfills to one’s wardrobe collection.

What are the benefits of the product

The recycled product that form the base of these dresses combine together to offer a range of stylish garments for its users, like off shoulder bodice, asymmetrical skirts, traditional gowns, etc. There dresses are great options for Eco-lovers.

8. Chinti and Parker’s new line of fashionable clothing

Price:

The price varies from US $65 to US $550, depending on the type of recycles material used.

Product overview

If you are Eco-conscious, your search for the right Eco-friendly dress will end with the clothesline of Chinti and Parker. The summer collection of this brand includes fine clothing range with three dominant weights; light, mid weight and heavy. These are perfect for the summers due to the 100 percent organic cotton base materials in jersey weave. These clothes reach out to customers of different profile and age group.

USP of the product

The natural fabrics which form the basic material are convenient to wear in hot summers. The various colors that predominates the dress are apt for each consumer. Together with the light weight fabrics, suitable for summers, it also offers all season wears in the form of medium weight and heavy weight ones with heavy designs.

What are the benefits of the product

While the teenagers will be able to experiment the different styles and cuts of these dresses, ranging from stripped tops, pin tucked skirts, trendy T-shirts, etc. the senior clients will also feel comfortable wearing the simple yet elegant cuts and the sober colors like olive, charcoal, etc.

9. The new Fashion Mantra for Campbell students

Price

The price of each dress is variable, depending on the materials used by the students for each dress.

Product overview

The marketing and merchandising students at the Campbell University have also come up with excellent ideas that would produce Eco-friendly dresses. These garments are made from recycled materials that are parts of all the thrown away stuffs. The dyes used for coloring these dresses are vegetable dye. Drawing inspiration from the US designer, Isaac Mizrahi, the students of the university have made three dresses for their projects that are made from expired newspapers and disposed electrical accessories.

USP of the product

The students have depicted how beautifully the used stuffs, that are disposed off after their use, can be put together to form some of the most creative garments. The functional aspect of these dresses remains in darkness, but the attempts of the students are really praiseworthy.

What are the benefits of the product

The first and foremost benefit of the product is that the environment will be saved from overflowing landfills and dustbins if these attempts can really be incorporated in practical field. Moreover, the use of vegetable dye will also inspire many garment manufacturers to make Eco-friendly dresses.

10. Clothing line using food packaging

Price

The price is nominal as the wrappers, packets, etc. are recycled

Product overview

The Eco-friendly clothes line of designer Katell Gelebart is inspired from some for the queerest things on earth. These dresses are made from the wrappers and packets of processed and dry foods. This Eco-activist did a great job in showing how disposable garbage can be incorporated into unique pieces of art and beautiful dresses.

USP of the product

Although these dresses by the designer are practically not wearable, but they serve as great effort in educating people on the need to save the environment by emphasizing the use of things that are biodegradable and easily decomposed.

What are the benefits of this product

This product is beneficial as a tutorial for the Eco-activists. It is a silent indication to avoid using products that are non biodegradable. Moreover, it also points out towards the attempts of people to throw off the garbage judiciously, keeping environmental pollution in mind.

Get A Workout While You're Working With The Fitness@Work
by: TreeHugger Design, 2011-09-27 18:49:18 UTC
Images credit Benjamin Cselley Here is an interesting idea for those trapped at their desk; industrial designer Benjamin Cselley has designed what appears to be an entire gym into an office chair. He writes: " If the white-collar-worker won't do their workout, the workout must come to the office." ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

hi matic hotel paris: an urban ecolodge
by: Designboom - Weblog, 2011-09-28 11:45:00 UTC

designboom returned to the hi-matic hotel to see if it is truly living up to its environmental standards. we were pleasantly surprised with how efficiently it merges ecological sustainability and comfort at affordable rates.

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atelier tekuto: earth block project
by: Designboom - Weblog, 2011-09-29 09:00:00 UTC

this single family residence in tokyo has been constructed with 2,600 custom bricks formed from a mixture of soil and magnesium oxide, a readily available and biodegradable additive.

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Sustainable Chemistry, Sustainable Healthcare, Sustainable Life
by: Environmental Leader, 2011-09-29 14:35:58 UTC
This is the third in a series of articles from the winners of the 2011 Dow Sustainability Innovation Student Challenge Awards. Read the first two here and here. What is sustainable chemistry or green chemistry? It is normally recognized as a chemical philosophy of designing environmentally friendly processes and minimizing waste or pollution. Biotechnology also [...]

Environmental Software Briefing – AutoDesk Cloud, BigBelly, PDI PowerMap, Raritan
by: Environmental Leader, 2011-09-29 15:30:50 UTC
3D design and engineering software creator, Autodesk, has released Autodesk Cloud, a subscription-based service collection of more than a dozen web-based capabilities, products and services including its Green Building Studio. The web-based energy analysis tool allows architects and designers to perform a whole building analysis, review energy efficiency, and work toward carbon neutrality earlier in [...]

The Art of Solar Printing
by: Yanko Design, 2011-09-29 08:00:50 UTC

It’s here in concept and I simply love it! The Tanning Printer is a solar powered printer that doesn’t use cartridges. Instead it uses the process of sun-tanning the paper! You got that right sir…sun tan! It seems outlandish right now, but trust me the idea is worth exploring… the design is here, it looks neat and sleek; now let the engineers figure it out!

Designers: Hosung Jung, Junsang Kim, Seungin Lee & Yonggu Do

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(The Art of Solar Printing was originally posted on Yanko Design)

Hand-Made EcoDesign: A Magical Table, A Napkin Vase And An Elegant Flower Pot (Photos)
by: TreeHugger Design, 2011-09-27 09:55:59 UTC
Image Credit. Joan Rojeski Joan Rojeski was back at Valencia Design Week this year, although it turns out that Joan Rojeski is not a person or designer for that matter, but fiction. The Valencia-based designers have made a beautiful short film about their nature-loving character Joan Rojeski who goes to the city to become a designer.Read the full story on TreeHugger