Environmental Design: A User-Centric Approach to Reducing Environmental Impact

Environmental Design: A User-Centric Approach to Reducing Environmental Impact

Continuing with the theme of user-centric design, this article identifies and analyses another area of waste management in which design can help towards tackling the path to a greener and more sustainable environment.

With our developing understanding to the extent of the stresses that we are currently placing upon our planet, we are gradually increasing our efforts to tackle some of the issues that are concerned with the growing threat that is extreme climate change.

Particularly within western civilisation, we are aware of how certain aspects of our lifestyles are directly related to the detrimental impacts upon the environment. Certain environmental matters are dealt with by higher authorities through punitive measures. However, there are other areas where we can have a helping hand, but these rely on the individual.

Unfortunately, not every person feels inclined for one reason or another, to reduce their environmental impact where possible. Some reasoning can be attributed to lack of understanding, habitual behaviour, and a perspective of nonchalance towards participating in such exercises. However, there are other limiting factors that can prevent those who are actively willing to partake.

Bearing this in mind, Agouti Design, a small design consultancy based in Devon, has recently been looking to tackle an ongoing problem related to the amount of household waste that is sent to landfill. Despite many local authorities enthusiastically working towards reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill, Agouti Design Devon has taken an approach that addresses an underlying problem that stems from the user.

One of the best ways people at home can reduce the amount of waste that they send to landfill is through elimination of their waste through means of recycling and composting. For the purposes of this article, the focus is upon composting, a process that is growing in popularity amongst home-owners but still doesn't appeal to everyone for one reason or another.

Many local authorities will provide people within the local area with composters for a heavily subsidised rate; however, there are three prominent issues that could be potentially putting people off making the investment. Firstly, the range of composters available, are typically very space consuming and therefore inappropriate for a large amount of households. Secondly, a large range of composters that are currently on the market are very unsightly, and are undesirable to place within ones residence. Finally, depending on the manner in which the user would like to produce their compost, not all models are as easy to operate as the consumer would like.

Agouti design has underlined these issues, and has produced a working prototype of their latest composter concept, that incorporates features that make the product spatially economic, easy and efficient to use, whilst also being inoffensive to look at. The design incorporates an innovative use of materials, which are simple, effective and in some cases, quirky. Ultimately, the emphasis is upon the user interaction, and this concept aims to be both appealing and affordable to the consumer.

Agouti Design Devon and their product design concept is one of many innovative ways in which environmental issues may need to be addressed in future to create an ergonomic and effective transition to a more environmentally pro-active existence.

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