Less Talk, More Action

On a beautiful and hot summer day, we all enjoy time outside to soak in the sun, walk our pets, or drive around town with the windows rolled down. On those days, nothing can break the high that we get from enjoying what Mother Nature has so lovingly offered us. So why is it so difficult of a task for us to return the favor? We are great at taking advantage of the resources of the earth, but rarely do we give back to the source that creates such conditions that are necessary for life. I have developed a design concept that will guide the replenishment of the earth’s resources instead of the disposal of them. My idea is based around the important concepts of industrial ecology, as defined by Graedel and Allenby in Industrial Ecology, where no resource is wasted, and a stronger, more stable industry blooms.

Looking back on many of the research and readings up to this point in the course, it is obvious that overconsumption and quick turnover is a major industry problem when it comes to apparel use and disposal. Overconsumption stems from the desires of materialistic consumers who continuously crave bigger and better products.  As a result, turnover is extremely rapid, bringing about an excess of materials and resources of which we aren’t really sure what to do with. And thus this consumption cycle starts over again, as soon as the consumer invests more money into another item. I am confident that a promising solution to this problem is through new advertising and merchandising techniques that will reach consumers in a more resourceful and beneficial way. This design concept will transform our society into one that realizes the importance of product maintenance, and the impact that it has on the environment.

My design concept would not be supported without certain principles to hold it in place. As I read a chapter in Benyus’s book entitled, Closing the Loops in Commerce: Running a Business like a Redwood Forest, her many “conditions conducive to life” ultimately helped me to form my design concept, as it seemed directly compatible to what I hope to trigger in consumers for the future.

The first principle is using waste as a resource. I couldn’t help but to apply what was discussed in this segment to the apparel industry, as it highlights the inner circulation of resources rather than exchanging them with the outside environment. There is no better way to promote this concept aside from advertising to the public that it IS possible to accomplish. In addition, merchandising can also be used to visually demonstrate to consumers the least complicated way to turn our used garments into something sustainable.

The second principle that moved me is about using energy more efficiently within production and consumption patterns. In the apparel industry, so much energy is put into designing the product, transporting it to retailers, and encouraging the consumer to buy it. If this amount of energy can be more contained throughout the process, we can maximize time and rewards while minimizing energy costs. Through seeking out ways to begin and end this consumption process in a smart way rather than the hard way, a more sustainable environment can and will be created. It simply takes encouragement and direction through more efficient advertising and merchandising.

The third principle centers on optimizing rather than maximizing when it comes to product turnover. This concept extends the process of maximizing our time and rewards further by encouraging consumers to be sure of their sustainable efforts once they have performed them. Rewarding product users for being efficient and taking the time to learn how to do more with less, is crucial in keeping the sustainable cycle going. Once again, advertising and merchandising come into play through offering incentives to consumers who are re-using their items and highlighting the benefits of doing so. In this aspect, having tighter control over consumers will lead to less fluctuation in their practices.

The last principle that supports my idea concept includes run on information. This is where the idea of advertising comes into play. Rich communication channels have the ability to carry information within a community, which is likely to influence actions. Benyus explains that numerous and redundant messages rather than one universal message throughout a community is going to build acceptance and eventually adoption of an idea or concept. Within the apparel industry, we constantly see advertisements that encourage us to invest in products that are new, fresh, and popular. Celebrity endorsement within advertising also triggers our desire to consume more. If sustainability was as strongly advertised as the concept to devour goods that we probably don’t really need, our environment would be free of harm!

My design concept to guide the replenishment of the earth’s resources rather than the disposal of them through new advertising and merchandising techniques is one that I am sure will be most beneficial in reaching consumers. Mainstreaming each principle that supports my concept idea promises to “change the way we make, sell, market, and buy everything”, according to Benyus’s outlook. The path to sustainability has already been paved for us through the example set by Mother Nature, and it is now up to us as consumers to follow it and take part in the transformation. It is time to stop talking about ways to be sustainable, and put our words into actions!