Some thoughts about designing in an environmentally friendly way
As second-year Design Informatics students, we were asked to mentor the first-year students on one of their design course. One of their project proposal was to “Reduce waste and pollution by rationalising the distribution of menstrual product resources, developing new materials and packages, and improving the recycling system. Simultaneously, recover the cost through recycling, and the menstrual tax can be reduced.” What surprised me was that their aim users are women students. I was kind of offended because personally I find the menstrual products with plastics being replaced by papers really hard to use and lowers the user experience a lot. Also, the menstrual tax is such a biased regulation that I cannot accept designing under this rule. I see this design as in fact decreasing women’s user experience rather than providing much benefits.
I feel like more and people are actually doing harmful stuff in the name of protecting the environment. Environmental activists throw soup over Van Gogh’s flowers just happened this October. News destroying property undermines the climate movement’s credibility rather than calling on people to stop polluting. I really don’t like them making damage in the name of environmental protection instead of really caring our planet.
Hi Cindy, really interesting to hear about your experience on Design Informatics and your ethical objection to some of the questions addressed on that programme. I note that this is the only blogpost you have written so far, contrary to what is required on this course, so this is a bit disappointing…Regarding environmental activism, while I do agree that some of it can be highly counter-productive, including certain public stunts, some would argue that climate change poses much more harmful threats to people’s lives than targeted property destruction. You might find interesting the perspective articulated by Andreas Malm on these issues in his books and interviews. See for instance this podcast and related book: https://newbooksnetwork.com/how-to-blow-up-a-pipeline
Also, please keep in mind that the course requires for you to produce 10 weekly blogposts, and after 6 weeks you have only written up one…