Annie leonard: The Story of Stuff

This video explores the current nature of consumerism and its impacts. This 21 minute animation investigates every step of the consumer process from material extraction to production to distribution to consumption to disposal. This video also covers intensely the problems associated with this linear process. Annie talks about how a linear process does not work when the resources used are finite. The first and major limit talked about in the video is the limit on resources, because of over consumption the earths forest, fisheries and minerals are becoming scarce. Annie also talks about problems relating to production and the many thousands of chemicals relevant in both our products and bi products of this process. These chemicals are either going into products we use on a daily basis or into the atmosphere where we are still exposed to them. Not only this but the people in third world countries that have no other choice but to work in these chemical infected factories. As for consumption stage Annie talks about how consumers are made to keep consuming with low prices by externalising costs as well as integrating planned obsolescence and perceived obsolescence into the market place. These factors keep people purchasing more and more on a day to day basis which keeps accelerating the process more and more, this is emphasised as the key factor in the whole process. Disposal is the las stage of this corrupt system and is one of the most pollution causing factors. Every year as more and more stuff is thrown away it is either thrown into landfills or incinerated both methods are hugely toxic and cause large amounts of pollution. The solution that is put forward in this video is to have a process that once disposed products materials can then be harvested to make new materials, taking stress of natural resources, limiting waste and pollution and creating a sustainable way of consumerism.

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Project one: Experiance Enrichment

This product was created for project one: experience enrichment. My redesigned handtool is a kitchen grater.

rationale

Design Solution

For Project One: Experience Enrichment, I redesigned a kitchen cheese grater. My redesigned grater is a versatile blend between a traditional box style grater and a hand held grater. When grating this product it can be used on either on a flat surface or over food and bowls.

Brief

This product answers project one’s brief through redesigning the everyday hand tool, the kitchen cheese grater. Used both stationary and handheld this product enriches and enhances the users experience through fun, flowing and playful aesthetics as well as a comfortable, soft and ergonomic handle. With a large enough surface area for grating easily this products functionality, ergonomics and aesthetics create a much more pleasurable way of operating a cheese grater.

Benefits

The benefits in this product are present through its functional, ergonomic and aesthetic values. This grater has a versatile shape that allows it to function in several ways while maintaining a relatively large surface area for grating. It has a unique blend between a traditional box style grater and a handheld grater. The somewhat triangular shape allows it to sit on a flat surface and retain its stability while being used. The angled handle also allows the user to use it anywhere in the kitchen whether handheld over food or resting on the edge of a bowl. The ergonomic benefits of this item include its soft comfortable handle that also can be used in a number of ways. The handle can be held front on or side on allowing for both large and small hand types, the comfortable use of this product makes it a much more easy and pleasurable device to use. The curvaceous, flowing and somewhat bulbous shape of the object makes it a fun and exciting product to use.

Materials

This product will be made from a injection moulded plastic frame with soft and rubbery characteristics yet still firm enough to provide stability when grating. The somewhat rubbery material will also act as a stabiliser so the product does not slip and slide around when being used on a tabletop or flat surface. The grating area of the product will be made from stainless steel making it resistant to wear over long periods of time as well as being easy to clean.