Daily sustainability is vital for a number of reasons. It reduces our environmental footprint by encouraging choices like eco-friendly products, water conservation, and lower energy use, easing the pressure on Earth's resources. Sustainable habits also promote a long-term ecological balance, crucial for all life forms. Mindful shopping is another key aspect, guiding us to buy only what's necessary, environmentally gentle, and durable. This minimizes waste, curbs mass production demand, and its related pollution. Plus, it can save money and foster a simpler, more fulfilling way of life.
Quick glance at the history
The core concept of sustainability gained prominence in 1972, the British book Blueprint for Survival first used the term “sustainability” to discuss humanity’s future. The United Nations also adopted the term in a document in 1978, further popularizing it. Green brands, as we know them today, began to emerge.
Although it seems as a relatively many years ago we did not see as much ecological campaigns and companies that were branding in that direction. We could sense some concrete difference over the past few years when it comes to media coverage and new trends emerging in younger population.
There have been many academic and non-academic discussions about introducing a different design task. Concepts such as "eco-design", "green design", "environmental design" and "sustainable design" have emerged, looking for alternative ways to cause less damage to the environment.
Designers, whose work forms the interface between humans and science, technology, and business, have the obligation and opportunity to be the ones who will be the wheel of change through education, different sources of information and data. They are the ones who have the power to make a historic revolution in the modern age of consumerism.
The suffering of the innocent
"The global leather industry kills over a billion animals every year and processes their skins and hides.1 Many of these animals suffer from the horrors of factory farming, such as extreme crowding and confinement, deprivation, and painful castration and, branding without anaesthesia. They also face cruel treatment during transport and slaughter."
Chrome-tanning is the most common method of leather production worldwide. However, this process generates hazardous waste that contains chromium, a toxic substance regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency. Tannery waste also has other harmful pollutants, such as protein, hair, salt, lime sludge, sulphides, and acids. This waste poses a serious risk to human health because it contaminates the groundwater near tanneries with high levels of lead, cyanide, and formaldehyde.
The production of food and leather from animals generates waste and pollution. Livestock farming consumes a lot of fossil fuels; producing one calorie of beef requires about 35 calories of fossil fuel, and producing one calorie of pork requires about 68 calories of fossil fuel.
Over the years, synthetic leather has been an easy sell to customers. Most people just haven’t thought about the connection between their furniture and greenhouse gases or animal abuses, but they also want to be sustainable and will choose materials like salvaged wood or organic cotton for their homes.
"Realtor Eva Szczepanek, a committed vegan and member of the high-profile group Toronto Pig Save, says she only works with decorators who use vegan materials when they stage a home. “It makes everything lighter, more peaceful, and totally changes the energy,” she says. “It makes a big difference to live in a house where there isn’t anything that was made through harm or suffering.”
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