Design for Sustainable Consumption

Abstract

This paper critiques current eco-design approaches that focus on eco-efficiency strategies. It attempts to demonstrate how such strategies fail to address emergent issues of sustainability, in particular unsustainable consumption, by ignoring the relationship between micro and macro socioeconomic factors. The paper explores product obsolescence, eco-efficiency and rebound effects - where demand overrides efficiency and emergent design practice for sustainable consumption. Three interrelated questions are considered: 1. Why is sustainable consumption of such importance to the design and production of manufactured goods? 2. Why do current eco-design initiatives fail, or do not go far enough in addressing central issues of sustainability - in particular the emergent issue of unsustainable consumption? 3. Which design methodologies and practices offer a means of addressing sustainable consumption? The methodology for this research includes: surveys of relevant literature in the field of sustainable consumption, qualitative interviews with UK-based design and sustainability professionals, and a comparison of emerging and progressive models for sustainable product design.