OUGD603 Evaluation

I have relished the opportunity to work on briefs I have gone out and found myself as well being able to research a topic that I am really passionate about. In recent years our plastic waste and consumption has been made a real focus and after watching countless documentaries about the topic and seeing the damage we as humans are doing to the planet I really want to make a change. Most of the plastic waste we produce is from obvious sources such as drinks bottles and food packaging. However not many people are aware of how much plastic waste is produced during our periods and I think this is a really important issue. The obvious source is tampon applicators however most tampons are made from a material which combines plastic and cotton. There can be as much as one carrier bag worth of plastic in each tampon and up to 4 in one sanitary towel. I enjoyed having the opportunity to make a brief based on this and rebrand Natracare which is a sanitary product brand that make biodegradable and plastic free products, when plastic has to be used it is a recycled and recyclable plastic. I created a campaign which encourages women to change their tampon brand to something more sustainable. 

I have also enjoyed working on two briefs as collaborations. The first one I did was with Danielle Wright who is one of my course mates therefore it made working with her really easy as we are constantly in touch with each other. We worked on the Cherry Tree Bakery brief and came up with a name and logo for their new brand ‘Pure Bliss Bakery’. Working with Danii was really fun as I could be honest with her and knew she wouldn’t take criticism too personally. Danii is also open to trying lots of different things and experimenting and doesn’t care if it doesn’t work first time she is very persistent and worked hard to get our vision to work. I did a lot of the designing such as the logo and illustrations but Danii was really good at bringing these elements together and mocking up our designs in context. 

The second collaboration was with Beth from creative advertising and this wasn’t as successful. Beth didn’t allow us much time for designing and often left us out of important decision. She was very slow at giving us answers and work we required to complete the brief but when it was her asking us for things she expected it instantly. I was really glad to be working with Danii again on this brief as we work well as a team and despite the pressure from Beth we managed to keep each other relaxed and produced some really good work. 

Overall I have really enjoyed this module and I am happy with the work I have produced and the variation of my work across the eight briefs I have done. I think if I did any more briefs the work produced would be rushed and bring the rest of my submission down therefore I chose to cap it at eight.

Sustainability Evaluation

I am really pleased with my submission for the sustainability awards. I think the posters tackle a really important issue in a very fun way. They will easily capture attention and hopefully make people want to find out more and have a plastic free period. Natracare is a really good sanitary product brand and it would be nice if more people went away from the popular brands on the market that use lots of unnecessary products and switched to something that used recyclable plastic and biodegradable elements.  I hope they open people’s eyes to the somewhat unknown fact that a lot of tampon brands (even applicator free) contain a lot of pointless plastic. 

Bibliography

Bibliography  Natracare

Abby Norman. (2019). Abby Norman. [online] Available at: https://www.abbynormanwriter.com [Accessed 2 May 2019].

BBC News. (2019). The fight for plastic-free periods. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-43879789 [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Bettyforschools.co.uk. (2019). Teaching about periods | PSHE lessons KS2: 8-11 - betty for schools. [online] Available at: https://bettyforschools.co.uk/resources/8-11-year-olds [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Bolen, J. (2019). What's New in the World of Eco-Friendly Period Products? - Zero Waste Nest. [online] Zero Waste Nest. Available at: https://zerowastenest.com/whats-new-in-the-world-of-eco-friendly-period-products/ [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Chalabi, M. (2019). How Many Women Don’t Use Tampons?. [online] FiveThirtyEight. Available at: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-many-women-dont-use-tampons/ [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Chic (2019). How Much Plastic Is Really In Your Period -. [online] Thenewhousefamily.co.uk. Available at: http://www.thenewhousefamily.co.uk/frugal-family/how-much-plastic-is-really-in-your-period/ [Accessed 2 May 2019].

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DAME. (2019). The first reusable tampon applicator. [online] Available at: https://wearedame.co [Accessed 2 May 2019].

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Flo Code. (2019). Changing up the Period Convo. [online] Available at: https://flocode.org/changing-the-period-convo/ [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Helloclue.com. (2019). Clue: Period and Ovulation Tracker for iPhone and Android. [online] Available at: https://helloclue.com/articles/culture/how-did-menstruation-become-taboo [Accessed 2 May 2019].

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Home, W. (2019). What Is The Tampon Tax, Why Do We Pay It, And When Will It Finally Be Scrapped?. [online] woman&home. Available at: https://www.womanandhome.com/life/news-entertainment/what-is-the-tampon-tax-why-do-we-pay-it-and-when-will-it-finally-be-scrapped-205638/ [Accessed 2 May 2019].

It’s Nice That. (2019). Designers, stop designing for yesterday's planet. [online] Available at: https://www.itsnicethat.com/news/futurice-design-sustainability-graphic-design-130918 [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Lil-lets.co.uk. (2019). Period Plastic. [online] Available at: https://www.lil-lets.co.uk/period-plastic [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Mum.org. (2019). Tampex tampon, Turkey? date? at MUM. [online] Available at: http://www.mum.org/tampex.htm [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Natracare. (2019). Natracare Period & Personal Care | Plastic Free Periods. [online] Available at: http://www.natracare.com [Accessed 2 May 2019].

pebble magazine. (2019). Planet friendly periods: Make it eco-friendly or plastic free | pebble magazine. [online] Available at: https://pebblemag.com/magazine/living/plastic-free-periods [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Simple.co.uk. (2019). Biodegradable Wipes. [online] Available at: https://www.simple.co.uk/our-ranges/biodegradable-wipes.html [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Tampax.co.uk. (2019). TAMPAX Products. [online] Available at: https://tampax.co.uk/en-gb/buy-tampax-tampons?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrr7f7oPS4QIVjeR3Ch 3TOwVfEAAYASAAEgLftvD_BwE [Accessed 2 May 2019].

The Economist. (2019). A new documentary addresses the stigma of menstruation in India. [online] Available at: https://www.economist.com/prospero/2019/01/22/a-new-documentary-addresses-the-stigma-of-menstruation-in-india [Accessed 2 May 2019].

TOTM. (2019). TOTM | Organic cotton tampons, pads and liners, delivered to your door. [online] Available at: https://www.totm.com [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Women's Environmental Network. (2019). Try #Periods Without Plastic — Women's Environmental Network. [online] Available at: https://www.wen.org.uk/periodswithoutplastic [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Women's Health. (2019). 6 Ways Periods Have Been Used to Send a Social Message. [online] Available at: https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/a19907901/menstrual-art/ [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Bibliography  Summer Ball

2017, T. (2019). The Grand Summer Ball 2017. [online] Elevate Design Studio. Available at: http://www.elevatedesignstudio.co.uk/the-grand-summer-ball-2017/ [Accessed 2 May 2019]. Adivi, M. (2019). Spring/ Summer 2019 Print Trends. [online] Glowsly. Available at: https://glowsly.com/spring-summer-2019-print-trends/ [Accessed 2 May 2019]. afmu.net. (2019). Spring-Summer 2019 Color Trends | afmu.net. [online] Available at: http://afmu.net/spring-summer-2019-color-trends/ [Accessed 2 May 2019]. Cardiffmetsu.co.uk. (2019). Summer Ball 2016. [online] Available at: https://www.cardiffmetsu.co.uk/events/6013/2043/ [Accessed 2 May 2019]. Facebook.com. (2019). Leeds Arts Union. [online] Available at: https://www.facebook.com/LeedsArtsUnion/photos/gm. 901845859997634/2054766904563271/?type=3&theater [Accessed 2 May 2019]. Facebook.com. (2019). Leeds Arts Union. [online] Available at: https://www.facebook.com/LeedsArtsUnion/photos/rpp. 102539993119315/2658857170820905/?type=3&theater [Accessed 2 May 2019]. Leedsartsunion.org.uk. (2019). [online] Available at: https://www.leedsartsunion.org.uk [Accessed 2 May 2019]. Leedsartsunion.org.uk. (2019). [online] Available at: https://www.leedsartsunion.org.uk/events [Accessed 2 May 2019]. NellyRodi.com. (2019). NellyRodi / Trendbook Prints & Patterns Spring-Summer 2019. [online] Available at: https://www.nellyrodi.com/en/product/prints-patterns-spring-summer-2019 [Accessed 2 May 2019]. Stmaryssu.co.uk. (2019). Summer Ball headline act announced! @ St Mary's University Students' Union. [online] Available at: https://www.stmaryssu.co.uk/articles/summer-ball-headline-act-announced [Accessed 2 May 2019]. Twitter.com. (2019). Twitter. [online] Available at: https://twitter.com/thegatsbyclub/status/520250897126162433 [Accessed 2 May 2019]. Vecteezy. (2019). Summer Pattern Free Vector Art - (33418 Free Downloads). [online] Available at: https://www.vecteezy.com/free-vector/summer-pattern [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Bibliography  Cherry Tree/ Pure Bliss

Amazon.co.uk. (2019). Amazon.co.uk: Cookie Stamps: Home & Kitchen. [online] Available at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cookie-Stamps/b?ie=UTF8&node=3008901031 [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Cherrytreebakery.co.uk. (2019). Cherrytree Bakery | Cherrytree Bakery. [online] Available at: http://cherrytreebakery.co.uk [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Dictionary.cambridge.org. (2019). BLISS | meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary. [online] Available at: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/bliss [Accessed 2 May 2019].

home, C. and home, C. (2019). Color me happy: use color to impact the mood of your home | The Art of Simple. [online] The Art of Simple. Available at: https://theartofsimple.net/color-me-happy-using-color-to-impact-your-mood/ [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Index, R., Desserts, S., Cooker, B., Cooker, M., Recipes, S., Archives, S., Love, S., Recipes, A., Recipes, S., 2017, T., 2016, T., Recipes, B., Recipes, C. and me, A. (2019). BakingQueen74 - Baking and Slow Cooker Recipes. [online] BakingQueen74. Available at: https://bakingqueen74.co.uk [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Laduree.co.uk. (2019). Ladurée, restaurant, tea room and macaron specialist. [online] Available at: https://www.laduree.co.uk [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Macaronsandcobakery.com. (2019). Macarons & Co – Homemade Happiness. [online] Available at: https://macaronsandcobakery.com [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Patisserie Valerie. (2019). Lovingly Handmade Cakes to order online. [online] Available at: https://www.patisserie-valerie.co.uk [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Paul-uk.com. (2019). PAUL Bakery, Patisserie, Café and Restaurant. [online] Available at: https://www.paul-uk.com [Accessed 2 May 2019].

TripAdvisor. (2019). Olivia Valere Babilonia, Marbella - Restaurant Reviews, Photos & Phone Number - TripAdvisor. [online] Available at: https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g187439-d799641-Reviews-Olivia_Valere_Babilonia-Marbella_Costa_del_Sol_Province_of_Malaga_Andalucia.html [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Bibliography  Food Revival 

2019, i. (2019). Home Page | Revival Vintage. [online] Revivalvintage.co.uk. Available at: https://www.revivalvintage.co.uk [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Anon, (2019). [online] Available at: https://therealjunkfoodproject.org [Accessed 2 May 2019].

FareShare. (2019). FareShare | Fighting hunger, tackling food waste in the UK. [online] Available at: https://fareshare.org.uk [Accessed 2 May 2019].

FoodCycle. (2019). FoodCycle. [online] Available at: https://www.foodcycle.org.uk [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Htafc.com. (2019). SUPPORT THE FANS FOR FOODBANKS INITIATIVE IN 2019!. [online] Available at: https://www.htafc.com/news/2018/december/support-the-fans-for-foodbanks-initiative-in-2019/ [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Thecardingshed.co.uk. (2019). The Carding Shed | The Vintage Motoring Experience. [online] Available at: http://thecardingshed.co.uk [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Bibliography  After Eight 

Advertisingarchives.co.uk. (2019). The Advertising Archives | Magazine Advert | After Eight | 2000s. [online] Available at: http://www.advertisingarchives.co.uk/detail/48619/1/Magazine-Advert/After-Eight/2000s [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Best, J. (2019). Inventor of the After Eight dinner mint Brian Sollitt dies at the age of 74. [online] mirror. Available at: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/inventor-after-eight-dinner-mint-2268298 [Accessed 2 May 2019].

En.wikipedia.org. (2019). After Eight. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/After_Eight [Accessed 2 May 2019].

http://www.nestle.co.uk. (2019). After Eight. [online] Available at: https://www.nestle.co.uk/brands/chocolate_and_confectionery/boxed [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Landor. (2019). Old Spice | Case study | Landor. [online] Available at: https://landor.com/work/old-spice [Accessed 2 May 2019].

madewithnestle.ca. (2019). AFTER EIGHT Brownies. [online] Available at: https://www.madewithnestle.ca/recipe/after-eight-brownies [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Minn, H. (2019). Watch Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield competing in After 8 Challenge. [online] mirror. Available at: https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/that-astonishing-holly-willoughby-absolutely-9455434 [Accessed 2 May 2019].

N4mb3rs.com. (2019). [online] Available at: http://n4mb3rs.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/after_eight_ad_nestlé.jpg [Accessed 2 May 2019].

O'Neill, M. and O'Neill, M. (2019). How Old Spice Swaggerized Their Brand And Men Everywhere. [online] Adweek.com. Available at: https://www.adweek.com/digital/how-old-spice-swaggerized-their-brand-and-men-everywhere/ [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Telegraph.co.uk. (2019). Brian Sollitt. [online] Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/10305680/Brian-Sollitt.html [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Tesco.com. (2019). After Eight Big Ben Advent Calendar 185G - Tesco Groceries. [online] Available at: https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/301735062 [Accessed 2 May 2019].

YouTube. (2019). AFTER EIGHT TV ad 1997. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_eKkdWAVNM [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Bibliography  Penguin book competition 

Award, C. (2019). Children's Cover Award. [online] Penguin.co.uk. Available at: https://www.penguin.co.uk/company/work-with-us/student-design-award/children-s-cover-award.html [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Books, F. and Books, F. (2019). The Floris Books approach to children's cover design - Floris Books Blog. [online] Floris Books Blog. Available at: http://www.florisbooks.co.uk/blog/2014/10/15/the-floris-books-approach-to-childrens-cover-design/ [Accessed 2 May 2019].

brief?, H., cover?, H., Research, r., sketching, S. and book?, W. (2019). How does a designer work with a brief?. [online] Penguin.co.uk. Available at: https://www.penguin.co.uk/articles/company/blogs/how-does-a-designer-work-with-a-brief-.html [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Friedlander, J. (2019). 3 Inspirational Design Ideas from Bestselling Book Covers - The Book Designer. [online] The Book Designer. Available at: https://www.thebookdesigner.com/2018/03/3-inspirational-design-ideas-bestselling-book-covers/ [Accessed 2 May 2019].

home, C. and home, C. (2019). Color me happy: use color to impact the mood of your home | The Art of Simple. [online] The Art of Simple. Available at: https://theartofsimple.net/color-me-happy-using-color-to-impact-your-mood/ [Accessed 2 May 2019].

IMDb. (2019). Wonder (2017) - IMDb. [online] Available at: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2543472/ [Accessed 2 May 2019].

ME, A., ME, W., ILLUSTRATION, C., DESIGN, A. and TOUCH, G. (2019). 5 TIPS FOR GOOD CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOK COVER DESIGN. [online] Nataliemerheb.com. Available at: http://nataliemerheb.com/illustration-101/top-tips-for-good-childrens-picture-book-cover-design/ [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Noble, B. (2019). Auggie & Me: Three Wonder Stories|Hardcover. [online] Barnes & Noble. Available at: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/auggie-me-r-j-palacio/1121377493 [Accessed 2 May 2019].

PenguinRandomhouse.com. (2019). Wonder Movie Tie-In Edition by R. J. Palacio | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books. [online] Available at: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/208913/wonder-movie-tie-in-edition-by-r-j-palacio/9781524720193/ [Accessed 2 May 2019].

people who write. (2019). Cover Love: R.J. Palacio's "Wonder". [online] Available at: https://peoplewhowrite.wordpress.com/2013/03/16/cover-love-r-j-palacios-wonder/ [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Reference, G. (2019). Treacher Collins syndrome. [online] Genetics Home Reference. Available at: https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/treacher-collins-syndrome [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Winners, 2. (2019). 2018 Winners. [online] Penguin.co.uk. Available at: https://www.penguin.co.uk/company/work-with-us/student-design-award/2018-winners.html [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Wonder. (2019). About R.J. Palacio | Wonder. [online] Available at: https://wonderthebook.com/about [Accessed 2 May 2019].

Wonder. (2019). Choose Kind | Wonder. [online] Available at: https://wonderthebook.com/choose-kind [Accessed 2 May 2019].

After Eight Evaluation

Overall I am really happy with the designs me and Danii came up with. Despite the final designs being rushed as Beth didn’t allow us much time for designing we managed to pull together something very consistent and appealing. I really enjoyed working in a group and think it enabled me to develop my communication skills and time management especially working to a tight deadline. If I was to do this again I would probably ask to take more control as I think Beth could sometime be a bit over powering with her ideas and often thought she knew best, we did take her advice on board but often showed her that her ideas weren’t that great and us as designers knew best. 

Pure Bliss Bakery Evaluation

Overall I really like the final designs. Despite not being successful with the competition I am really proud of what me and Danii managed to achieve together in just two weeks. The name is inspired by the brand’s focus on selling indulgent baked goods. We thought the word ‘bliss’ would encourage the consumer to think about taking a moment out of their busy day to relax and enjoy a luxurious treat. We added the word ‘pure’ to show a complete feeling of contentment as though nothing could get better than that. 

We chose to use script type amongst some simple illustrations throughout the branding to add a friendly, personal feel to the brand’s image. A lot of people like the idea of eating homemade goods and we believe this creates an illusion that these luxury bakes are one of a kind and lovingly prepared in someone’s kitchen rather than in an industrial setting.  We wanted to create a brand which represented purity, artisan and elegance and I think we achieved this.

Bake Off Evaluation

In summary I am pleased with how the designs have turned out. I think by going with the collage idea I have pushed myself out of my comfort zone as it isn’t really something I would usually do however I am glad I stuck at it. I think I have kept the designs consistent throughout all three elements and they work really well together. The competition is meant to be fun and raise money for charity and I think this poster design replicates that well. It also takes the important elements of the surrounding area at 10 Associates such as the woodland and farm animals and puts them in a baking context. 

Food Revival Evaluation

I am really happy with how the logo has turned out and I think it works really well in context. I didn’t want the Yorkshire variation of the logo to look too dissimilar to the original logo and I think I have managed to achieve this as there is very subtle difference. I think the logo is straight to the point and modern as well as offering Food Revival scope to expand their charity further e.g. Clothes Revival as this logo would work well for that too with a simple change of the name. 

I think the logo would stand out from other charities that do similar work and would be easily recognisable by those in need of a meal or food supplies if it was rolled out throughout different towns and cities. Despite the stamp idea being very subtle I think it ties in with the vintage idea food revival originally stated they wanted in the brief. It also means they can easily and inexpensively put their logo on different collateral by getting a stamp made. 

Wonder Evaluation

I really enjoyed this brief as it gave me the opportunity to use different skills to what I usually do in my work. The illustrations I usually create are very simplistic line drawings so I really thrived off of this opportunity to be more experimental and detailed in my drawings. As the book is targeted at children I wanted the front cover to be busy and fun as I think this helps their imagination. I know that penguin usually choose designs using limited colour (usually just 3 colours) but my design looks best when using lots of colours as I believe this makes the planets look more realistic and is therefore more educational. 

Summer Ball Evaluation

Despite the fact that my design wasn’t picked and I did not win I am pleased with the poster I managed to create in just a few days. I really enjoyed the fact that the brief was so open and gave me the chance to be experimental as it allowed me to jump straight into design work rather than spending too much time on research. I wanted to make something fun and not too formal as I don’t think our summer ball is like other universities therefore needs to stand out and attract people to the event. If I was to do the brief again I would probably focus more on the typography as the winner of the competition did this and her design is really striking and unique. 

Natracare Evaluation

I chose to research this topic as it is something I am really concerned about. I try my best to use as little plastic as possible in my daily life therefore I thought it would be good to encourage other people to do the same. Changing your tampon brand to one that uses no plastic and is biodegradable is such a simple change. They are a little bit more expensive but it is worth it for the good it does for the environment. I think the campaign highlights this in a very simple way but the bright colours help to attract attention. 

As my target audience is 16 - 52 I think it is important to cover a large platform when promoting the campaign. One of the main things I want to promote is social media as this uses no materials therefore is kind on the environment but will also work well at targeting a large range of the audience. The campaign would be made for both facebook and instagram as I think the majority of people in this age range will have one of these form of social media if not both. 

I also thought a magazine/ newspaper add might work well. Especially in a magazine that talks about environmental issues therefore will be read by people who want to make a difference and care about the planet. 

I think a large poster campaign would work well too for example, on bus stops, tube stations, billboards to capture the attention of people on their commute to work a time when they have time to stop and think about the issue. 

Time planning

Through the year I have been referring back to my time plan to check I'm on track



As well as this I created a 'to print' check list to make sure I printed everything needed for each project.

Evaluation of voluntary work

Over the limited time I have been at Dalton School I have learnt many valuable skills and things about myself. I now know that I can adapt myself well and think on my feet when I need to, it also helped me improve my leadership skills, communication skills and ability to help as well as discipline young children. Over my time there I have found it remarkable how much development the children made in their reading and writing skills and I was grateful for the opportunity to support the activities which engaged the children and enabled them to achieve while still having fun. Being able to see the children develop was hugely rewarding and I look forward to actively contributing to this further during my teaching career. From my work experience it is clear to me that teaching is the career path I want to go down and doing a PGCE seems the best way for me to achieve this. I am now even more excited to start my teacher training in September. 

Designers, stop designing for yesterday’s planet

https://www.itsnicethat.com/news/futurice-design-sustainability-graphic-design-130918
Alex Crowfoot is the UK principal designer at Futurice, a digital innovation consultancy. He’s also a man who evidently thinks hard and often about what the creative sector can to do ensure sustainability isn’t just a concept scrawled on a whiteboard in a brainstorm. Ahead of a talk as part of the 2018 London Design Festival, he talks us through five ways do their bit to keep the earth rotating that little bit longer.
Humans are currently consuming the Earth’s resources 1.7 times faster than nature can regenerate, the Pacific plastic waste zone is now twice as large as France and air pollution-related deaths exceeded 6 million in 2016. Yet many of us are still designing for a world that doesn’t exist anymore – a world that believed resources were limitless, fossil fuels could be used with no implications and waste would just sort of… disappear.
While it’s easy to understand the impact of manufacturing, heavy industry and farming, people tend to forget the impact the digital world is having on the environment. The internet is currently producing more than 830 million tons of Co2 every year, exceeding the amount emitted by air travel. Factor in the way digital products and services are increasingly able to connect to the physical world, from e-Commerce to home delivery right through to IoT devices, and the implications are huge.
Digital designers could be playing a crucial role in helping to reduce the human impact on the planet. Every year, we bring thousands of new products and services to life, devise different ways to interact and create new habits. Digital means these can scale at an unprecedented rate. It’s why the World Economic Forum said, “digital transformation can help set the world’s economy on a sustainable footing”.
The challenge for designers is to start thinking about how we can integrate sustainability into every project we do and not only change consumer behaviour for the better, but also offer digital services they can feel good about, knowing the environmental impact has also been considered. Consumers are sending unprecedented signals that they expect brands to address sustainability. For designers keen to start reducing the impact of projects, here are five simple design hacks.

Design better defaults

Are we unwittingly part of the problem? Many digital products and services come with defaults that have a negative impact, but which can be easily changed. For example, instead of every food delivery coming with disposable napkins and cutlery, the designers behind food delivery platforms could force users to choose to add these, as Deliveroo has now done. Even better – designers could make users pay extra. Better still, they could offer them biodegradable options like bamboo.

Minimise data

Some of the impact of our work is completely hidden. It has been estimated that streaming just an hour of video per week for a year requires more energy use in the server farm than two domestic refrigerators. And where is that energy coming from? In many countries it’s by burning coal. We can mitigate this by designing services that reduce the transfer of data – designing lighter weight pages and screens or giving careful thought to when using video, for example. This has a side benefit of making services more usable in countries with narrower bandwidth and less reliable networks.

Audit the inputs

One of the simplest ways of reducing impact is to ensure that all the suppliers or inputs into a product or service also have a lower impact. Patagonia famously tries to do this as part of its global supply chain, ensuring that its partners complement Patagonia’s ethical corporate culture and drive towards sustainability. Could we, as designers, take a similar stand with our networks? Ensure our suppliers are doing the right thing and we are halfway there.

Make better choices the most attractive

Platforms like Amazon give users zero ways to compare the impact of buying one product over another or from one supplier versus another. For example, does the product we’re buying really need to be shipped halfway around the world when a second, albeit slightly more expensive version, is just down the road? If the global shipping sector were a country, it would have the world’s sixth largest greenhouse gas emissions, ahead of even Germany. Designers could help to reduce this by rewarding users for choosing an option with a smaller carbon footprint. If we’re smart, that will be at no extra cost to the service.

Add the planet to your tools

Using tools or methods like the Lean Canvas, Business Model Generation, Design Principles, or Service Blueprints, it’s easy to engage teams and clients on environmental factors by ensuring they are, simply, visible. At Futurice, we are experimenting with new methods to encourage our teams to prioritise environmental factors in their projects. For example, we add a box called “Environmental Impact” on the Lean Canvas, so that it won’t be forgotten, and people will design for lower impact from the start. If you are building a service blueprint, add a swim lane called “environmental impact” or “resource use” or “pollution” so that all concerned are designing thoughtfully and consciously.

These are just five ways that designers can start to use their influence. With an open mind, there are countless others that designers can find. So, what else could teams be doing to bring sustainability into projects? How can we reduce our impact if we don’t know what it currently is? For teams that don’t know the answer to these questions maybe it’s time to found out.

is it possible to have a plastic free period

didn’t tell anyone when I started my period: I ordered a free sample pack of Tampax from Shout! magazine, hoping no-one in my family would notice when the mysterious package arrived in the post.

I’ve never thought about it as a conscious choice - it’s a utility, after all; bog-standard, like bog roll. But as the global plastic cutback takes hold, Celia Pool, co-founder of DAME is bringing the eco-battle to our bathrooms, having created the world’s first reusable tampon applicator.

“Regular tampons are made from synthetic substances,” Poole explains. “The cord is often glued rather than woven in, and there can even be plastic elements within the tampon itself. It’s not deemed a medical product, so what’s put into it doesn’t have to be released - but it can be a mixture of rayon, wood pulp, cotton and synthetic substances. 

“It’s a highly absorbent part of your body that you’re putting this item into every month: you think about what you put in your mouth, why aren’t you thinking about what you're putting into your vagina? We use organic cotton tampons, not only because they’re better for the body, but also for the environment when they go back into the ground.”

And of course, that’s not even to mention the single-use plastic applicators I’ve been tossing into the bin for the last 13 years. But like many women, I never felt I had another option: moon cups sound frightening, and I’m sure reusable pads are fantastic - I've just never got round to actually using them.

 “Big pharmaceutical companies were on to a good thing, making a product which women were heavily reliant on. They didn’t need to innovate that much,” Poole says, adding that “it’s the most genius subscription product, because women will always come back for more each month.”

I’m not alone in my preference for tampons with applicators: 60 per cent of women prefer to use them. It is estimated over 100 billion period products are disposed of every year, and nearly all contain plastics. None of these can be recycled as they’re deemed sanitary waste.

Given the phenomenal success of DAME's Kickstarter campaign to raise funds, which hit its £20,000 target in four days (nearly £39,000 has been pledged so far), the notion of a plastic-free period has never been more timely. Their D. reusable tampon applicator is made from medical grade mediprene with in-built antimicrobial technology that helps keep it hygienic, and works with any level of tampon absorbency. The design is deliberately sleek: DAME firmly believes that women have nothing to hide.

“Creating a product that looks good in bathrooms and handbags is a further measure to normalise periods,” says Poole's co-founder Alec Mills. "For too long women have been sold on the promise of discretion: that their periods are embarrassing and dirty. Not only does this profoundly affect the way women and girls view their bodies, it’s led to little meaningful innovation in the tampon industry in years”.

So, how exactly do you use it? Poole assures me that it has been designed to have minimal impact on existing habits - but that the return for the environment is significant.  “Each time a woman switches to using this new product, she’ll prevent approximately 12,000 pieces of single-use plastic from entering our oceans. The D. works exactly like a normal applicator,” she explains.

“The only difference is that you don’t throw it away. You load it up with a non-applicator tampon, insert it, and when you withdraw it, rather than chucking it in the bin or throwing it down the loo like a large swathe of the population, you just wipe it with a piece of loo roll. Rinse it under the tap if you can, and keep it in the travel pouch until you need to use it next. In between periods, sterilise it for five minutes.

“We were worried that for some women, rinsing their applicator outside the cubicle in a public loo could be an issue, but we’ve had people that say going out there and rinsing it in public, they almost want someone to make a comment on it, there was this strange feeling of pride which they hadn’t expected."

“We hope this will be the first of a whole range of products to make the bathroom green: we want to do it in a way that minimises the impact on a woman’s life and maximises the stylishness and the design that they expect from other items in their life. There needs to be headway with nappies and so on - wipes are a big scourge on the planet and need to be massively rethought. There’s a big shift that needs to happen. But the more products like this that come into the mainstream, the more people can accept other products coming in. People who use reusable coffee cups are more amenable to using reusable tampon applicators.”

plastic pollution from sanitary products

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/period-sanitary-products-plastic-pollution-flush-toilet-marine-environment-natracare-a8425256.html

Flushing sanitary products down the toilet can be very detrimental for the marine environment, new research has claimed. 

The majority of period products such as tampons and sanitary pads are predominantly made from plastic, which makes it harder for them to be broken down when they enter the sewage system.

Approximately 700,000 panty liners, 2.5 million tampons and 1.4 million sanitary towels are flushed down the toilet in the UK every single day, according to figures published in the Journal of the Institution of Environmental Sciences. 

The Marine Conservation Society and Natracare, a plastic-free period brand, have teamed up to raise awareness about the negative impact of period waste for a campaign that coincides with Plastic Free July. 

According to their research, one pack of sanitary pads can contain the equivalent quantity of plastic as four carrier bags. Moreover, one pad can take as long as 500 years to fully break down.

While numerous women may instinctively flush sanitary products down the toilet rather than put them in the bin, doing so is extremely ill-advised, as Rachel Dyson, head of the Anglian Water’s “Keep It Clear” programme explains.

“Many people are unaware that just like wipes, sanitary pads, tampons and tampon applicators should never be flushed,” she says.

“Thirty years of campaigning for and developing environmentally compatible menstrual products, has led to this perfect storm of actions to reduce plastic entering landfill and our oceans,” says Susie Hewson, founder and CEO of Natracare.

“By choosing plastic free, women have the power to help protect the environment and their own health.”

It’s been estimated that the average woman will dispose of 11,000 sanitary products in her lifetime. Furthermore, 8 per cent of all waste that enters water treatment works comes from period waste, as stated by Water UK.

Over the course of a decade, Marine Conservation Society litter pickers have collected more than 20,000 tampons, applicators and sanitary pads from UK beaches.

A “Plastic Period Protest” is taking place on the beach in Brighton on Sunday. 

The aim of the “Sea-ing Red” protest is to raise awareness about the harmful impact that period waste is continuing to have on the UK’s marine environment. 

simple wipes

Looking at simple and how they have branded their new biodegradable makeup wipes. The product i am looking at is biodegradable therefore relates well to this and gave me some inspiration.
- bright colours
- natural looking
- simple text
-straight to the point.

previous winners/ runners up

looking at previous winners, I really like this Aquatic Life poster as it is similar to my own idea. I am looking at plastic waste from periods and how this ends up in the sea after being flushed down the toilet. 

sustainability brief

This award is open to all current students studying at Leeds Arts University.
The award recognises innovative and outstanding work that addresses
environmental, social and ethical issues with sustainability running clearly through the
thinking and approach.
To be considered for the award, students need to submit a piece of work based on
their interpretation of “sustainability”, which reflects the aims identified in the
University sustainability framework.
Students should address how they have arrived at their solution.
• What is the issue?
• Why is it important?
• How will their work influence new thinking?
• How does the work address sustainability and, specifically, which of the three
pillars (social, economic and environmental) are addressed, and how?

SUBMISSION

Please submit a high-resolution JPEG or EPS (300dpi) or URL, with details of the
actual dimensions of the piece, along with your name (or names, if entering as a
collective), course, level, email address, title of the piece and a statement of up to 500
words outlining how the work addresses the issues of sustainability, to
careers@leeds-art.ac.uk.
If you are an academic and would like a student to be recognised for their work,
please encourage them to apply . Following the deadline, all submissions will be
passed onto the selection panel for shortlisting.

DEADLINE: 5PM MONDAY 13 MAY 2019
For further information, please contact careers@leeds-art.ac.uk

REGULATIONS

1. Entrants have to be current students of Leeds Arts University, studying on an
FE, Undergraduate or Postgraduate course;
2. The submission must be related to the concept of sustainability. The
interpretation of the concept is open; however, they should reflect the principles
outlines in the University sustainability framework;
3. Entries can be of any genre (photographic, illustration, film, fashion, multi-media,
etc.) or any mix of genres or disciplines;
4. Entries must be of work created in the 2018/19 academic year;
5. Selected entries will be exhibited at the end of year show in 2019;
6. Entries can be individual or collaborative but each student, or group, can
only submit one entry. Students submitting as part of a group cannot submit
individual entries;

1st Prize (HE)
£250

Runners up (HE x2)
£125

1st Prize (FE)
£250

Runners up (FE x2)
£125

7. Entries must be submitted by 5pm on 13th May 2019;
8. Entries must include the name of the student (or students), course, level, email
address, title of the piece and a statement of up to 500 words outlining how the
work addresses the issues of sustainability;
9. Entrants must submit a high-resolution JPEG or EPS (300dpi) or URL, with details
of the actual dimensions of the piece, via email, to careers@leeds-art.ac.uk. It is the
responsibility of the students to make sure they are accessible and in working order;
10. The copyright of all work submitted remains with the artist/designer(s); however,
by submitting work, you are agreeing that Leeds Arts University can use you work
for promotional activities (in print, online, or otherwise). Should this happen, the
artist will be credited;
11. The decision of the selection panel is final. The panel will be comprised of Simone
Wonnacott (Vice-Chancellor) plus 3 members of the sustainability committee (2x
academic,1x non-academic);
12. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks.

portfolio