Sustainability in Design – Important now more than ever.
18th February 2019
Last week, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued a special report on the impact of global warming of 1.5C. This acted as a ‘final call’ to save the planet from catastrophic changes that would lead Earth to irreversible decline.
These warnings have been clear for some time now and it is hard to see if plans are being put into action. Just last year, world leaders agreed to sign the Paris climate agreement, which Donald Trump famously refused to commit to. People are angered by the leadership we have as we approach crunch time to save our planet. So, people are consciously making changes to their lives in order to make a difference.

Our Client, Green Oil, are a prime example of an eco-friendly company
Especially in the design world. Companies of all sizes and markets are making commitments to cut contributions to global warming. Using eco-friendly materials, slashing transportation distances and making products last longer are just a few examples of this. At Sanders, all of our projects take sustainable design into consideration. One example of this is Green Oil. The Green Oil range is biodegradable, using recycled plastic for their bottles and tubs, and supporting British manufacturing – every Green Oil product is made in the UK. You can read more about Green Oil’s Eco-friendly work here.

Credit: Carlsberg/PA Carlsberg are replacing plastic rings with adhesive glue.
The Danish Beer giant, Carslberg, have taken big steps to be more eco-conscious. Their multi-pack beer cans are to be stuck together with glue as it becomes one of the first brewers to abandon plastic rings. The decision to attach these packs with adhesive will reduce the use of plastic to package products by 75 per cent. Head of sustainability at Carlsberg, Simon Boas Hoffmeyer, said once the Snap Packs are rolled out worldwide the company will reduce its plastic use by 1,200 tonnes a year – the equivalent of 60 million plastic bags.

Credit: Plumen An eco-friendly redesign from Plumen.
Plumen, the designer light bulb company are another example of eco-conscious design. Their 2011 Design of the year winning bulb has been redesigned with a patented LED construction to replace the previous compact fluorescent technology. This design change also makes the bulb 100 percent recyclable – which Plumen see as a massive step in the right direction.
More and more companies are making important design decisions in order to cut their impact on the planet. These decisions will make a difference to the current state of the planet, supporting the planet for a longer life-span.