Notes from a session held at the Luminous Green Retreat, 29th of April 2007

Dougie Brew

• “Designed for looks not practicality or environmental efficiency”
• Why? Can it it be done? Would it cost too much? How much was driven by local architecture and tradition?
• The question is do design and efficiecny clash, why does green need hessian sack underpants? Is it taste, education or necessity? “The structure”
  • Rainwater capture, grey water, solar pump on well
  • Materials floors and paints
  • Air flow, temperature, blinds and temperature
  • Trees and garden , shading and use
  • Lighting wiring switching
  • heating and cooling “The operation”
  • The environment is hidden away - old paradigm of hide the waste
  • recycling hidden?
  • no energy monitoring
  • no signs policy or education
  • food composting and waste?
  • water - is it monitored? thats the driver of efficiency
  • Does labelling and information clash with the design ethic?

• “Transport”
  • Is defined by location so this is the decision
  • did local emissions count, offsetting them and do FoAM know the offset “costs”
• “Involvement”
  • Does involvement of the group in the environmental impact divert from time on the subject - not if done well, they are complimentary
  • Would this involvement or labelling / attention put off “business” - not really their decision is driven by other factors but approach needs to be timed and managed to that the management of the event does not override the content and purpose.

• “Portable green”
  • If you can't find a green venue then take your ecosystem with you. Create the ecosystem to fill your available space with diversity of tools
  • An ecosheet (turn lights off, use of water, think and what we like) use your design skills! Reuse the sheets, let them evolve.
  • relabel cups so we don't wash them all the time
  • measure electricity / watt bug and let people know (jazzy sign on wall)
  • carry compost back and feed the worms
  • open recycling up carry your labels
  • measure waste don't hide it don't flaunt it but do design it
  • Guerilla signs to save water, turn off lights and hint (look pro, left behind print extra for participants)
  • create a subtle market for the outcome we need
  • policy and labelling, pictures and marketing
  • acknowledge the greenwash and float above it
  • make some portable devices to generate rather than extension leads
  • make this package part of your process
• 'Offsetting”
  • Money directed to good causes you manage
  • The visible garden
  • Not just carbon
• NB All this is about subtely pressing a message not green activism or hairy underwear - infuse your environment with foam

• “How far away are we from our normal world?”
• Physically, no one left their professional worlds - what about “FoAM unplugged” the real world distance was accompanied by a virtual space that did not move
• do a gadget count and energy balance
• try a gadget downtime
• link use to unput to raise awareness, make manual generators that force collaboration (you pedal I powerpoint) human-power point.

ENDS (for now)