Green Thinking and Green Product Design - Essay Example

Green Thinking and Green Product Design This chapter will deal with the study of the various changes that has occurred to green thinking in the recent periods. This is significant for determining how to sustain the emerging technology of 3D and whether it is suitable for the contemporary world. The ability of the world to sustain the 3D technology can be studied in the context of the strength of technology trying to replace the consumer culture. This study is inevitable since consumerism has been the main concept which the American society has been thriving on. In order to make this clear, the discussion will involve the study of America as the representatives of consumerism, while the developed Asian countries as the repsentatives of technology. The developed Asian countries in question will include China and Japan since their development has mainly relied on the advancement in technology. The discussion will take the economic downturn of West, represented by America, as a result of consumerism while considering the rise of Asian countries on technology. The West consumer culture is a culture which advocates for the satisfaction of the consumers’ desires rather than their actual needs meaning. The chapter will need further investigation on how consumerism has actually affected the West Economy, leading to the economic downturn; and how technological advancement in China has lead to a possibility of the country outcompeting USA in terms of economic development. The western countries, particularly America has heavily relies on consumption rather than technological advancement. The countries have not considered shifting to a service economy with the main fruit of consumerism being materialism and the ultimate individualism. This is a weak point in illustrating the economic downturn of the West countries. Schumacher asserts, “Wisdom demands a new orientation of science and technology towards the organic, the gentle, the non-violent, the elegant and beautiful.(1973:20). It is true that the early technological development such as paper making, woodblock and movable type printing contributed to the growth of China implying that it rose as a scientific nation oriented with technology. This serves as a strong point in illustrating the power of emergent technologies such as 3D in replacing other development strategies. Further, the chapter would also deal with the study of how the green thinking is reflected in the government’s activities. This is helpful to determine whether the government is in a position of accommodating the emerging technology in their everyday operation. Particularly, the government has been on the verge of improving its strategies of development. The discussion will look into the ways in which the government has tried putting up with the advancement in technology. In order to realize the changes witnessed by the government, the discussion would use the instance of recycling and the local government. It is true that recycling would involve communism whereby the individuals would have to rely on each other thereby eliminating the concept of consumerism. Schumacher asserts, “Green thinking is the religion of the consumer age. (2008:50)”. This means that instead of going for the desires, as provided by consumerism the consumers would have to go for the crucial need of recycling the wastes. The study of how the local government works towards recycling the waste materials will be crucial for the discussion. Further, the discussion would also give more light on whether the technology would be compatible with other crucial activities of the government to the public. Chapter 3: criticism of green thinking The chapter will start with the discussion of the criticism towards the green thinking. This would be a strong point for the whole dissertation since it would help in realizing the drawbacks of green thinking. The realization of the drawbacks will help in explaining the ways in which the green thingking can be improved into helping the world. The chapter will include the discussion of some people, especially the green capitalist, who use climate change and global warming as similar terms in order to confuse people. The confusion of climate change and global warming mainly results from the close association existing between the two terms especially in their impacts on the environment. Both of the terms may mean an increase in global temperature despite that climate change may mean both decrease and increase. The green capitalists have manufactured the issue of climate crisis and environmental sustainability to further their effects on the people. Further both terms may also owe their origin to greenhouse effect hence leading to the confusion. Consequently, this will serve as a strong point in illustrating the drawback of green thinking. The discussion of the criticism on green thinking will also revolve around James Heartfield whose main field of research is Green Capitalism. The incorporation of his views will be usefull for the discussion because of his regards as one of the researchers who have concentrated on the deceits associated with the green movement. He accuses the green capitalist of getting their profits from scaring people with climate change and other environmental hazards (Heartfield, 2008, p. 68). Further, he asserts that the green capitalist re-inventing scarcity a good illustration that they are reverting the technological efforts that had removed scarcity. He feels that the green capitalist are manufacturing non existing climate crisis in the age of abundance for their own selfish needs. The chapter will also involve the discussion of craft making in order to deepen the study of criticism surrounding the green thinking. The discussion will involve asking the question of whether creativity is an advocate for beneficial living or it entails drawbacks in the long run. This is a strong point towards explaining whether increasing inventions in the technological field would bear more advantages or bear more disadvantages. Charny argues, “The action of making, and the outcome of a crafted object, connects cultures, communities and generations. Handmade objects have a story. (Charny, 2012:05). This is an illustration that creativity is needed for the unity in the world besides seeking for integration. It is true that unity and integration are always a subject for economic development thereby relating creativity to the well being of individuals in the society. Further, Charny also expresses,”making is ‘a revelation of the human impulse to explore and express forms of knowledge and a range of emotions’, with the reward of experiencing ‘and individual sense of freedom and control in the world’. (Charny, 2012:09) This means that individuals in the world will always need creativity for their living thereby strengthening the view that creativity is force for good. The above are strong points to illustrate the need for technological advancement, particularly 3D, to be included in everyday living. Bibliography Heartfield, J. (2008). Green capitalism: Manufacturing scarcity in an age of abundance. S.l.: James Heartfield.64 Charny, Daniel, 2011. Power of making. The case for making and skills. (2011). London: Victoria & Albert Museum. Sasha, 2012. Can technology replace consumerism in the 21st Century? Retrieved from: http://www.wwtid.com/2012/04/25/can-technology-replace-consumerism-in-the-21st-century/ Schumacher, E. F. (1999). Small is beautiful: Economics as if people mattered : 25 years later ... with commentaries. Point Roberts, Wash: Hartley & Marks Publishers. Morris, W., Waggoner, D., Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery., & Yale Center for British Art. (2003). The beauty of life: William Morris and the art of design. London: Thames & Hudson. Read More