I'm Not a Plastic Bag, tote bag, Anya Hindmarch, 2007
Resistance is Fertile, tote bag, Adrian Johnson, 2008“The environmental promise of reusable bags becomes pretty dubious when there are closets and drawers full of them in every home. This contradiction can largely be traced back to the influence of graphic design. Once this gorgeous flat surface presented itself, it quickly became simply a substrate for messaging, branding, promotion, etc. Judging by the cost, producing one tote is roughly equivalent to producing 400 plastic bags. That’s fine if you actually use the tote 400 times, but what if you just end up with 40 totes in your closet? Once the emphasis shifts from reusing a bag to having a bag that reflects your status or personality, the environmental goal starts drifting out of sight.”
“The designs that make each bag unique contribute to an over-abundance of things that are essentially identical and the constant stream of newness discourages reuse.”
The gist of the article: it is tricky to solve a consumption problem with more consumption. What the canvas bag did well was create awareness: “The aesthetic power of a single design raised more awareness about the impact of plastic bags on our environment than any government or non-governmental organization. On the other hand, it is unclear that a consumable can counteract the effects of consumption.”
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This is a really interesting post and discussion on what our obligations (too strong a word? ...responsibilities, maybe?) are as designers, cultural creatives, consumers and conservationists. How many bags, tee shirts, coffee mugs, magnets, chairs, buildings, and so on do we need to design, construct and use? And how does that affect our innate desire to explore, design, create, play and prouce?
...Also, side note not directly design-related but still worth asking... How many of said bags are produced using ecologically friendly materials and processes? How many are manufactured using wind or solar power? How many are shipped overseas from China, when we could just sew and embroider or silkscreen our own from old bedsheets? You get the idear.
I think we can be creative without being destructive. Yes, I believe that as a human being in general, a designer specifically, I need to think about the consequences of my actions. Doing so doesn't make my actions perfect, but it does establish mindfulness, a practice which over time will yield wiser decisions. So I hope.
About your idea of reusing bedsheets or other materials, I think that's great. I know that there are folks who are printing designs on surplus lots of shirts from thrift stores. I think it would be even cooler to print over top of old designs. The unpredictability of layering would be exciting. Too crazy for some, I know.
In the end, I think conservation can become another venue for creativity, not a limit — and a chance to open our minds.
Really never thought about the solution being another problem. Thanks for making me more conscientious. It's going to take a long time to change our consumable world. Not sure it can be done. (I kinda like your idea of layering logos on top of each other. Sounds fun.)
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