Eco-efficiency

Doing more with less. (rio 1992 earth summit)

Eco-design (Defra)

“The design of products, systems and environments that are ecologically sound”

Eco Labels

There are many eco labels, each with different independent standards applied.
Kalinag is an essential tool to inform and empower customers so that the market forces ecological change for the better. Good examples are Oeko100, swan, soil association, and Euro Flower.

Eco-lease

The system by which “a product of service’ can be used. Products, services and materials are leased, not sold.

Ecological

‘Design that makes use of of resources that come from the earth in such a way that they can be returned to the earth without causing harm, in a cycle that echoes the natural systems of living things” (Elizabeth Wilhide ‘Eco’ 2002 pub: Quadrille)

Eco-effectiveness

‘Cradle to Cradle Designs strategy for intelligent and healthy materials use, designing human industry that is safe, profitable, and regenerative, producing economic, ecological and social value’ (www.greenblue.org / key concepts)

Ecological Footprint

(AFL) A measure of resource use, enabling comparison between nations. Also refers to a measure of the impact of a given product.

Ecological Intelligence

‘The elegant intelligence of natural systems and processes (such as nutrient cycling, interdependence, celebration of diversity, solar power use, regeneration etc)’

(www.greenblue.org/ key concepts)

Ecology

The relations of organisms to one another and to thier physical surroundings www.askoxford.com

Eco Materials


(AFL) Materials with minimum environmental impact and maximum performance. Biological nutrients and technical nutrients are the 2 types of materials.

(AS) They must also be produced, used and have end of life treatments which are environmentally sound.

Ecosystem

An ecological community, existing within its environment, functioning as a unit. (answers)

Eco Wheel

(AFL) A method to assist in making environmental improvements to existing products.

1) Selection of low impact materials. 2) Reduction of materials usage. 3) Optimisation of production techniques. 4) optimisation of distribution system. 5) Reduction of impact in usage. 6) Optimisation of initial lifetime. 7) Optimisation of end of life system. 8) New concept development.

Effluent

Run-off of by-products of a process, suspended in waste water.

Embodied Energy

The amount of energy taken to produce a given product is considered to be ‘embedded’ within that product. It is a way of understanding how to analyse the environmental impact of the product, and not a description of how much heat will emanate if it is burned!

Emissions

Airborne by products of burning, heating and other transformations within the manufacturing process.

Emotionally durable design

Book by Jonathan Chapman in which he describes our relationship and connections with objects. Paralleled in an almost anthropomorphic manner, we ‘fall out of Love’ with objects.

Before they are obsolete, they are emotionally worn out, and have to be disposed of to make way for the new Loves and emotional security we crave. He calls on designers to consider this when designing for a more emotionally durable future.

End of Life

A belief that products and materials have a finite use. This is the point where old patterns of thought believe that they have to be disposed of. (for opposite pattern of thought see ‘waste equals food’)

End-of-pipe solutions

Manufacturing without a care for processes involved when one has to try to clean up the mess at the end of the process.

Environmental Footprint

(as) A concept which attempts to measure the impact of a persons life and lifestyle on the environment. Visualised as a light footprint or a heavy mark.

Environmentally Friendly

Loose term to describe an attitude and intention to care for the environment, can imply non-invasive, non polluting procedures and processes(AS).

Energy

Energy is of course the means by which things can be produced. Energy production which uses renewable sources is preferable to that which uses polluting non renewable sources. Many issues of environmentally friendly design would be of considerably less concern is transportation and production was achieved through the use of biodiesel, solar, wind or hydro power.

Enzymes

Can be used as natural substitution for some chemical processes. EG Natural
fabrics are whitened using Hydrogen Peroxide. Lots of water and a reducing agent such as X are required to prevent adverse effects on subsequent dying caused by bleach residue. Catalase decomposes hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen. No energy, no overdosing, no waste in the water, water saving. (www.p2pays.org)


Enzyme Inhibitors

Used as herbicides and pesticides.


Ethical

Right and wrong ways to do things, usually applied to an expectation that people and animals have not been treated badly in the production and use of any given items or services. (AS)

Ethical Fashion Forum

Organisation to campaign for workers rights, and fair trade globally.

Eutrophication

Eutrophication is a process whereby water bodies, such as lakes, estuaries, or slow-moving streams receive excess nutrients that stimulate excessive plant growth (algae, periphyton attached algae, and nuisance plants weeds). This enhanced plant growth, often called an algal bloom, reduces dissolved oxygen in the water when dead plant material decomposes and can cause other organisms to die. Nutrients can come from many sources, such as fertilizers applied to agricultural fields, golf courses, and suburban lawns; deposition of nitrogen from the atmosphere; erosion of soil containing nutrients; and sewage treatment plant discharges <toxics.usgs.gov/definitions/eutrophication>

Exhaust Dying

Where the dyebath is used again and again until there is no residue of colour left, so there is no waste or water contamination.

Exhaust Printing

Developed by Beccy Early based on exhaust dying, where the heat photogram print paper is used until there is no discernable image left.

Externalities

(greenblue.org) the unforeseen or unaccounted negative impacts of products, service or system. An intelligent design process needs to understand wider implications of design decisions and intelligently alter the processes to remove these impacts.

Extrusion

Polymers are pushed through a spinneret which extrudes fibres (ridgewellpress).