In 2004, Ray Anderson (founder of Interface) told us, No one should be claiming sustainable products. There is no such thing yet in terms of zero footprint. What you can do is demonstrate reduced footprint.
This is still true today; however there is light at the end of the tunnel. Martin C. Pedersen over at Metropolis has recently published an article called “7 Steps in the Lifecycle of a Green Product. Pedersen writes, “Despite claims to the contrary, products with zero environmental impact do not yet exist. But these new approaches to green design point to a day when that might just be possible.”
The 7 Steps include:
1. Innovation: The Shape of Things to Come
2. The Right Materials: The Vinyl Question
3. Clean & Green Production: Balancing Act
4. Efficient Distribution: Delivering the Goods
5. Low-Impact Use: A New Standard
6. Made to Last: The Chair
7. Avoiding the Landfill: Afterlife
This one aticle is the reality we will all need to deal with for the next few decades. Until technology & business practices change, (they will eventually, but you can count on a long & painful change) there will always be a certain about of “foot print” left no matter how hard you try. It’s just like trying to buy Christmas Toys for your kids that are NOT made in China ……it’s do-able, but oh soooo painful & $$expensive$$
James