GCSE Graphic Products Moral, Social, Cultural, Economic and Sustainability issues

1. GCSE Graphic ProductsMoral, Social, Cultural, Economic and Sustainability issues Summer Examination 2011

2. Moral issues: are points the designer has to make to decide if something could be dangerous or controversial. They are not covered by any law or design regulation, and are usually related to a specific target market. Example Jigsaws are on sale for children and adults of all ages. They vary in complexity depending on who they are aimed at. A company will want to sell as many as possible, providing they meet safety requirements and standards they are sold in shops without restrictions. Jigsaws for younger people have simpler images and larger pieces for ease of handling and are also harder to swallow, so are less likely to choke a child. It is difficult to estimate exactly how big the pieces should be for a small child of each age group, so manufacturers have a moral duty to print a suitability warning on the box. Moral Issues

3. Social issues: these are points to consider when the product is being promoted for use, or consumption that may not be in the best interest of the customer. They are usually related to the wider public in general. Example: Designers often work on campaigns to promote unhealthy fast food and high sugar drinks that damage teeth. They are not breaking the law, but they are actually encouraging children to damage their own health. This is a widespread problem and is therefore a social issue that is often beyond the control of adults. As children become older and have the money and time to make choices, they are influenced by promotions and trends. Some fast food outlets have a healthy range, but this is just a small selection. If the designer has done a good job though it will still generate a large number of profits from the sale of fast food and sweets to children. Social Issues

4. Cultural issues: these are points that need advertising or product decisions; these issues are changeable and dependent on the actual target market. Example: Certain animal products are offensive in some religions, and their followers are not allowed to eat them. It is a similar cultural issue when we consider groups of people such as vegetarians. There are legal requirements that mean manufacturers have to display certain nutritional information. Many responsible manufacturers have packaging designs showing a large green ‘v’ in a prominent place to show a product contains now animal products. Certain numbers and colour are lucky in some cultures, in China for example, red is considered to be a lucky colour, and the number ‘6’ is considered good in business. If you were going to design a product solely for use in China, then this information is very useful. Similarly the number 13 is considered to be unlucky in north America, and so you will not find the number 13 in certain situations such as in life, or hotel. Some houses on streets even avoid the number 13, and jump from 12 – 14. Cultural Issues

5. Sustainability and environmental issues All products that we use have some impact upon the environment. The materials they are made from have to be extracted, transported, processed and manufactured. The products are transported to the consumer and need to be maintained. New laws being introduced all the time, make designers and manufacturers increasingly consider the environment. Consumers are now becoming much more aware of the choices that need to be made when choosing a product. Products that can be reused: one choice for the consumer is whether or not to buy a product that can be reused, or only products that can be used once. A plastic milk bottle is used once and disposed of, however a glass milk bottle can be reused several times. Sustainability

6. Products that can be replaced: some products are designed so that only parts of them need to be replaced, this avoids having to replace the whole product. To improve the sustainability of a product, designers should look to decrease the number of parts to be disposed of. Examples of these may include shaving razors. Other Sustainability issues The designer, manufacturer and consumer all need to consider the environmental impact of materials used and the processing of those materials to make a product.: • Are materials made from a sustainable source? • Are huge amounts of energy needed to process materials, and transport them to the consumer? • What happens to the material s used for the product at the end of its life cycle? Sustainability

7. The law and recycling The European union (EU) has been introducing new laws to insist that manufacturers and consumers consider the environments when a product comes to the end of its life cycle. End of life vehicle directive (ELVD) The ELVD redistricts the use of toxic materials in new vehicles, all plastic parts have to be labeled to aid recycling. Vehicle manufactures have to publish information about how to dismantle the vehicle. Waste electrical and electronic equipment directive (WEEE) Similar to as above, the encourages consumers to take their old devices to WEEE collection points. Manufacturers have to arrange collection from these points, and designers have to make products easier to dismantle. Energy Labeling directive All electrical items such as washing machines need to be labeled to describe its energy efficiency rating. This is eco - labeling and is used also in other products. Sustainability

8. Making products easier to recycle Smart materials can be used to make products easier to take apart at the end of their lives. Shape memory polymers and shape memory alloys are material s that can be designed to change shape at specific temperatures. By replacing screws, rivets and clips with fastenings made from smart materials, a product can be designed to fall apart, with different materials releasing at specific temperatures. This process is active disassembly. Making new products from recycled materials When products are recycled at the end of their lives, it often produces a brand new material. Designers and manufacturers have to work together to invent new uses for these new materials. Examples of this may include: • Plastic bottles being used to make clothing. (fleeces) • Old car tyres ground up and re-bonded to make flooring for children's outdoor playgrounds. Sustainability

9. The 6Rs Six key words summarize approaches that can be taken by the consumer, designer, manufacture, and retailer – the 6 Rs: Reduce, Recycle, Reuse, Refuse, Rethink, Repair. Reduce – consumers need to look to reduce the umber of products they buy, or consider buying products that use less energy. Retailers can reduce carbon emissions by transporting products straight to the consumer. Recycle – products are converted back to their basic materials and remade into new products, product examples may include paper, cardboard, packaging, steel, aluminum cans, plastic bottles, glass bottles and jars. Reuse – glass milk bottles are an example of a material or product that can be reused, as are printer ink cartridges. Refuse – the consumer has a choice as to whether buy the product or not. Rethink – do consumers really need the product? Can things be manufactured differently? Repair – designers have the responsibility to make products that can be repaired more easily. Sustainability