Chapter 3 What Are Design and Designing? 55 Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. In addition, the root does not die when the bamboo is cut. Bamboo is now used to make clothing, buildings, cutting boards, and kitchen utensils (Figure 3-19). Products with a short life span, such as food packaging, should be biodegradable or recyclable. Using products designed to last a long time reduces the amount of material that goes into landfi ll. Buying a refi llable water bottle reduces the number of plastic bottles that must be manufactured and recycled. Furniture that can be reconfi gured to fi t into new spaces does not have to be discarded. The shelving system shown in Figure 3-20 can be mounted on the metal tracks in a variety of ways. The tracks can even be moved to a different room or a new home. Another way in which good design can help preserve the environment is to ensure that a product has a design for disassembly. The designer creates the product knowing it will be either repaired, refurbished, or recycled at some point. For example, many toner cartridges can be returned to the manufacturer, where they are refurbished, refi lled with ink, and then resold. Well-Made and Long Lasting All products must be designed and built to withstand their intended use. A well-designed product will perform its function for many years without breaking. Designers can make a product durable, that is, able to withstand use without breaking or wearing out. Using better quality materials or simplifying complex mechanisms will achieve this. Another approach to making products long lasting is to design them so that worn out parts can be easily replaced or upgraded. For example, a toothbrush can be designed so that only the head is changed, with the handle reused for many years. Think Green Think Green As you design a new product, be sure to consider its environmental impact. A sustainable design is one that has little or no negative impact on the environment and society. To be sustainable, a design should be: • Constructed of renewable natural resources. • Free of toxic chemicals and other items that cause damage to the environment or to human, plant, or animal life. • Easily recyclable or reusable indefinitely, or biodegradable in typical landfill conditions. Sustainable design can be applied to small items we use every day, as well as large projects such as community planning. However, for best results, sustainability should be considered at the design stage. Sustainable Design San Francisco Salt Company Figure 3-19. This bamboo container is designed to be refilled rather than discarded. Vitsoe Figure 3-20. This shelving system can be rearranged in many ways. What are some ways you could rearrange this system?