Abstract
As the United States continues to lead a trend that sees countries ripping up established treaties and alliances, the once-entrenched “global market” is beginning to fracture. While this balkanization has - so far - only led to increased tariffs and paperwork, it is not unthinkable that flows of materials and products could be seriously impacted. This paper treats these developments as potentially positive for sustainable resource utilization, and explores some of the potential benefits of these isolationist policies. Among the concepts covered in the paper are the use of waste materials as feedstocks, the rise of DIY (“do it yourself”) materials, and circular strategies on varying scales that would all serve to benefit the environment. None of these are new concepts but, in potential future scenarios, they will need renewed attention. Focus is placed on recent advances and deployed strategies that provide measurable data for practical application.
Presenters
Valentina RognoliPolitecnico di Milano Stefano Parisi
PhD Candidate, Design Department, Politecnico di Milano Richard Lombard
Consultant/Partner, Matter of Importance, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2020 Special Focus - Advocacy in Design: Engagement, Commitment, and Action
KEYWORDS
Natural Resources, Problem Solving, Markets, Globalism, Ecodesign
