TASK 2 VIDEO REFLECTIONS

Recycling Aluminium

Yellow recycling bins/bags in Germany are very similar to our yellow Autralian recycling bins. I’ve always imagined there would be many workers picking out the rubbish on a conveyor belt and sorting them into categories. This video proved I was terribly wrong.  I guess technology never asks for sick pay nor pay rises.

Recycling glass

After watching the video, I wish Australia would also introduce these bottle banks. As consumers, we tend to think we have done our part of recycling glass bottles by throwing it into the recycling bin and public glass recycling bins. By using the bottle banks, we could lessen the energy consumption and pollution produced by glass recycling factories.

Recycling Plastic

The Autosort machine that sorts out different plastics was incredible. It really does save a lot of money for the recycling company.  If technology never advanced, it would cost the company a fortune to train workers in sorting different plastics among gallons of rubbish.

Recycling Paper

“Tissues and toilet paper also contain a high proportion of waste paper between 60-70%” That is a very interesting fact! My mum never buys recycled tissues or toilet paper because she has that constant thought that recycled paper is unhygienic. I wonder what her response would be when I show her this video. 

The video also mentioned that most paper manufacturers are recyclers. Designing a product that could be collected, recycled and reproduced would save a lot on new material costs.

Recycling Tetrapak

The process where the glue is dissolved and separates the aluminium and paper reminds me of when I try to get sticky stubborn labels off products. I would always soak it till the paper swell up and erode away while the glue disintegrates, leaving no residue behind on the product. I wonder if the inventor invented the machine had the idea when they were trying to get rid of a label.

Recycling Tinplate

There wasn’t much information in this video, but there was one thing I learnt. Engineers made use of the magnetic properties of steel and incorporated it into machines that can perform efficiently in picking out tin cans.  As a designer, it is beneficial to make use of a material’s properties to make effective products.

Sorting Innovations

I haven’t seen a single worker in this video. Due to technological machine advancement, I really do think there would be much unemployment and the earth being closer to invasion of robots. However, these machines aren’t all bad; they do reap in large sum of money to companies and there would be faster production, more accuracy and fewer errors.


Conclusion
A sustainable designer isn't just one who designs a 'green' product, he/she is the one that understands and corresponds to the entire production process. 


Recycling is one of the important processes in keeping products sustainable, if the designer does not consider the life after death of their product, there would be no flow in the life cycle of the product. Products that are given a second purpose in life after death not only brings the company a good reputation, but it also benefits the Earth by not adding more to the landfills. 


Every sustainable designer must make use of the materials natural properties if they want to shorten the steps in the production cycle, and they must design a product that would be given an infinite value in life. In doing so the designer would be helping the company and consumers to contribute in the making of a sustainable Earth.