Including the following themes: Dematerialisation;
Immaterialisation; Sustainable Consumption; Product Service Systems.
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SusHouse
The SusHouse project ran from 1998-2000 and explored strategies towards
the sustainable household. Topics include shopping, cooking, eating, shelter
and clothing. The methodology is particularly interesting as an opening
to a new way of designing that promotes creativity towards sustainments.
Some publications about this project are available in the archive section
of the Journal of Design
Research.
Suspronet
The leading European network on Product Service Systems Design methodology
INNOPSE
Very interesting site connected with Suspronet, focuses on bringing Product
Service System methodology to small to medium sized businesses. Focuses
on innovation methodology.
MEPSS/
Pi-Net
Lots of information in here about Product Service systems: what they are
and success factors.
Sustainable
Consumption and Production in Canada
A few good downloadable reports on Sustainable Consumption, Production
and Design for Sustainability from IndEco, an Industrial Ecology Consultancy
in Canada. Also a fair bit of work on Sustainability Indicators in the
Projects section.
Centre
for Sustainable Production and Consumption, CUTS
A great site from CUTS, an Indian consumer activist group. Check out 'Sustained
Advertising Promoting Unsustainable Consumption' free for download in
the publications section. It is worth checking out the rest of the site
to get a non-Western slant on Sustainable Consumption.
UNEP
Production and Consumption Unit Looks at Sustainable Consumption,
dealing with issues such as advertising, sustainable marketing, green
buying, the role of youth and Product Service Systems. A comprehensive
site that is updated regularly.
OECD
Home Consumption and Environment
OECD countries make up 19% of world population and consume 80% of the
world's natural resources. This site addresses household consumption patterns
in OECD countries to inform a change in policy towards Sustainable Consumption.
It offers a good introduction to this field as well as the latest statistics
and research findings in the form of downloadable reports for browsing
and purchasing. Useful for stats but don't expect anything radical –
the OECD is a conservative body funded by and advising the wealthier western
nations.
The
Centre for Sustainable Consumption, Sheffield Hallam University
A few good publications are available here for download, including Tim
Cooper's Beyond Recycling. The centre specialises in Sustainable Consumption,
life spans of household goods and Products to Services
Factor
Ten
Factor Ten are concerned with Eco-efficiency, Dematerialisation, Sustainable
Consumption and a Sustainable Economy with the emphasis on resource optimisation.
Quite a few downloadable articles
Sierra
Club, Sustainable Consumption
Long explanation for why wealth equals environmental degradation.
The
Centre for a New American Dream, Towards Sustainable Consumption
Starts off well – with a general intro to the idea of sustainable
consumption. But then it all gets a bit too feel good (“Inspirational
Quotes” is the give away). This centre is Church-based and occasionally
funds interesting research.
Culture
Change
Some critical insights into the nature of the problem – that Sustainable
Consumption is in fact an oxymoron in the current way of seeing the world.
This group focuses on the dangers of car culture and oil production. Rather
than looking at designing change, Culture Change is more concerned with
raising awareness using an activist approach.