The best place to minimise or remove pollution is at the design stage. Look at any nearby object and ask yourself, "Can that be re-designed for sustainable development?". You may consider:

• which parts can be re-used/recycled

• staying power

• whether easily taken apart

• how flexible/able to cope with all circumstances

• whether made from renewable material

• unnecessary components

Examples of Design for the Environment

There are clear links between designers and the materials they use. To promote Sustainable Product Development (SPD) there needs to be a materials selection process.

This raises further issues:

• What sort of information will designers need?

• Can environmental information be simplified for designers?

• What are the key barriers to selecting greener materials?

• Can a managed approach to creativity and innovation be incorporated into the SPD process?