The green house effect
Is the fight against climate change a hopeless cause or a trendy “lifestyle choice”? Has being green become a meaningless catchphrase, a misunderstood and abused concept? And is it something only the elite can afford, in forms of solar panels, hybrid cars and organic ingredients?
The easiest way to go green is to simply not buy anything anymore. Excessive consumerism leads to a lot of waste. The next best way is to recycle, or buy vintage or second-hand. And if we must buy something new, make sure it’s as energy efficient and locally-produced as possible. Being eco-conscious is a constant process, and there are no ultimate parameters, just shifts in perception. If everyone slowly became more responsible, “green” wouldn’t even have to be a label anymore. Ideally, new properties will be built from the ground up already ecologically sound, so we look to the interior designers of the future to lead the way.
The 2008 Advanced Class of the Philippine School of Interior Design mounted their theses-exhibit called E.A.R.T.H., or Environmental Applications, Research, and Trends in Habitat. The students were tasked to create environmentally friendly rooms that are sustainable and practical. They were challenged to come up with energy-efficient, cost-saving habitats that used resources wisely without comprising principles of good interior design. The class partnered with WWF, which gave the students a primer on sustainable living through seminars and research material.
Armed with a new design paradigm, 21 groups created a showroom based around one of four themes: Suburban Lifestyle, High Rise Living, Mountain Retreats and Beachfront Properties, with a different type of client for every room. It was interesting to see the range of creative responses to the call of designing environmentally. It was inspiring to know that affecting climate change is something we can address not just in our lifetime, but in our own living spaces with innovative and stylish ideas. Design, in essence, is about problem-solving; if it is only about pretty decoration and filling up empty space, design has not done its job.
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The E.A.R.T.H. exhibit will be on display from Oct. 4-31 at the Athena Building, Eastwood City, Libis.
