November 19th, 2007
By John DeFore
“Despite claims to the contrary, products with zero environmental impact do not yet exist.”
With that sober introductory blurb begins the centerpiece of stylish architecture/design mag “Metropolis’s October issue, and it’s refreshing to get that kind of reality check in an age when many magazines seem a tad less skeptical of hype (described here by Sara Hart as “greenwashing”) than they should be.
The package’s editors look not only to a product’s recycled/recyclable content, but to the other stages of its lifecycle: How is it transported to consumers? What behind-the-scenes environmental impact is there on the part of those who designed, made, and sold it? Features range from a detailed profile of textile and chemical manufacturer Milliken & Company to one-page items like a glossary of the myriad enviro-certification labels out there (good, but more detail would be nice) and a run-down of 10 eco-conscious carpet lines.
Most noteworthy, maybe, is a piece on Danish furniture maker Hans Wegner, who intended for his chairs to last at least 50 years. In a fashion-minded industry where clients are expected to redecorate periodically, nothing reduces waste like simply deciding you still like, and still can use, the furniture you bought a couple of generations ago. (On the other hand, Wegner’s beautifully simple wooden chairs cost about $4,000.)
Happily, much of this material is available free online — a boon for green readers who’d like the content without the hundreds of ad pages that surround it.
Copyright © 2007 | Distributed by Noofangle Media
