Eco-Ego Website

http://www.marukin-ad.co.jp/ecoego/

Welcome to the world of eco-ego. This web-based game was produced for the purpose of having you learn "environmental protection that we can do immediately" while enjoying it. The natural environments change depending on our action. In the world where main character "Cocolon" lives, please experience that things. A point of the game is to keep the balance of "ecology" and "ego". You control the actions of the character via the orange panel at the top-right of the screen.

During your experience of the site Cocolon will need to eat, brush his teeth, go to the market etc. Every time you have a choice between an easy solution and the most ecological solution. For example, the screen-shot below shows how the audience is presented witht the task of separating the rubbish into the appropriate bins...

Also, the below screen-shot demonstrates how the environment surrounding Cocolon's home is affected by his actions. When the air-conditioning is on puffs of smoke appearfrom the factory chimney and all the birds and flowers die...


I think this is a really nice site that may be good for children to try and demonstrate that simple things like separating rubbish or cycling rather than getting in a car does make a difference. However, this site presents a problem for me. Although the intentions are honest its demonstration of environmental impact is exaggerated and doesn't take into account a sceptical older audience. On the other hand, this site shows how digital design can reach an audience in a new way rather than presenting them with the same old information (which alienates the audience).

Chester Subway Murals

Recently there has been a movement in my hometown to improve city elements like subways and try and lift some of the current stigma associated with them. Above are four murals developed by volunteers with input from some of the churches in Chester. The murals represent different elements of Chester i.e. The Roman and Victorian influences as well as showing some of the famous architectural elements of Chester like the Eastgate Clock and the Fountains Roundabout.

I really like the idea of using design like this to brighten up the area and improve elements of the urban environment. My only concern is that although the murals look fantastic they aren't that big in real life and don't really cover up enough of the subway walls, if the murals stretched across a full wall I think they could create an even bigger impact than they do already.

However, these murals are a vast improvement to Chester's subways and it is refreshing to see artwork being put into use in an urban environment (this is not a new thing but seems to often be forgotten about).

My response to James Joyce Illustration

Below is my own illustration work loosely influenced by the work of James Joyce. The message 'making a difference' within the tree is refering to a recent tree-planting initiative set-up in my local area by the City council and I wanted to try and raise the profile of the event with the illustration.I have also tried the same image with colour, please let me know what you think.

James Joyce - icount Illustration

I was looking at the icount 'Stop Climate Change' book published by Penguin and I came across illustrations by James Joyce. I really like the use of line to create interesting visuals (from simple lines creating geometric shapes to elegant swirls creating trees and smoke). His drawings have the feel of children's illustration but are dealing with complex situations like climate change.

I feel that it is extremely appropriate to use a medium like illustration to get across a message as important as climate change. People might argue that this type of illustration is making-light of a serious situation but I feel that in order to inform an audience of ways to prevent drastic climate change without boring them then visual devices like illustration act as a way to do this.
For example, the illustration below carries a simple message about the environmental cost of vehicles. This illustation, to me, says more than a long-winded document about fuel-emissions.
I feel that design will have an important role in persuading people to change their current living habits and inspiring people to do something about a global issue. I don't mean to say that every designer needs to jump on the eco-bandwagon but good design and illustration (like the pieces above) can reach audiences who may be numb to facts and figures.

Environmentally Friendly Packaging

This week's issue of Design Week had a section about the new Daylesford Organic milk pouches. This form of packaging is made from a completely new material called Ecolean, a plastic made from 40% calcium carbonate (chalk) with polymers used only as a binding agent. This means that at the end of the lifecycle the calcium carbonate can be separated again and the binding agent turned into water vapour and carbon dioxide after complete dergradation i.e. after incineration.

This got me thinking about other forms of packaging. I am working part-time in retail at the moment and the amount of plastic and waste created by the store could surely be reduced. I was looking at ways this could be done and I saw Tom Dixon's polo designs for Lacoste.


The packaging was designed to show awareness of environmental issues. However, I feel this is more aesthetic than practical. When an item of clothing enters the store it is pre-packed in plastic, unpacked, sold and then put into a plastic bag to be taken away. This doesn't make sense. I understand that the pre-pack protects the clothing but surely there could be another way? Plastic bags are used in high street retail but what is the reason? image? to prevent water damage?

I was thinking what if the clothing was packaged in another way, perhaps in an aluminium can so that it is protected from damage and cuts out any need for plastic. All aluminium and steel cans are recyclable and can be recycled an infinite number of times without loss of essential properties. The can could then be placed in a paper bag that can be fully recycled.