These guidelines are for everybody involved in creative endeavour; for small articles or large projects.
They are not rules but considerations that will help us make better decisions for our future.
Printable Version of Guidelines
PLANNING THE PROJECT
- Will the product or project over its full life cycle leave our planet in better condition ?
- Will our environment, our plants, our animals, present and future humans benefit because of this project ?
- Does the project treat all peoples and animals with compassion ?
- Does the project warrant every form of risk involved ?
During EACH of the intended phases of
- Material acquisition
- Construction
- Operation
- Dismantling
- Component & material disposal
Is the lowest energy method used ?
Can renewable energy sources be used ?
Can existing materials or equipment be used ?
Have all effects and by-products been considered - chemical - biological - temperature - environmental - radioactive - safety - social ?
- Have undesirable effects been minimized ?
- Are all precautions in place ?
- Is the community informed of all risks & implications?
DESIGN
In reaching a design solution for the project objectives, the following considerations will help reduce waste, energy, maintenance, unreliability & cost.
Each small improvement will make your project or product better for our planet.
Minimize | Because |
| Parts | lower cost & less to go wrong |
| Manufacturing operations | lower cost & less to go wrong |
| Assembly operations | lower cost & less to go wrong |
| Skills needed | fewer mistakes, less waste, lower cost |
| Tools needed | lower cost, more easily serviceable |
| Special materials | lower cost, more easily repairable |
| Quantity of material | better use of resources, less weight |
| Size | more cheaply transported & handled |
| Energy needed overall | lower cost, environmentally better |
| Wastage | lower cost, environmentally better |
| Energy needed overall | lower cost, environmentally better |
Maximize | Because |
| Functions per part | one part doing two jobs will save parts |
| Features of manufacture | eg casting may enable a form creation such as a handle, without extra parts |
| Parts per fixing | fewer parts, lower cost, more reliable |
| Batch size | set-up costs reduced |
| Symmetry | larger batch sizes, easier assembly |
| Recycled material usage | less waste, environmentally better |
| Energy recovery | less waste, environmentally better |
| Part life | less waste, environmentally better |
| Part recovery & re-use | less waste, environmentally better |
Cliff Green