Disappearing Act: Biodegradable Lawn Furniture
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07.19.07
If John Ryan didn't read Made to Break, he sure channelled it with his Abeio (latin for "to disappear") line of garden furniture and accessories, created as his thesis at OCAD. He notes that many people live in urban locatrions with limited storage space and treat outdoor furniture as consumables, throwing them away at the end of a season. He asks "If outdoor furnishings are used as consumables, then why aren't they designed as consumables?" He designed some examples:
The aveioLight is "Made entirely of beeswax — a non-toxic, renewable, and biodegradable ignition source — abeioLights are designed to be planted in the ground and used for outdoor lighting. The cup shaped top of the candle provides cover against drafts, while the tapered base gives stability and support. Since abeioLights are made from beeswax, any drippings that may end up on the ground will biodegrade without harm to garden life."
"Trees bloom in spring and leaves change colour and fall to the ground in autumn. This is a rewarding visual narrative and a meaningful seasonal experience.
Consumption isn't the issue — meaningless consumption is. "
abeioSit Made from made from quarry silt, an unused quarry byproduct that has the same grit and texture as sand, abeioSit is a multi-purpose, multi-function seating solution. Formally inspired by tree trunks and logs, abeioSit can be used on its side or standing upright as either a bench or a side table — combine multiple abeioSits to create a full outdoor dining solution. At the end of the season abeioSit can be crushed into a safe sidewalk sand for use during the winter months.
"With oudoor furnishings being used for only 1/4 of the year, it seems counter intuitive to focus on designing for durability and permanence"
According to the Star, Ryan is meeting with furniture manufacturers to get his line in stores and persuade the industry to change its game plans. His message: "Hey, it's your dirty little secret that you hope people will get tired of things and buy new ones." He figures, why not bring that secret out in the open and market it? ::abeio found in ::The Star
Thirsty for more? Check out these related articles:
- Kokuyo Reduces Power Consumption by 28%, Introduces "Eco Live Office"
- Oeuf: Good Design is For All Ages
- O.A.R. to Headline Campus Consciousness Tour
- Certified and Recovered Wood Design Furniture by Arqom
A Canadian innovation, congratulations young man, you are on to something.
Having lived in Toronto, including the area where OCAD is located, I can totally see where this individuals inspiration may have been partly manifested from.
I will happily support this business venture, hurry up and get your product in the stores!
Actually, consumption is the issue.
Here! Here! I've said it before. Why make products that will last a long time when people often don't want to keep them a long time? That's how we end up with a lot of perfectly good and useful items lasting a long, long time in landfills.
Biodegradable is the way to go!
However, having just checked the abeio site, I notice that there are a couple of errors in this article:
1) In the second paragraph, aveioLight should be spelled abeioLight.
2) Also in the second paragraph: "Since abeioLights are made from soy wax..." No. They are made from beeswax.
Beth