Sustainability resources
Organisations
National Industrial Symbiosis Programme (NISP) aims to match spare resources to businesses that can utilise them www.nisp.org.uk
Centre for remanufacturing and reuse aims to encourage and support industry to implement systems that enable effective remanufacture www.remanufacturing.org.uk
Envirowise offers free resources, events and access to expertise to encourage eco-design as well as other green business practices www.envirowise.gov.uk/cleanerdesign
Giraffe Innovation was founded by Rob Holdway, it's a highly regarded consultancy which helps businesses to address issues to do with sustainable production, systems and practices www.giraffeinnovation.com
GreenBlue offers online eco-design training, publications and a number of initiatives aimed at encouraging sustainable production www.greenblue.org
London Remade are tasked with developing markets for recycled materials and run interesting events around eco-design and business www.londonremade.com
Waste and Resources Action Programme carry out research and provide support for businesses involved in the development and use of recycled materials www.wrap.org.uk
Visualisations
Greenmap is an excellent mapping system developed to highlight green features in world cities, using a unique visual language. www.greenmap.org
Whatever your views on the carbon debate, RSA Habbits is a great example of how to visualise information in a way that people will relate to and remember www.rsachanginghabbits.org
Forums & Blogs
Doors of perception is a blog by design theorist John Thackara, whose approach to sustainable design includes existentialist and community involvement strategies… well worth a regular look www.doorsofperception.com
C2C Community Forum was setup by revolutionary Cradle to Cradle founders Braungart and McDonough, if you've never heard of them then their book http://www.mbdc.com/book/index.htm is an inspirational and enjoyable read. http://community.mbdc.com
O2 Global network is a long established network of designers who are interested in sustainability issues, join to get access to advice from a huge network of experts in the field www.o2.org
PLI Design have an interesting blog which is refreshingly focussed on great design and inspirational ideas, rather than just environmental concerns www.plidesign.co.uk/inspiration/
Architectures of Control is a blog which considers how or whether designers can influence and shape end-use to encourage more sustainable behaviour http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/
Design Guides
Information Inspiration is the first port of call for designers who want to find out about basic eco-design principles… great for browsing www.informationinspiration.org.uk
The Designer's Accord was recently set-up by IDEO in the US to develop a code of voluntary code of conduct for designers who want to develop more sustainable practice www.designersaccord.org
C2C certification requires resources and is not an option for every designer but the criteria is available online and can give an idea of areas where the sustainability performance of products could be improved www.mbdc.com or www.epea.com
Eco-design Healthcheck: The Centre for Sustainable Design has a great set of checklists for eco-design www.cfsd.org.uk
Eco-textile glossary is a wiki which aims to develop and document terminology in the field to help move the eco-textiles debate forward http://ecotextileglossary.wetpaint.com
Flowmaker cards are a fun tool for provoking thought, ideas and discussion around sustainability issues in design teams and individuals www.wemake.co.uk
Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) have developed the Okala guide and impact factors tool for students to develop their eco-design skills, but is also be a good starting place for practicing designers www.idsa.org/whatsnew/sections/ecosection
Evaluating and decision-making
These tools help to visualise and evaluate the eco-credentials of potential design solutions, but some knowledge of eco-design principles is necessary to use them effectively.
Eco-design strategy wheel is a fairly simple tool for visualising and evaluating the sustainability credentials of a product across its lifecycle www.cfsd.org.uk/seeba/general/tools.htm scroll down the page and download the free software
Eco-it & Indicator 99 (PRE) is a slim-lined Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) tool www.pre.nl
On their website Sprout Design describe their method of performing a basic LCA at the initiation of every design project, a quick and simple way to kick-start the eco-design process www.sproutdesign.co.uk/lca