Week+8

Natalie Jeremijenko

The focus of Natalie Jeremijenko’s work is health based on environmental problems, rather than the traditional medical problems. She argues that the majority (80-90%) of health problems in children, such as asthma, obesity, hormone imbalance etc., are caused by external, environmental problems, such as pollution. She performs a variety of tests on animals, such as mice and tadpoles with the aid of volunteers from her health clinic (the inpatients). She uses these animals because they are good biosensors, that is to say, they are good indicators of problems in a biological environment.

Along with her efforts to improve the environment (and therefore, environmental health), Jermijenko discusses several initiatives on several smaller projects. First, she discusses a project that intends to fill the unused parking spaces in front of fire hydrants with plants that can trap the pollution that runs in with the rainwater along the sidewalks, before it ends up in the harbour. Second, she discusses a project that uses electronic sensors and a voice box, in order to convince people to feed the pigeons safe and organic food. When a pigeon passes by, the voice box reads a message describing how feeding the pigeons keeps the population down, which prevents the mutation and spread of avian flu.

Fortune Cookies

The cookie is made from the base ingredients sugar, water, flour and eggs. The cookie batter is then baked on a rotating wheel at 375 degrees. A separate machine then inserts the paper fortune into the cookie, before folding the cookie together so that it is closed. After hardening and passing inspection, the cookies are packaged and shipped off to businesses.

Guitars

High quality woods are imported and later cut by machines using lasers. The separate pieces are shaped and strengthened using computer-enhanced braces; this process takes several days, in order for the wood to retain its new form. The pieces are later joined, painted and strings are attached to complete the final product.

It is important to understand how things are made because it indicates not only how much is actually required to produce products (labour, materials, machinery), but also how much waste is produced in tandem with the products. Only by recognizing the waste in the production, can we redesign the production process to be more efficient, therefore, cheaper and less harmful to the environment.

References

Jeremijenko, Natalie (2010). The Art of the Eco-Mindshift. //Ted Talks//. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/natalie_jeremijenko_the_art_of_the_eco_mindshift.html

(2008). Guitar. //How Stuff is Made//. Retrieved from https://wikis.nyu.edu/xdesign/mediawiki/index.php/Guitar

(2008). Fortune Cookie. //How Stuff is Made//. Retrieved from https://wikis.nyu.edu/xdesign/mediawiki/index.php/Fortune_Cookie