Anyone speak Green?

WORDS: Susan Perry

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Susan Perry from The Modern Garden Company gives the inside scoop on 2011 Maison et Objet and reveals that there's an entire language developing around greening our planet.

Having recently returned from one of the design world’s many exhibitions, I was unsurprised to find the focus on green products and recycling. From Lisbon to LA, from Tokyo to Toronto, designers had come out flying their eco-credentials higher than a plastic carrier bag in the South Easter.

But what did surprise me, is that there is an entire language developing around greening our planet. In fact, I’d go so far as to call it “eco snobbery”.

Real greenies no longer just recycle. It’s not enough. They now distinguish fiercely between recycling, revitalising and re-using. There’s re-conditioning, re-manufacturing, re-processing, and pre- and post-consumer waste. The buzz is of the latest exciting find on the factory floor off-cut scene. They mull over acceptable recycled content percentages and distinguish between ‘eco-design’ or its lesser cousin, ‘eco-conscious design’.

The slightly stale Parisian exhibition hall air hung heavy with the regret of the urban warrior manqué.  From bird-tweeting ‘ambient environment enhancers’ on open stands, to the rustling leaves strewn across the exhibition hall floor (someone had opened the wrong door and blown a carefully constructed ‘natural’ stand display across the floor).

The universal message from the design world? Change our greedy grasping ways – not our climate. Oh, and get with the new world language. Anyone speak Green?

About Susan:

Owner of The Modern Garden Company and The Modern Home Company, Susan Perry loves good design, beautiful buildings, and stealing sweets from her 8 year old daughter’s party packs. With background studies in Drama and 3D and Spatial Design, Susan’s aim is to create layered yet cohesive offerings for environments in which people can live with maximum comfort and flair, but minimum effort. www.moderngarden.co.za

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