Old Fishing Nets

It’s 2024, summer. While biking to the office, I pass a Dixi: “I’m partially made from old fishing nets,” it says. The environment… A buzzword from the ’80s?

A Flashback to Environmental Awareness

My thoughts take me back 30 years. At the Technical University of Delft, I’m standing by the copier. I have to wait a moment, as someone in front of me fiddles with a stack of paper. Apologetically, he turns to me: “Just a moment. I’m trying to recycle this as best as I can.” He’s pulling staples from the pages with his nails, tossing them separately into the trash. The paper goes into the paper bin.

Even then, recycling for the environment was already a ‘thing.’ A hot topic.

The Long Road to Sustainable Design

During my Industrial Design studies, I also took a course in which we learned to design with minimal environmental impact. We even had a computer program back then, SimaPro. With it, you could calculate the environmental impact of your design choices. It was handy for justifying design decisions.

For example, when Shell decommissioned the Brent Spar oil platform in the ’90s, they wanted to sink it. Environmental organizations, of course, were up in arms! But calculations showed that sinking it was the better choice environmentally. But then again, turning the ocean into a dumping ground… A program like that can’t make those kinds of moral decisions.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) could also make such decisions based on available internet history. But then again, is everything on the internet true? I digress.

Another ten years earlier, a man with a friendly smile, surrounded by greenery, ducks, and a full clothesline, promoted a phosphate-free detergent. If you’re over 50, you might remember that commercial. And you probably also recall terms like “ozone hole” and “acid rain.”

The Reluctance to Change: A Designer’s Dilemma

So, what’s my point? This ‘trip down memory lane’ illustrates how long we’ve been emphasizing the need to care for the environment, the climate, and our living space. Only now, 40 years later, as the water literally rises in some places, are we taking action. Climate activists are in the news today, but there have always been groups like Greenpeace advocating for the environment. They’ve been ahead of the curve for a long time.

That’s human nature. We’re lazy and resistant to change. If it works, it works. We only react when we absolutely have to. We only change when there’s no other option. Switching off the gas? Sure, someday. “Oh, it’s becoming unaffordable?” Then suddenly we can.

Our collective motto is ‘Never change a winning team.’ As a software provider, we often encounter this mentality. Why replace or even upgrade your software? It works, doesn’t it? But… are we winning?

Taking the Leap: Embracing New Design Tools

If you want to win, you need an edge over the rest. The competitive edge. So ask yourself: what’s your edge? I often see clients struggling with their old, yet oh-so-familiar design software. They keep using it, even though much better alternatives are available. But switching seems risky:

• You need to invest time in learning a new program.
• You have to relearn and unlearn things.
• You have files that can’t be edited with the new software.
• It costs money.
• …

Just a few obstacles on the path. And so you continue working with outdated tools until you have no choice.

That’s why I challenge you: try something different! Dare to take a new path and explore the benefits. Try a different software package! Download a free trial of your choice and play around with it. The quieter summer period is ideal for diving into it. We know switching isn’t easy, so feel free to ask us for advice. Sooner or later, it will be necessary, and that moment is never convenient.

So be smart and get ahead of the curve. Visit our website and request your trial today, or call us for advice. Before it’s too late.

Whether you take a new path or stick to the old one, I wish you a wonderful summer full of new experiences!

By Orlando Sardaro, Director of Design8, Industrial Designer, and Enthusiast of Intuitive 3D Design Software