ABSTRACT
Tischner and Charter (2001) present a simple model (Figure 28.1) of the relationships between product design, eco-design, sustainable design, and sustainable development. Product design is taken as an important starting point and they describe how product design largely determines the environmental and social impact of a product. Eco-design is the integration of environmental considerations and the life cycle perspective into product design and development. Sustainable design goes one step further and integrates social and ethical aspects of the product's life cycle. These three approaches form the link between production and consumption and therefore have pivotal roles to play. Sustainable development is the outermost ring and is based on the Brundtland (1987) definition of sustainable development, to "meet the needs of a current generation without compromising the ability of a future generation to meet their needs."
