ABSTRACT
Ecodesign strategies are actions that can be taken to reduce environmental impacts. This chapter focuses on practical strategies for environmental improvement: select low-impact materials, avoid toxic or hazardous materials, choose cleaner production processes, maximise energy and water efficiencies, and design for waste minimisation. Plastics are manufactured from petrochemicals, although a new generation of polymers is being developed from starch and sugars. The first synthetic polymer, celluloid, was invented in 1870 to replace the ivory used in billiard balls. Plastics composites in common use include plastics reinforced with glass or carbon fibres. The flexibility of plastics and the strength of the fibres produce a composite with the best properties of each material. Timber is a beautiful, natural material, but harvesting can have significant impacts on the environment. The most important distinction is between timber harvested from old-growth forests and timber harvested from plantations.
