Description
This thesis addresses three current challenges to sustainability: human consumerism is unsustainable; understanding sustainability requires systems thinking; and current communication of sustainability is confusing and ineffective. Systems thinking suggests that making small changes (applying levers) at leverage points within a system can have big impacts. The thesis project (found in the appendix) is designed to be a lever that can be applied to the confluence of leverage points that occurs at a wedding. The desired outcome is increased sustainability of short- and long-term consumer and cultural behavior. Life events reflect and reinforce cultural norms of excessive consumption, thus represent a unique opportunity to positively influence short- and long-term consumer behavior. Weddings are positive life events that represent the confluence of three systems: individual, cultural, and consumerism. It’s also an event in a person’s life where planning occurs before consuming and therefore a great place to intervene. This presents a unique opportunity to create a more sustainable cultural experience. The design solution (the lever) presented in this paper is a miniature wedding booklet that uses life cycle thinking (LCT) and infographics to convey systems thinking. It illustrates the complexities of sustainability in an easy-to-understand format for a public lay audience. The content offers alternatives to traditional consumer excess in a positive tone of voice. Integrating LCT and infographics into the design of the miniature wedding booklet is impactful and provides a competitive edge compared to other green wedding books. It adds value to existing information in the publishing world and can serve as an educational tool to make LCT mainstream through the use of infographics. My hope is that the miniature wedding booklet will not only educate but inspire readers to green other parts of their life as well. It’s meant to be used, re-used, and re-gifted.