Author, author

Wednesday, May 9th, 2007

Heather Clark, a sophomore majoring in interior design, has been published in the May 2007 issue of Interiors & Sources.

The article was not an assignment, said Heather, who will intern this summer with a residential design firm in Rochester, Wash. She was inspired by her visit to a large furniture store and her course work.

Heather’s article, “Disposable Furniture Equals Disposable Future,” advocates the use of sustainable residential furniture and suggests three ways to proceed:

1. Manufactures should “wake up” and produce furniture that does not harm the environment. Avoid “throwaway” furniture that piles up in landfills. Develop alternatives to synthetic materials that emit harmful volatile organic compounds. Use recycled products and new sources of wood, not endangered forests.
2. Consumers, who she believes want to buy sustainable goods, need access to reliable and accurate information about products.
3. Designers need to create durable furniture designs that use fewer resources.

“Furniture as a disposable commodity is morally wrong,” she wrote. The residential furniture industry needs to understand the true cost of not embracing sustainability.”

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 9th, 2007 and is filed under Dean's Blog.