DSDN171: Assignment 9

From politics to design all are concerned with our environment. We entered an era where the concept of being 'green' is not only for hippies but rather concept that has reach a popular cultural status. We see how it inform every type of design today. I'll explore the 'green' movement as a form of ideology over taking design by look at Coca Cola's 'green' billboard (see figure 1)

Figure 1: Coca-cola bilboard:
'This billboard absorbs air pollution' (image from engadget)

The Coca Cola ad is a 60 by 60 foot billboard is made up of a number of Fukien tea plants, each of which can soak up around 13 pounds of carbon dioxide per year, for a combined total of 46,800 pounds. The plants are housed in pots made from recycled Coke bottles and are watered via a drip irrigation system. The billboard is the product of a partnership between Coca-Cola Philippines and the World Wildlife Fund (engadget). This ad shows how a green image is use to promote products, coke as a product self has very little to do with being green. Much like ads during the Cold War made people feel that just plainly consuming lets them do their part for their country, today the same idea is used with 'eco' and 'green' advertising, it makes people think they're doing something for the environment even if it is just buying a Coke. 

Pavitt, J. (2008). Design and the Deomocratic Ideal, Cold War Modern: Design 1945-1970 (pp. 72-91) London: V&A Publishing.

Coca-Cola's green billboard consumes carbon dioxide like so much sugary. retrieved at: sodahttp://www.engadget.com/2011/07/06/coca-colas-green-billboard-consumes-carbon-dioxide-like-so-much/