Indoor air pollution 1

Indoor air pollution is common in China because Chinese people like cooking which would cause some smoke due to burning fuels and people like smoking at home or indoor space. 

There are a variety of causes of poor indoor air quality. inadequate ventilation and the release of contaminants from indoor and outdoor sources are the primary reasons for indoor air quality problems. Inadequate ventilation can be defined as insufficient air to remove pollutants that are degrading the quality of air. Temperature and humidity can affect the emission rates of some pollutants as well as the feelings of building occupants. High humidity and high temperature cause people to feel uncomfortable and want more air movement. Low humidity leads to dry throats, coughing and dry eyes. An additional problem with low humidity is that it can influence the sense of smell.

There are some short as well as long term health effects due to indoor air pollutants. Short-term problems include a stuffy, frowzy environment and symptoms such as skin sensibility, burning eyes and headaches. Long-term health problems have a longer incubation period or are chronic. It would influence central nervous system, cause heart disease even cancer.
Next blog, I will focus on the approaches to solve this issue.

Smart bins

I introduced common bins in last blog, this blog, I would talk about smart bins. Multifunctional bins are included in smart bins, so I will focus on some other aspects.

Firstly, smart bin can automatically open lid. When people approach the bin and want to throw garbage away, infrared sensor would operate and make the lid open. This can not only avoid people touching bins but also minimize air pollution as a result of foul smell.

Secondly, smart bins have audio system. When people approach bins, they would be reminded to classify rubbish, also when they throw rubbish into bins, audio system would say thank you.

Thirdly, smart bins should have automatic testing. In order to show the real rubbish capacity, setting up three different colors to stand for full, more than half and half. Creating a small bin with automatic devices so that when it would be automatically popup when cleaning bin. Moreover, solar energy device can be installed to compress rubbish. Pictures below shows different smart bins.

Smart bins are convenient for some disabled people, especially for blind people, in addition, some bins can sing in USA, which would make life more interesting.

Multifunctional bins

In China, household garbage has increased rapidly due to population growth, and most of garbage has been used to generate electricity and produced methane. However, before this, garbage should be classified and recycle. Therefore, multifunctional bins have been designed.

To design a multifunctional bin, it should follow these aspects:

1.   Appearance design.

Most of bins have been designed in common shape such as cylinder or cuboid. However, these kind of design cannot catch people’s attention, so the design of multifunctional bins should be suitable to surroundings, and should have some slogan to encourage protecting environment.

2.   Classification.

In Australia, almost every household use bins to classify garbage, but in China, seldom people have awareness of classification. I think government and organization can set up two bins, one for recycling, another for wastes, and there will be a box at the back of bins to recycle batteries.

3.   Design for absorption

Because of the rot of a variety of garbage, bins smell terrible. If we use some materials which can absorb foul smell, it can avoid polluting air. Picture below shows the useful bin. 

Of course, this kind of bins have been designed for years, it is not just bins for people to throw rubbish, but it can raise people’s awareness of recycling and protecting environment.

Design for recycle

Recyclable design is a part of sustainable design, it should consider some strategies about recycling including materials, the value, methods in the early stages of product design to maximize use of energy and minimize the environmental pollution.

This kind of design includes following parts.

1.   Recyclable materials and signs

2.   Recyclable technology and methods

3.   economic assessment

4.   recyclable design

There is a case of recyclable design. Using plastic bottles to build a school can be one of amazing case. This school is located in San Pablo in Philippine and designed by Lllac Diaz. The whole building is made up of plastic bottles whose capacity is 1.5 liter or 2 liter. In order to build this building, volunteers have spent almost one month to collect these bottles. This building can meet the demand of lighting, also the structure is better than that of cement building, it requires lower costs as well, although it doesn't  look good. By the way, when I search for some interesting design, I saw coat racks made by plastic bottles. Most coat racks are made by wood or plastics, so using plastic bottles can reduce emission of greenhouse gases and wastes. In this blog, I just want to focus on the case of school because I have never known that plastic bottles can build whole building. Pictures below shows the amazing building.