Transportation is used by everyone and everything. People will always need to get to work, class or a party (fashionably late). Goods will always need to get to stores, supermarkets and front doorsteps. The discussion at SCADstyle addressed the environmental future of the transportation industry, and why it should be on the radar for all upcoming designers. Speakers included Erik Dunshe, senior designer at Honda R&D, Eileen Hu, senior graphic designer at LA Metro and Dan Raudebaugh, executive director of the Center for Transportation and the Environment. Although their experiences were different, together they were able to communicate major changes to shift the world toward more eco-friendly practices.
Boldly, Raudebaugh announced after reading off some statistics, “We think we can save the environment through technology.” From lobbying to congress to leading and getting funds for his non-profit, which organizes funds for greener vehicles, he takes the business he is in very seriously. Each speaker spoke similarly of the obstacles that pave the way to innovation in their fields. They face problems that are a part of every industry implementing environmental actions: popular culture, dependence on money donations and current laws.
While a sense of urgency on this matter fills the room, hope is not too far away. The horrible reputation of Los Angeles traffic, for example, is the motivation for Hu’s work in the county. Proudly, she notes that there are “165 bus routes” that all plan to “be zero-emission in the city by 2030.” Dunshe added that there “tends to be focus on the urban environment,” as his work begins to create electric vehicles for rural areas, a market he believes should not be ignored.
Much of the work these three individuals work on is about convincing the public that these changes are imminent. Hu worked on a team of advertisers, marketers and designers to create “The Movement,” LA Metro’s first commercial on live television. It was made to represent LA’s identity and motivate them, and others around the world, to use public transportation like buses, trains and bicycles.
Industrial Design freshmen Aaron Allen was one attendee at the talks, and showed his excitement with moving toward a green future. Following the discussions, he expressed that “the environment is a big thing to consider” in his field, adding that he wants to “be the change towards a field that is mixing efficiency with the environment.”
Written by Alyssa Rosenberg
Photo by Lily Sanders