Design Activism and Social Innovations for the Planet

Abstract

This paper reflects on the role of designers in this environmental crisis and how participatory and collaborative methods are crucial to tackle this emergency. Over the past 10 years new social dynamics emerged and design had to catch up with them. In doing so it has facilitated the rise of technological and then social and cultural innovations, which are very much necessary to address problems arising from the planet’s resources’ exhaustion, happening in ever shorter cycle, with the Earth overshoot day arriving earlier each year. Signs of that can be seen in the global climate “weirding”, in the plastic that is infiltrating the food chain, etc. A new wave of social innovations focused in addressing environmental concerns is being led by younger generations, but are designers aligned with this trend? Are designers empowering society and companies to be more active and engaged in actions to defend the planet?