Sustainability ROX: Return on experience, return on extinction

In an age of extremes, hot and cold, war and peace, wealth and austerity, to have electricity and to not … what do we focus on? The innovations that have changed our perceptions are almost imperceptible to the naked eye. The arts are the last to be funded and the first to be cut, and yet, we can prove their value and worth very substantially through the prevailing economics. All around the world we are encouraging entrepreneurs to be entrepreneurial, to have CEOs who are brilliant at being CEOs, we acclaim leaders who will lead … but where? Where are the leaders for the future, for the sustainable, for the new materials that do not punish people or the planet? Where are the leaders who have the courage to make a jump, take a leap of faith and do things differently with the only mission in mind to create fairness, a just world, a people- and animal-saving planet with an eye on – well, just about everything that is harmful.

How do you reduce plastic in events and performance production? Why is this commodity, which comes from fossil fuels, not precious? How has this become throw away and why have so-called ‘natural products’ – no less natural than fossil fuels – become dispensable – burning pyres of sheep’s wool, landfills of animal skins? Is it we are just not troubled enough … this article discusses how to be concerned? The Sustainability ROX event was a crossover of sustainability conference and business networking specifically for design. ROX return on extinction; ROX return on experience. It had a broad impact to address carbon literacy issues, greenhouse gas emissions and the developing needs of the design industries to review the processes of design, use of materials and design sustainability central to all activities. The event deliberately addressed circular economies for the fashion, textiles, design products and materials used in human society and the industries and their consumption of materials and energy. The occasion enabled the review of processes of design and discussed sustainable supply chains, conceptions and misconceptions of materials, scientific developments for product developments and energy systems. The impact has been to create networks of businesses, makers and producers, academics and researchers for the development of future projects.