The Futures Interview

Alison Day. Photo by Carol Govaert

Alison Day Designs is a multi-faceted company. Alison is a graphic designer and creative artist, as well as editor of an expatriate magazine, ‘Connections,’ in The Northern Netherlands.

Her art is her passion, but she also writes articles of interest, illustrate, translate (Dutch – English) and, as a voice actress, her voice can be heard in many a museum, schools language courses and the odd advert.  

She has created an illustration for the ?!X Futures Project, bringing to life David Hawksworth’s Future, one that is “creative, connected, cultured, with less consumption and waste” 

?!X: What’s the Future You Choose?

AD: The future I would choose and the world in which I would like to live, involves the use of the world’s remaining resources in a more thoughtful and ecologically sound manner. One where a life philosophy of “re-cycle, re-use, re-invent” becomes an active voice as opposed to a passive motto. All too often, we take for granted and under estimate the fragility of life on our planet; animal, vegetable or mineral, all is slowly being eroded away towards an inevitable extinction, and we are following hot on their heels. It’s time to look up from our automated worlds, open eyes and hearts, appreciate what is around and make the necessary changes before it is too late.

?!X: What’s a ‘think’ to create this future?

AD: www.earthship.org

The existence of rubbish dumps and polluting land fills, stress the importance of the need to minimize our production of waste. It doesn’t make sense to continually produce packaging/containers etc that ultimately become obsolete after only one use; if you do use it why not recycle it and re-use it in another form?

?!X: What’s an ‘act’ to create the future you choose

AD: People should be encouraged to only purchase products with biodegradable wrapping, or none at all; remove the demand to stop the supply. Instead of plastic, why not treat yourself an original and long lasting shopping bag in cotton with a fun design: Society6

?!X: What’s a ‘vote’ to create the future you choose?

AD: www.ifrc.org

By donating what you no longer need to the Red Cross (or any other charitable organization), you also help this humanitarian organization in aiding people in distress worldwide.

?!X: Future Soundtrack – What song would you take with you into the future? 

AD: Fitz and The Tantrums – ‘Money Grabber’:

?!X: Can you share with us up to 5 weblinks that you find interesting and inspiring?

AD:

twitter.com

schmulb.com

avaaz.org/en

ameliasmagazine.com

arthousecoop.com

Follow Alison on Twitter @AlisonDayDesigns

How can we Create the Future you Choose? Take part here.

Love the Futures Interviews? Help Create Our Collaborative Book - The Futures Project (donate or get involved!) 



Other Links:

1. Video: http://alisondaydesigns.blogspot.nl/2012/01/futures-exhibtion-think-act-vote.html

2. Futures Calender: http://alisondaydesigns.blogspot.nl/2012/02/futures-calendar.html

3. Book launch and press release: http://alisondaydesigns.blogspot.nl/2012/07/the-future-we-choose.html


Alison Day Designs

Intelligent Fridges

Are the new ‘must have’ techno inventions of today really necessary or are we just being manipulated into believing that we need all this?

I remember the uproar when the old vinyl disc was replaced by the compact disc, and the perturbed few who realized that they could never ‘not be at home’, any more with the introduction of the mobile phone. But what seems to have followed is a conveyor belt of new inventions, which I doubt the necessity of. Added to the blackberry, iPod, Mp3 player and iPhone there is also an intelligent fridge!

Well I suppose it could well be true. This mammoth fridge, not only keeps your food cool, makes ice cubes, is self-cleaning, and due to a cunning little strip underneath each product knows how much milk is left. It then tells you when to buy a new pack. Pretty handy, one may never have to write another shopping list again. It also has a built-in screen for TV and Internet—Hooray! I may never have to leave my kitchen again.  

Don’t worry about not having ever to think again, this will be compensated for by the fact that one regularly trains ones brain with the brain trainer programmes offered by a Nintendo DS Lite.

For those of you as cynical as me there’s a super short story called ‘The Machine Stops’ by E. M. Forster, which shows what could happen to the human race if we continue along this tack. But having said that, in a couple of years I will probably be the proud owner of one, once I’ve bought a bigger house of course.

First published in the Connections magazine #21 Autumn 2008 

View all issues of Connections HERE (editor, designer, illustrator: 2006-2013)

©  Alison Day Designs