STAMP IT: INITIAL RESEARCH AND IDEAS:

What is a first day cover:

Moving on from my crit feedback i decided that i should now look at simplifying my designs, from my initial research into stamps that i found inspirational, i found that an effective method of making the stamps clear. was to use 1 colour print plus stock: 

I decided i would make a direct link to britain by including the underground map which is recognisable as a piece of iconic british design, i felt that the design i created worked effectively however the feed back I received from the crit was that the introduction of the underground map over complicated the design taking the main focus away from the part of the design that was needed to communicate. so from this point i aim to simplify my designs increasing the level of communication. 

2012: THE GREEN OLYMPICS - (Green olympic rings)
The promise was to deliver the ’greenest Olympics ever‘. As the London 2012 planning application is submitted, and with five years to go before the Olympics begin.


The promise:
In its sustainable development strategy, the Olympics Delivery Authority (ODA) has pledged that 20 per cent of the site’s energy will come from renewable sources (wind, hydro, solar and biofuel)


It has been stated what the construction and management of the event are doing to help the environment however i aim to target the public to inspire them to do something about it! 


Olympic logo:

he rings were adopted by Baron Pierre de Coubertin (founder of the modern Olympic Movement) in 1913 after he saw a similar design on an artifact from ancient Greece.  The five rings represent the five major regions of the world: Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania. Every national flag in the world includes at least one of the five colors, which are (from left to right) blue, yellow, black, green, and red.  It is important to emphasize that Pierre de Coubertin never said nor wrote that the colors of the rings were linked with the different continents
The Olympic Flag made its debut at the 1920 Olympic Games in Antwerp, Belgium. At the end of each Olympic Games, the mayor of that host-city presents the flag to the mayor of the next host-city. It then rests at the town hall of the next host-city for four years until the Opening Ceremony of their Olympic Games.

Looking at more visuals associated with the olympics, i have looked at a range of designs from the olympics from past to present i have noticed that the more effective designs are based around simplicity nothing to complicate the design or cause confusion. I am unsure weather to follow this route or to design something that is detailed and will draw attention. I will bring this up in my crit and see what feedback i get from my peers on what route to go down. 

Existing designs for Olympic Events:
I decided to look at existing designs for the olympics i found that visually the designs where already very effective due to their simplicity instead of changing this i decided to design in the same style as i feel this would give my designs a classy aesthetic. 

TEAM GB - OLYMPICS: 
Celebrations of Britain:
The brief stated that the royal mail loves to celebrate key achievements:
I decided it would be a great idea to link my stamps to the olympics as it is the 3rd year we have hosted the games, the london 12 olympics will be the key focal point for the whole of britain and i feel would inspire people. My initial idea is to link the subjects i have selected to the the olympics by linking them visually to the events. 

ENERGY CONSERVATION
GENERAL:

I began my research by looking at a range of different ways to conserve energy and ways to travel that have a low impact on the environment we live in, after looking into a broad range of research i then selected 4 key elements that i felt would be most effective. 

I decided to go with: 

sustainable travel: 

running/walking/biking

and energy conservation in the home:

turn temperature down in the house/ wash clothing at 30 degrees

i selected subjects that i thought where manageable for the average person.

SOURCE:
www.direct.gov.uk/en/environmentandgreenerliving

Insulate your home

Over half of the heat in an uninsulated home is lost through the walls and roof. Most UK homes don't have the recommended amount of insulation, so think about insulating both your loft and your cavity walls.

Turn appliances off standby

The average household wastes around £40 a year simply by leaving appliances on standby. Remember:

• you can't switch most electronic goods off just with the remote control
• to turn off an appliance completely, use the power switch on the appliance itself or turn it off at the plug
• if a charger or power pack is warm or has a light on, it's probably using power

In the kitchen

• boil a kettle with only as much water as you need
• cover pots and pans when cooking – they will boil a lot quicker
• match the size of the cooking ring to the size of the saucepan to avoid heating air
• cook several different foods on one ring with a steamer
• there's emerging research that using a microwave rather than a conventional oven to heat up a small amount of food may save you energy 
• avoid putting hot food in the fridge or freezer
• try not to leave your fridge door open, as it takes energy to cool down again

Washing clothes

• washing clothes at 30 degrees can be just as effective for a normally soiled load
• run your washing machine or dishwasher with full loads
• avoid tumble drying – dry clothes outdoors or on indoor dryers when possible to save money and energy

Lighting

• try to remember to switch the lights off every time you leave a room
• replacing all the remaining traditional light bulbs in your home with energy saving ones could save you around £25 a year

EFFICIENCY IN THE HOME:

The key is to see your home differently

The key to making big savings on your home energy bills is to view your home as a living energy system with individual parts that affect each other.

For example, if you install energy efficient double glazed windows and loft insulation, when it's time to replace your boiler and heating system, you may be able to manage with a smaller one that costs less, because the windows and walls will retain the heated air inside better than a home without efficient windows and insulation. And because heating makes up the majority of your energy bills, you'll save the most money by reducing your heating needs.

Applying energy saving improvements in your home will not only make your home more comfortable, but can also deliver long-term financial rewards. Permanently lower energy bills will more than make up for the higher cost of installing energy efficient appliances and improvements.

How much can you save on your home energy bills?

It's easy to start saving energy right now and you don't have to spend any money to reduce your energy bills. Applying these no-cost energy saving tips around your home can save you hundreds of pounds a year.

As well as changing your daily energy habits, you can also install energy efficient products and appliances around your home. These efficient products don't always cost more than inefficient ones but will use less energy so are cheaper to maintain and run.

Energy Saving Light Bulbs
Save £5-£10 per year / cost recovered in 6 months

Hot Water Tank Insulation
Save £10 per year / cost recovered in 1 year

Draught Proofing
Save £35 per year / cost recovered in 3 years

Heating Controls
Save £50 per year / cost recovered in 2-5 years

Double Glazed Windows
Save £40 per year / cost recovered in 5 years

Loft Insulation
Save £80-£100 per year / cost recovered in 2-6 years

Cavity Wall Insulation
Save £130 per year / cost recovered in 3 years

Replace Old Boiler
Save £120-£200 per year / cost recovered in 4-5 years

Energy efficiency in the home

- washing clothes at 30c - saves 42% energy

- Turning off plugs - saves 25% energy

- Energy saving bulbs - saves 74%

- lowering temp in rooms - saves 36% energy

- switching lights off - saves 30% energy

- lowering fridge power - saves 20%

ZERO CARBON HOUSING

SOURCE:

www.guardian.co.uk

What is a zero-carbon home?

A home that produces zero or even negative CO2 emissions by maximising the use of energy efficiency and renewable energy. All new houses must be zero-carbon from 2016 onwards. While such houses conjure up futuristic images, the reality is they can just as easily look the same as traditional houses.

How does a zero-carbon home live up to its name?

Three words are key in the zero-carbon world: insulation, insulation and insulation. And maybe "airtightness" too.

What role do renewables play in a zero-carbon home?

Renewable energy technologies such as solar panels and wind turbines can mean a house generates more energy than it uses – potentially making it a "carbon negative" house. Homeowners will be paid for any green electricity they feed into the grid by the government's Clean Energy Cashback scheme,

When will zero-carbon homes start appearing?

The first officially recognised zero-carbon home, a prototype by Kingspan Off-Site, was built in 2007. Since then, several demonstration new-builds have been considered "zero-carbon", but the first serious wave of zero-carbon homes is unlikely to appear until 2016 when housebuilders are forced by the government to meet the new standard. All homes in the new eco-towns will meet the zero-carbon standards 

TRAVELING SUFFICIENTLY:

ECONOMIC TRAVELING

Alternatives to travel are methods for reducing or removing the need to travel through the use of information and communications technologies and flexible working. This could include; working from home or a work hub or office closer to home; making use of aor staggering working hours to avoid traveling during peak hours.

The Department’s work on alternatives to travel currently focuses on commuting and business travel, but alternatives can also be used to replace other journeys, for example through online shopping.

There are a range of benefits associated with alternatives to travel – environmental (reduced transport emissions), economic (increased staff productivity, reduced travel and office costs, improved staff retention, reduced absenteeism) and social (improved quality of life and work/life balance).

 

Walking

Promoting walking as a healthy and more preferable option to the motor car for short journeys.

Walking helps to keep healthy and is good for the environment.

Walk for life

Create your own walk and keep a track of your walking activity. You can also use this site as a home for your walking group, or join a new group and take a virtual challenge.

• Walk for life

Walking and cycling to school

Benefits include:

• Exercise will improve health, stamina and energy and reduce the risk of health problems
• Teaches children to travel independently
• More people walking and cycling means fewer cars on the road and therefore less pollution

Walking to school schemes

• Walking buses
• Walk to school
• Stay safe when walki

LOW IMPACT TRANSPORT:

Sustainable transport (or green transport) refers to any means of transport with low impact on the environment, and includes walking and cycling, transit oriented development, green vehicles, CarSharing, and building or protecting urban transport systems that are fuel-efficient, space-saving and promote healthy lifestyles.

Sustainable transport systems make a positive contribution to the environmental, social and economic sustainability of the communities they serve. Transport systems exist to provide social and economic connections, and people quickly take up the opportunities offered by increased mobility.^[1] The advantages of increased mobility need to be weighed against the environmental, social and economic costs that transport systems pose.

Alternative Transport

- walking

- cycling

- public transport

- car share

ECO FRIENDLY LOGO'S

AND STAMPS:

EXISTING STAMPS: