06. A Green Lamp
Jack Elliott
Jack Elliott, Design and Environmental Analysis, created the first swarf lamp using the lamp’s own aluminum waste shavings from the process for another one of its components. The lamp exemplifies three green principles: reducing, reusing, and recycling. Its ceiling mount and base holder are made from recycled aluminum bar stock that is 100 percent recyclable, and the shade is made from swarf, fine metallic filings or shavings that are a waste product of machining. The cord is made from cross-linked polyethylene, making it PVC-free—unlike most cords, which have PVC jackets that could potentially produce dioxin, a suspected human carcinogen, if burned. Elliott’s design reduces both the amount of material needed to create the product and the product’s waste. The lamp was a winner at the Haute Green international sustainable design competition. This is also Cornell’s first design patent.