Page 70 - DP-2-3

Design+ Designing CO offsets w/personal identity
2

A symbol of commitment at a personal level can be
enhanced by meticulous designs, as shown in Figure 1. Few
2
symbols are as visible and enduring as a driver of a fossil fuel
car displaying the proposed license plate for 10–15 years as
part of a one-time lifetime club membership that goes with
the serial number of the car. Public figures like Taylor Swift
could play a powerful role in promoting sustainability
by publicly embracing this initiative. A simple gesture,
such as affixing the license plate to the personal vehicle,
could serve as a strong gesture of personal commitment
to addressing climate change and also a personal identity.
In 2023, Taylor Swift generated USD2 billion in revenue,
surpassing the earnings of most corporations. With 284
3
million followers on Instagram, she ranks among the
world’s most influential celebrities. Although she currently Figure 1. The green crystal frame for Michigan’s car license plate,
uses carbon credits to offset her travel-related emissions, manufactured and licensed by the club to Yitai Crystal Craftwork,
her direct involvement in a club dedicated to sustainability Dongguan, China
would be a far more effective contribution. Despite topping
charts as the celebrity with the highest carbon emissions,
her representative stated that she purchased twice the
number of carbon credits required to offset her footprint.
However, acquiring carbon credits without a proactive
involvement in climate change solutions risks being viewed
as hypocritical. In contrast, joining the club would enable
her to take visible, meaningful steps toward reducing
emissions, thereby reinforcing a genuine commitment to
sustainability. 4

2.2. Design work
Yitai Crystal Craftwork, Dongguan, China, specializes in
making crystals of similar quality to Swarovski, Austria.
Aside from households and commercial decorative and
functional items, the company operates a specialized
division for the automobile industry. Yitai, China, and the Figure 2. Uniform quality of design
International Regional Development (IRD), United States,
collaborated in designing various items associated with Note that in Figure 2, each piece can also be etched with
the identity of the proposed new quality of life club linked the signature of a person making the frame completely
to the purchase of new cars. Joining the club provides personalized, adding to the personal identity to the design
members with a distinct personal identity, symbolizing Needless to say, this design is for a celebrity class of car
an individual’s commitment to a new quality of life as buyers, e.g., Taylor Swift, as qualified in footnote 2. In this
reflected through their new vehicle. Figure 2 shows the sense, the proposed club will target supports of celebrities
detailed work of how crystals are designed and arranged as a better use of funds as an alternative to whatever climate-
around a license plate would look like. change initiatives they are currently contributing to.

The concept of moral-self licensing, where buying
2 Crystal frames are provided for exclusive clients only, carbon credits leads individuals to feel they have
typically celebrities. As celebrities, they usually park their fulfilled their environmental commitment without
cars in private garages. If damaged, the license plate must
be completely remade, which can be included in the original making genuine behavioral changes, warrants renewed
license contract with a particular celebrity. discussion. This is completely different from other
3 https://www.billboard.com/business/business-news/taylor- carbon credit programs that enabled organizations to
swift-earned-2-billion-music-movie-touring-1235555994/ masquerade as environmentally conscious entities while
4 https://carbonmarketwatch.org/2024/02/13/taylor-swift- maintaining their usual operations. The proposed club
and-the-top-polluters-department/ will be unique by comprising new vehicle buyers who

Volume 2 Issue 3 (2025) 3 doi: 10.36922/DP025100013