With the challenge of "Green Design" that this project presented, came an interesting question: What exactly is green design? This question leads into the most important lesson that I learned from this project; that all engineering problems are influenced by different value systems. Often, the values are not necessarily ones that you share(although, in this case, I firmly believe in them). It is an important skill for engineers to be able to understand - whether through research, conversation, or client meetings - which parts of a particular value system need to be incorporated into a design in order to allow it to meet the goal of that system, and still fulfill the requirements of society - these being safety, security, low cosy, and beauty. I tried to better understand this dilemma during the course of the project.

After online research on green design, I decided that my design would have minimal environmental impact, and that I utilize total cost analysis to make sure that my carrier would have minimal impact on natural and artificial resources and the environment. In order to do this, my carrier utilized waste grass clippings glued together into a composite with cornstarch. Panels of the mixture were baked at 350 degrees in an oven until they are gelled. Then they were formed ito a basket and allowed to set. The interior of the case was packed with dry grass for added spring, and a handle was woven out of grass. All in all, the carrier was completely bio-degradable - in fact, the carrier would break down in approximately 3 weeks in a good composter. Compared to 15 years to forever for paper in a land fill, this carrier has a much shorter life span, and is made from waste and renewable starch. I think this carrier is a great answer to this problem.