CHICAGO—Gloom and doom tends to dominate the news when it comes to environmental issues, but when it comes to “green” design, optimism prevails, according to Bruce Mau, the design trailblazer and head of Bruce Mau Design.

“Designers don’t have the luxury of cynicism,” said Mau. “Design is fundamentally charged with producing solutions.”

Indeed, solutions are at the heart of “Massive Change: The Future of Global Design,” an exhibition Mau created with George Brown-Toronto City College graduate students and which is on display at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago through Dec. 31.

The exhibition focuses on the utopian possibilities of design and features a mix of objects, sound, video, photographs, interactive technology and 3-D pieces that address both environmental and social concerns.

“It really looks at design not only as a mode of form, style and object, but also in terms of making change in the world,” curator Elizabeth Smith said.

And while some of the objects on display—from a straw that cleans even the most putrid water to a car made entirely of corn products—might seem fictional, they’re all real. “Everything that is shown points to the future of design,” Smith said. “Everything in the show is currently available or in the development stage; there aren’t any futuristic ideas.”

But “Massive Change” isn’t just about what’s inside the museum walls, Mau and Smith emphasized; it’s about encouraging people to get involved. The effects are evident in Chicago, with a variety of related exhibitions, performances and events cropping up around the city.

The exhibition also inspired the museum to “go green,” earning certification from the city of Chicago for ordering from local suppliers, buying recycled products, using low-impact materials, increasing energy efficiency and creating a special “Green Team,” in charge of expanding the museum’s recycling efforts, reducing waste and devising educational outreach programs.

In addition, the museum is planning to test energy-saving wind turbines on its roof this fall. And a symposium on “Massive Change” is slated for Nov. 18 in Millennium Park, bringing together some of the world’s leaders in global design.

Mau said “Massive Change” has traveled to other cities, including Toronto, but the response has been the most dramatic in Chicago. “The [city] just gets it,” he said.

“It’s really inspiring because you realize that there are all these amazing minds at work,” Smith added. “Looking at what they are doing, it’s quite empowering.”