101 Things Designers Can Do to Save The Earth

120. Get inspired over coffee

svcseattle — Tue, 04 May 2010 15:47:24 +0000

We’ve been meaning to give Starbucks some props for some time over the excellent redesign of their University Village store. It’s as much an exhibit of sustainable building practices as it is a coffee shop, with informative displays throughout that explain why and how certain materials were used. One of the best parts of the project was the construction barrier fabricated from plywood etched with a high-pressure water jet.

119. Don’t change the package. Change the system.

svcseattle — Tue, 04 May 2010 15:37:02 +0000

If you’re at all involved in package design, pick up a copy of Wendy Jedlicka’s book, Packaging Sustainability. She says the secret to making more responsible packaging, surprisingly, ISN’T by changing to more earth-friendly materials. Instead, she suggests you rethink whether you even need a package at all. At the bare minimum, she says see if you can get by with the bare minimum — a package that uses far less materials. Click on the image to read more at Amazon.com.

118. Read the Atlas

svcseattle — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 17:40:41 +0000

When you hear the word “atlas” you think of a giant book filled with maps. Well, that’s not the case here. But The Designer’s Atlas of Sustainability will point you in the direction of changing your thinking about how to be in the business of design. It is NOT laden with tips on recycled stock and the latest in ink technology. Rather, it’s a more philosophical look at how all designers (and not just graphic designers) can do their work in harmony with a sustained planet. There’s also a free teaching guide available for those who would like to bring this point of view into the classroom.

117. Forget ink. Use seawater.

svcseattle — Mon, 11 May 2009 21:41:14 +0000

Curb is a media agency in the U.K. that specializes in using natural materials to build awareness for clients’ products and services. They’ve made “ads” out of cut turf, snow, and sand sculptures, among other healthy things. They’re masters of guerilla advertising — the latest example being their stenciled ads for a London aquarium. Because salt water evaporates more slowly than fresh water, the ads have a lifetime of about 20 minutes, leaving nothing behind but a light dusting of natural sea salt.

Sea Tagging

116. Turn old banners into messenger bags

svcseattle — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 04:18:56 +0000

It’s not easy to produce large banners responsibly. The vinyl that is used as the substrate for lots of environmental graphics projects is petroleum-sucking vinyl in many cases — although, to be fair, recycled-content substrates and biodegradable products are now available and produce excellent results. Fortunately, even the traditionally non-recyclable materials are finding a second life at BIGink, a Seattle-based large format graphics producer. Banners produced by the company are being turned into fashionable, durable messenger bags for personal use or resale. They’re not literally silk purses, but they’re definitely made out of sow’s ears.

115. Use ecofont for business printing

svcseattle — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 16:58:56 +0000

Of course, you’re doing more business with PDFs than paper, right? But for those times when only a written document will do, change from Times Roman or Arial over to ecofont. It’s a free, multi-platform font based on Verdana, that’s full of holes — the Swiss cheese of type — to save around 20% of the toner you’re currently wasting. Ecofont isn’t Swiss, though, it’s Dutch; brought to you as a public service by the Utrecht-based design firm, SPRANQ.

ecofont

114. Attend Compostmodern 09

svcseattle — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 20:53:26 +0000

It’s been five years since the San Francisco chapter of AIGA started this conversation about sustainable design. Since then, it’s grown into one of the most esteemed events in the industry. If you can’t get to S.F. for the February 21, 2009 event, you can catch the presentations online at until late May.

113. Read about green design in a green way

svcseattle — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 23:43:04 +0000

Back when we launched this site a couple of years ago, there wasn’t much to read on the topic of green graphic design. Fortunately, that’s starting to change, and here are a couple of additions to your bookshelf worth checking out. The first, Packaging Sustainability, is a collection of essays and articles about tools, systems, and strategies for creating packaging with a minimal eco-impact. And here’s the kicker: Along with the 368-page paperback, there’s a version out for Kindle that requires the killing of no trees (although we’re not quite sure what sort of nasty chemicals went into the making of the Kindle). The other new book is Green Graphic Design, by Brian Dougherty, a partner at Celery Design Collaborative and a founding member of the board of advisors for the AIGA Center for Sustainable Design.

112. Use your Mac dashboard for sustainability tips

svcseattle — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 06:06:21 +0000

It’s been a while since we’ve added a new tip to the site, so here’s one that recently caught our eye — a widget you can add to your Mac’s dashboard for free. When you’re working on a project and need to jog your brain for ways you could make your paper or printing choices more sustainable, just click through the topics and fill your brain. It’s like the proverbial Easy Button.

111. Spread the good word

svcseattle — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 18:15:53 +0000

Perhaps you’re one of the countless designers now blogging on a regular basis. We salute you. Especially if you actually write a new post more than once a year (we struggle with that, as you’ve no doubt noticed). If you’re talking about design on a regular basis, why not include a post on sustainable design? Share your thoughts. Your doubts. Your accomplishments. Your resources. An excellent example comes from inspirationbit, a handsomely designed blog by a Vancouver B.C. designer. She recently featured a guest post on designing a sustainable future that’s well worth reading — and passing along.

110. Give green to a green cause

svcseattle — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:54:42 +0000

You probably make charitable contributions every now and then. If you don’t, well, it’s something to think about. And especially now that GlobalGiving, the well-respected online donor site, has set up GlobalGiving Green, a collection of 25 charitable causes that are addressing climate change and sustainability. You can read more about the new initiative here in the New York Times, or cut to the chase, head straight for GlobalGiving Green and do some giving of your own. Gotta love their tagline: A New Shade of Generosity.

109. Learn about sustainable materials

svcseattle — Wed, 07 May 2008 17:17:39 +0000

We’ve seen a spate of new eco-friendly design websites popping up lately, and one we’re especially glad to see is ecolect.org, which brings you news about sustainable materials for use in packaging, displays, exhibitry, architecture, and you name it. The site is a great hype-free way to learn about some of the new things manufacturers are coming up with. We give this site five biodegradable gold stars.

108. Unleash the Power of Envelopes

svcseattle — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 05:42:39 +0000

You know that everyone’s jumped on the green bandwagon with the Envelope Manufacturer’s Association Foundation has devoted a part of their web site to helping you make smart choices about buying envelopes. Check out their site, and then take some comfort knowing that 95% of envelope gums are water-based, solvent-free, and non-hazardous. Since we lick the stuff, should we worry about the other 5%?

107. Attend the 2008 Print Green Summit

svcseattle — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 20:30:40 +0000

If you’re a designer and you’d like a high-level view of what’s new in green printing technology, register to attend Olympus Press’ Print Green Summit on May 7, 2008 at REI’s flagship store in South Lake Union. The focus this year will be on Chain of Custody. While it sounds like a great name for a grunge band, it’s actually about how you — as a paper user — can have some assurance that your stock is coming from trees in sustainably managed forests. Another plus behind this year’s event? Great hors d’ouerves!

106. Send out direct mail in reusable envelopes

svcseattle — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 20:01:42 +0000

Some 81 billion return envelopes are sent through the US mail each year in credit-card statements, utility bills and other direct mailings, at an estimated cost of 1 billion pounds in greenhouse gas emissions and more than 71 trillion BTUs of energy. Eliminate some of those by using reusable envelopes instead, and it could make a big difference for the environment. That’s the thinking behind ecoEnvelopes, a Minnesota-based company that aims to eliminate the use of reply envelopes from corporate America. Its alternative: a line of reusable envelopes that simply zip open, allowing users to insert their response or payment and seal them up again just like a regular envelope.

105. Use Rebinders instead of vinyl ones

svcseattle — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 20:00:11 +0000

Seattle-based Sustainable Group markets an impressive line of 100% recyclable binders and folders made with post-consumer recycled product. While the binders themselves are an eloquent statement about conserving precious resources, it gets more interesting. To offset the virgin fibers that go into the products, SG has committed to a re-planting program where trees are planted in Honduras and El Salvador to replenish the fibers used in manufacturing.

104. Check out the latest in sustainable packaging materials

svcseattle — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 06:07:37 +0000

If your heart is in the right place, but you don’t know exactly where to track down materials for sustainable packaging, check out Sustainable Is Good, a website and blog that tracks new developments in smart and appropriate packaging. These were the guys who raised the red flag on Dell for shipping out a USB thumb drive in a box big enough for a microwave. A good read if you design packaging of any kind.

103. Attend a paper forum

svcseattle — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 03:40:18 +0000

And what’s a paper forum? It’s where paper users get in the room with paper suppliers and share ways to use less of the stuff. SVC just participated in one sponsored by the Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Resource Center. While you’ve missed that one, feel free to head for the PPRC’s paper-free web site to get a little idea of what you’ve missed and to remain on the lookout for future forums.

102. Get off unwanted catalog mailing lists

svcseattle — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 18:17:46 +0000

Sounds like a good idea. It also sounds difficult, eh? Not really. There’s a new website, Catalog Choice, that lets you opt out of hundreds of catalog mailing lists with the proverbial click of your mouse. By jumping off the catalog bandwagon, you’ll do your part to spare some of the 8,000,000 tons of trees consumed each year for catalog paper consumption.

By the way, you may be wondering what is tip 102 doing a site called “101 Things?” Well, we’re going to keep going, sharing good information as we find it. If we wind up with 201 things, that’s all the better for the earth.

101. Keep on learning

svcseattle — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 00:38:59 +0000

On Wednesday, September 12th SVC welcomed New Leaf Paper’s Deb Bruner to tell us all about Recycled Paper, Soy Ink, and Al Gore. Deb had a number of great resources to share with us, and here (ta da!) they are:

www.conservatree.org
Conservatree has a comprehensive site covering recycled papers, fiber sources, inks, listings of papers, and much, much more. This is a fabulous resource!

www.greenpressinitiative.org
Green Press Initiative is primarily focused on the book publishing sector, but this is a great resource for inquiring minds. Sign up for their seasonally emailed newsletter and peruse their website pages for all sorts of info.

www.marketsinitiative.org
Based in Canada, Markets Initiative has been a powerful NGO that has caused major transformations in purchasing practices in just 6 years. They focus on the book, magazine, and newspaper sectors, but are a terrific resource for anything related to forestry, including FSC news, logging practices, and much more. MI was instrumental in getting the Harry Potter books published on recycled paper!

www.coopamerica.org
This group is focused on consumers and covers a wide range of topics – not just paper. Look to Co-op America for all sorts of eco-related news.

www.edf.org
The Environmental Defense Fund works in a number of areas as you’ll see from their website. They have focused on paper issues in the past with their paper task force.

100. Add a green cause to your pro bono client list

svcseattle — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 00:37:23 +0000

We almost forgot: You’re a talented graphic designer, copywriter, web developer, strategist or some other sort of marketing communicator. Well, why not put your talents to work on behalf of some organization trying to make the world a better place. There are plenty of them, and not nearly enough of generous, talented people like you.

99. Consider a smaller point size

svcseattle — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 00:36:23 +0000

Designers are already accused of making the type too small to be readable, but go ahead. A smaller font size can allow you to fit more words on a page, which requires fewer pages, which requires fewer trees, which requires fewer environmental crises.

98. Opt out of wasteful mailing lists

svcseattle — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 00:35:57 +0000

If you find your office mail box stuffed with computer catalogs and who-knows-what-else that goes straight in the recycling bin, nip that paper waste in the bud by getting off the mailing list. It may take some diligence if you work directly with the sender, but there are national opt-out lists run through the Direct Marketing Association that can eliminate a lot of the unwanted mailings.

97. Turn used file folders inside out

svcseattle — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 00:34:33 +0000

We bet you’re thinking this is the dumbest idea you’ve seen here yet. But not really. When a job’s complete, clean out the file, refold the thing inside out and you’re ready for a new project. You just cut your file folder expenses in half and saved some poor tree.

96. Embrace digital photography and videography

svcseattle — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 00:33:01 +0000

There are still a few holdouts who say shooting on film gives a look that digital media can’t duplicate. Undoubtedly so. But the toxic chemicals involved in making and processing photographic film are among some of the most hazardous around. For those of you involved in video projects, there are excellent digital techniques that can closely approximate the look of film.

95. Look for printers who do waterless printing

svcseattle — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 00:32:12 +0000

The waterless process eliminates the fountain solution used in offset lithography, and instead of conventional metal printing plates, you use a silicone rubber plate and special ink. It’s a faster, cleaner process that reduces the amount of paper required for make-ready and thus, uses less energy. To learn more about it, download this terrific resource from Monadnock Papers, A Field Guide to Eco-Friendly, Efficient and Effective Print.

94. Try not to bleed

svcseattle — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 00:31:31 +0000

Bleeds are a visually striking and very well accepted design technique. Now, here’s the downside. To make an image or color bleed, you have to print on oversize stock, then trim to the finished size. The printed trim turns into waste that’s hard to reuse. Consider, instead, doing designs that don’t require bleeds, or if you must bleed, resize your piece so you can print on a standard size sheet, with a smaller-than-usual finished size. The unusual size might even draw more attention to your client’s piece.

93. Ask your printer to keep it green

svcseattle — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 00:30:53 +0000

There’s all kinds of stuff involved with printing that goes well beyond what paper and ink you’ve spec’d. Some if it is rather esoteric. But here’s a wonderful little checklist you can use to spur your favorite printers on to a greener lifestyle, courtesy of the excellent web site, greenbiz.com.

92. Read BoDo’s sustainable studio blog

svcseattle — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 00:29:37 +0000

There are more and more great resources popping up to help designers run their studios–and create client projects–from a greener perspective. One worth watching is a blog written by Jess Sand from San Francisco called The Sustainable Studio. It’s part of Business Design Online, which has all kinds of other helpful tidbits on starting and running a creative business.

91. Live in a green house

svcseattle — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 16:15:40 +0000

No, not the kind where they grow plants–the kind that uses materials and energy wisely. While the Build Green movement is getting press left and right, you can cut to the chase and buy a pre-manufactured home that incorporates almost every conceivable energy- and material-saving idea. The Glidehouse is designed and built in northern California by Michelle Kaufmann Designs in Oakland–and they say the pricing is comparable or less than conventional energy hog homes. The added bonus: They’re beautiful.

90. Buy a carbon offset for your car

svcseattle — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 16:02:47 +0000

Well, it’s not for your car. It’s for you. And the planet. But when you go to DriveNeutral you can calculate precisely how much CO2 your specific vehicle is spewing into the atmosphere and then–depending on your guilt level–buy a carbon offset for as little as $28. What does that mean? Your $28 goes to buy emission reduction credits on the Chicago Climate Exchange–which, in turn, gives financial incentives to large companies to reduce their emissions. As for carbon emissions from cars, here’s a little sample: A BMW X5 SUV with a 4.8 liter engine produces nearly 13,000 pounds of CO2 annually, while a VW Jetta TDI burning biodiesel contributes 1,500 pounds to the environment.

89. Start a planet-friendly coupon book

svcseattle — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 15:46:11 +0000

San Francisco has one. It’s called Green Zebra – Local savings for natural living. Consumer purchase the book for $25, and then use the coupons and passes inside to save up to $12,000 on goods as far flung as organic catering to surfing lessons to a carpet cleaning services that uses non-toxic non-chemicals. Green Zebra donates a share of its profits to a local conservation organization, and the coupon book itself–of course–is printed on chlorine-free 98% post-consumer waste paper. Kudos to the founders, Sheryl Cohen and Anne Vollen.

88. Encourage local clients to market “still made here”

svcseattle — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 15:31:39 +0000

There’s a trend afoot among consumer to buy products that are made locally, and no one has their finger on the pulse of this movement more than trendwatching.com. This website is made possible by the contributions of more than 8,000 trendspotters worldwide. Their June/July 2007 focus is on the “buy local” movement and shows dozens of client-convincing examples. Also on the site is a vast library of past trends spotted–great info for any marketer’s gray matter.

87. Patronize places of good intention

svcseattle — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 17:51:06 +0000

You can’t spend your entire day purchasing recycled paper and non-VOC carpeting. Occassionally you have to eat, drink, and be merry. But even then your crusade for a sustainable planet can go on by patronizing establishments that have committed to doing the right thing. An excellent example: Go have a great dinner at Moxie in Seattle’s lower Queen Anne neighborhood. They’re joining forces with Cedar Grove Composting and Green Scene Organics Recycling Program so kitchen waste is recycled, rather than added to the garbage stream.

86. Don’t go to meetings

svcseattle — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 23:12:05 +0000

Instead of heading across town for a meeting that wastes time, gas, and probably doesn’t do a whole lot for your sense of calm (especially if it involves a trip over 520), why not stay at your office and put technology to work? Your laptop probably has a built-in camera for video conferencing (all the new MacBooks and MacBook Pros do, as do a number of PC laptops), and the results are surprisingly good. What the heck. At least give it a try.

This idea submitted by workshop attendee Kaytlyn Sanders of Beneficial Design in Bellevue–a place on the other side of 520 from SVC.

85. Replace the carpet with InterfaceFLOR

svcseattle — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 05:33:12 +0000

This may sound like a rather blatant plug, and it is. InterfaceFLOR makes modular carpets for commercial and residential use that not only are manufactured with bio-based non-toxic materials that won’t off-gas poisons into your office, but they’re also recyclable, so used carpet never winds up in a landfill. It’s hard to believe a web site about carpet could be interesting , but check out the Interface site and be pleasantly surprised.

84. Join the Seattle Climate Partnership

svcseattle — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 05:22:01 +0000

Seattle is one of the hundreds of cities that’s endorsed the pollution reducing targets of the Kyoto Protocol (unlike the U.S. federal government). If you run a business in Seattle, you can take another step towards taking action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by joining the Seattle Climate Partnership and agreeing to a number of voluntary measures. Starbucks, REI and the U.W. are already in. How about your company?

83. Get the lowdown on LOHAS

svcseattle — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 05:14:49 +0000

Maybe you’ve heard this acronym and wondered, “what the…?” Well, it stands for Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability, and it’s a market segment focused on health and fitness, the environment, personal development, sustainable living, and social justice. Companies that want to reach this market segment can subscribe to the LOHAS Journal–a print magazine, but there’s plenty of free info (and free enewsletters) you can get right on the LOHAS web site.

82. Be inspired by a portfolio of smart, green design

svcseattle — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 04:56:46 +0000

Those crafty Australians have put together a very sweet web site, , that gives plenty of tips for more sustainable design. But the best part is the portfolio of handsomely designed, smartly green solutions and the case histories behind them.

81. Make the business case

svcseattle — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 04:50:21 +0000

You gotta love the United Nations. Not only are they are last, best hope for some sort of world peace, but they’ve also put together a surprisingly informative, well-designed 52-page pdf called Talk the Walk, that makes a very compelling business case for using sustainability as a marketing platform for products and services of all kinds. The site we’re directing you to for the download, by the way, is called greenbiz.com which (as you might expect) is all about the business side of sustainability.

80. Read Better By Design

svcseattle — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 04:36:32 +0000

Minnesotans always seem to be lightyears ahead of the rest of us when it comes to design and advertising. Once again, they’re setting the standard with a very, very informative 36-page pdf guide called Better By Design that will take you through all the principles of designing for the environment. While this piece applies to industrial and product design–and not just graphic design–it contains a very useful checklist for making smart, earth-friendly design decisions.

79. Join the Washington Clean Technology Alliance

svcseattle — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 06:46:10 +0000

If you’d like to be networked with like-minded companies (some of whom will be looking for design, web, and ad services) join the WCTA. In addition to the business development angle, WCTA is also an advocate for more sustainable business practices.

This suggestion made by attendees at SVC’s 101 Things Designers Can Do to Save the Earth workshop on May 30, 2007.

78. Promote your studio without paper

svcseattle — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 06:40:20 +0000

Even if you can’t convince your clients to move completely away from paper-based promotional materials, you can certainly make the move yourself. Redesign your firm’s promo materials to be delivered via the web or electronically–then explain in those pieces why you’ve gone this route.

This suggestion made by attendees at SVC’s 101 Things Designers Can Do to Save the Earth workshop on May 30, 2007.

77. Turn your computers off at night

svcseattle — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 06:38:33 +0000

Before you close up shop tonight, do a walk-through and see how many computers are left running. Think of each computer as a 150-watt bulb left burning all night, and you can quickly get a picture of how much energy you’re wasting.

This suggestion made by attendees at SVC’s 101 Things Designers Can Do to Save the Earth workshop on May 30, 2007.

76. Use pdf files whenever possible

svcseattle — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 06:36:46 +0000

The latest version of Adobe Acrobat has some sophisticated tools for distributing layouts and proofs and collecting client comments. Learn about them. Use them. And let pdf files take the place of paper whenever possible.

This suggestion made by attendees at SVC’s 101 Things Designers Can Do to Save the Earth workshop on May 30, 2007.

75. Leave the driving to someone else

svcseattle — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 06:32:30 +0000

Start a “leave your car at home” drive at your office. Encourage and incentivize your employees to walk, ride their bikes, take mass transit, or use FlexCar. And, as the manager, it starts with you to set a good example.

This suggestion made by attendees at SVC’s 101 Things Designers Can Do to Save the Earth workshop on May 30, 2007.

74. Reward employees in a green way

svcseattle — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 06:28:31 +0000

Consider giving your employees green incentives, instead of the usual SWAG. Maybe they’d like some mass transit passes, some carbon offsets for their home, or a gift certificate at a place like Goods for the Planet.

This suggestion made by attendees at SVC’s 101 Things Designers Can Do to Save the Earth workshop on May 30, 2007.

73. Give green clients a break

svcseattle — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 18:40:45 +0000

Offer financial incentives for clients who go green. You could call your program “Green for Green.”

This suggestion made by attendees at SVC’s 101 Things Designers Can Do to Save the Earth workshop on May 30, 2007.

72. Add a sustainability section to your web site

svcseattle — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 18:39:47 +0000

Don’t just brag about your own sustainability philosophy. Give current and prospective clients some ideas they can use in their marketing communications practicies to be more earth-friendly (and, in turn, consumer-friendly).
This suggestion made by attendees at SVC’s 101 Things Designers Can Do to Save the Earth workshop on May 30, 2007.

71. Work locally

svcseattle — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 18:38:01 +0000

When possible, work with local printers, paper mills, binderies, CD duplicators and other support vendors. The less your projects have to travel by truck, train, and plane, the smaller their environmental footprint.

This suggestion made by attendees at SVC’s 101 Things Designers Can Do to Save the Earth workshop on May 30, 2007.

70. Tell your printer about PNEAC

svcseattle — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 18:36:18 +0000

What’s that? The Printers’ National Environmental Assistance Center. It’s a clearing house for ideas, practices, and regulations on environmental issues for the printing, publishing, and packaging industry.

This suggestion made by attendees at SVC’s 101 Things Designers Can Do to Save the Earth workshop on May 30, 2007.

69. Use logos that promote green practices

svcseattle — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 18:34:11 +0000

If you design a piece that qualifies for FSC certification, use that label proudly on the project. For your own studio, consider putting the Design Can Change logo on your site and promotional materials, once you’ve signed that organization’s pledge.

This suggestion made by attendees at SVC’s 101 Things Designers Can Do to Save the Earth workshop on May 30, 2007.

68. Create a “frequent earth saver” program

svcseattle — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 18:30:35 +0000

Set up a points system to reward clients for choosing greener solutions. The payback doesn’t need to be money or discounts–give them carbon offsets or green gifts for their company.

This suggestion made by attendees at SVC’s 101 Things Designers Can Do to Save the Earth workshop on May 30, 2007.

67. Publish your sustainability policies

svcseattle — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 18:29:01 +0000

If you’re dedicated to seeking greener solutions, write your philosophy down. Put it on your web site. Include it in your capability pitches. Let clients and prospects know that you’re taking this seriously, even if it’s not the main focus of your firm.

This suggestion made by attendees at SVC’s 101 Things Designers Can Do to Save the Earth workshop on May 30, 2007.

66. Develop packaging with multiple uses

svcseattle — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 18:27:02 +0000

Here’s an opportunity to truly show how creative you are. Can you come up with a package that has a second life as a frame, a display, a pencil box, another package? When egg developed a mailer for their proposals, they easily engineered a way for the recipient to turn the piece inside out to use it as a return mailer.

This suggestion made by attendees at SVC’s 101 Things Designers Can Do to Save the Earth workshop on May 30, 2007.

65. Put two trash cans at every work station

svcseattle — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 18:22:55 +0000

One for trash. One for recycling. How simple, but how smart.

This suggestion made by attendees at SVC’s 101 Things Designers Can Do to Save the Earth workshop on May 30,2007.

64. Open the door, turn off the lights

svcseattle — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 18:18:34 +0000

Right now summer is just around the corner (or already feels like it’s here). So why not use the sun for office lighting, and the wind for air conditioning. You might be surprised at how wonderful it feels to let the real world back into your hermetically sealed office box.

This suggestion made by attendees at SVC’s 101 Things Designers Can Do to Save the Earth workshop on May 30,2007.

63. Start with the need, not the end result

svcseattle — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 18:16:41 +0000

A client may say “we need a brochure,” but try to figure out what the real need is. For example, they may actually be saying “we need a way to tell people who use products similar to ours that we have a better solution.” Is, indeed, a brochure the best solution? Would a web site be better? What else could you do to accomplish the client’s objectives without necessarily going with paper or energy-based solutions?

This suggestion made by attendees at SVC’s 101 Things Designers Can Do to Save the Earth workshop on May 30,2007.

62. Always include a green option

svcseattle — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 18:13:03 +0000

When making creative presentations to your clients, in addition to showing them what they’ve asked for and expect, make it a studio policy to always show a greener alternative. No one ever got in trouble for doing extra credit.

This suggestion made by attendees at SVC’s 101 Things Designers Can Do to Save the Earth workshop on May 30,2007.

61. Partner with like-minded creative firms and clients

svcseattle — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 18:11:17 +0000

How about forming a local consortium or trade group of creative services firms and clients interested in pursuing greener marketing communications efforts? You could set it up in a heartbeat using online tools such as meetup.com, and then get together periodically to share ideas, vendor resources, and strategies.

This suggestion made by attendees at SVC’s 101 Things Designers Can Do to Save the Earth workshop on May 30,2007.

60. Re-use press sheets

svcseattle — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 18:08:58 +0000

Think of ways you can make good use of leftover press sheets run during the make-ready part of a printing job. Can you overprint them, print on the back side, or turn them into another product alltogether–like these stationery sets made of cut down topographic maps?

This suggestion made by attendees at SVC’s 101 Things Designers Can Do to Save the Earth workshop on May 30,2007.

59. Conduct a research study

svcseattle — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 18:05:07 +0000

To convince clients that there is, indeed, an interest among their prospects and customers in doing business with companies that have a strong sustainability stance, commission some research–even if informal. Hearing from customers–rather than from you–can be the most convincing argument for getting on board the green train.

This suggestion made by attendees at SVC’s 101 Things Designers Can Do to Save the Earth workshop on May 30,2007.

58. Encourage creative competitions to honor sustainability

svcseattle — Thu, 31 May 2007 17:43:29 +0000

We’ll be passing this tip straight on to the people who run The Seattle Show. But since there are creative competitions all over the place (maybe you sit on the board of one), why don’t we start putting smart, globe-friendly design on a pedestal.

57. Observe the quote of the day

svcseattle — Thu, 31 May 2007 17:41:27 +0000

56. Read some good (for the earth) books

svcseattle — Thu, 31 May 2007 17:39:30 +0000

Here are some reading suggestions offered up by the speakers at SVC’s free workshop bearing the same name as this web site. If you have some titles you’d like to add, please send them our way.

No Logo

Cradle to Cradle

Small is Beautiful

55. Use the Design Can Change checklist

svcseattle — Thu, 31 May 2007 17:34:05 +0000

Here’s a handy checklist from Design Can Change that will tell you at a glance if a project you’re developing for a client is meeting the tests for a more sustainable end product.

54. Take the pledge

svcseattle — Thu, 31 May 2007 17:31:19 +0000

Show the world (and your prospective clients) that you’re serious about designing more responsibly. Sign the pledge at Design Can Change and then proudly display the “Change” logo on your web site to acknowledge that you intend to:

Learn
Think
Act
Inform
Unite

53. Take your green thinking home

svcseattle — Sun, 27 May 2007 22:24:35 +0000

The average two-person household unleashes about 20 tons of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases every year. So, while going green at the studio is what this site is all about, feel most free to practice sustainability at home. Here’s snappy little poster from the Seattle Times that shows exactly what you can do at home, and how much CO2 you’ll be saving with each good deed.

52. Become a treehugger

svcseattle — Sun, 27 May 2007 05:54:51 +0000

Lest you think environmentalists are Birkenstock-wearing, plaid-clad dullards, take a look at treehugger.com. It’s a smart, handsomely-designed info trading post for the green set. You’ll find articles and discussions on all aspects of the modern green lifestyle, including business and design.

51. Get gang run printing on 100% recycled stock

svcseattle — Sun, 27 May 2007 05:37:49 +0000

Vancouver B.C.’s En Masse Media prints postcards, rack folders, brochures, business cards, CD inserts, and more for about the same prices you’re used to paying for gang-run printing in the U.S. The big difference? They only run 100% post-consumer recycled stock.

50. Be an inventive recycler

svcseattle — Sun, 27 May 2007 05:29:24 +0000

Reuse can be ingenius. For example, menus or notebooks can be made from old books when bindings have been removed, most inner pages have been removed and replaced with recycled-content sketch pad paper, and new bindings are made with wire binding. Taking items with former lives and reinventing them can be unique and charming, and environmentally responsible.

49. Reduce your shipping impact

svcseattle — Sun, 27 May 2007 05:27:53 +0000

Use locally produced paper and printers close to the end delivery location.

48. Run an energy-efficient office

svcseattle — Sun, 27 May 2007 05:22:37 +0000

Implement an office recycling policy.
Remember, just because a product is recyclable, it does not mean its being recycled. Encourage your office to implement an effective recycling program.
Paper and paperboard continue to make up 35-45% of material discarded in the waste stream. By implementing waste reduction and recycling efforts in your office, you can help divert paper, as well as plastics, glass, and other materials from landfills and waste incinerators.
Recycle your laser printer and copier toner cartridges.
Most toners from copiers, fax machines, and printers can now be recycled. Your supplier should be able to provide this service to you.
Using recycled toners and selling them back to your suppliers are ways your office can save money.
Contact your local energy utility for information on how to implement energy saving techniques within your office and office building. They will provide you with free information and technical assistance.
Simple measures such as tuning off lights, copiers, and computers at night can save a lot of energy and money in your office.

This tip is from the excellent Minnesota Environmental Initiative’s Print Buyer’s Guide.

47. Don’t print more copies than you need

svcseattle — Sun, 27 May 2007 05:18:09 +0000

Reducing the number of printed pieces has obvious cost and waste reduction savings associated with it, as long as you do not end up having to run a re-print.

This tip is from the excellent Minnesota Environmental Initiative’s Print Buyer’s Guide.

46. Demand VOC-free bindery glues

svcseattle — Sun, 27 May 2007 05:15:53 +0000

Specify glues which emit no VOCs in the process, and ones which are able to be recycled. Water based, non-chlorinated glues are a good example.Glues which emit no or very low amounts of VOCs can be used for most print jobs. Glues with fewer solvents should also not pose problems in recycling.

This tip is from the excellent Minnesota Environmental Initiative’s Print Buyer’s Guide.

45. Avoid laminating printed pieces

svcseattle — Sun, 27 May 2007 05:13:39 +0000

Lamination is not an environmentally sound recommended finish on a published piece. VOCs are emitted during lamination if it is solvent based. Large amounts of adhesives are used in some laminating which also creates an issue in the re-pulping process.

This tip is from the excellent Minnesota Environmental Initiative’s Print Buyer’s Guide.

44. Avoid using heavy ink coverage

svcseattle — Sun, 27 May 2007 05:10:38 +0000

Heavy ink coverage uses more resources and creates more waste. Heavy ink coverage also may impact the recycling opportunities by increasing the amount of sludge created in the recycling process.

This tip is from the excellent Minnesota Environmental Initiative’s Print Buyer’s Guide.

43. Ask your printer about reused inks

svcseattle — Sun, 27 May 2007 05:07:24 +0000

Some printers are now able to capture old ink and reuse parts of the ink. This saves the earth’s natural resources and reduces the amount of ink requiring disposal.Reused “black” inks will not hinder the quality of your published piece, depending on the process your printer uses. Talk with your printer about the options that exist.

This tip is from the excellent Minnesota Environmental Initiative’s Print Buyer’s Guide.

42. Avoid ink colors that are high in toxins

svcseattle — Sun, 27 May 2007 05:03:57 +0000

Certain pigments are formulated with metals which can result in environmental and worker health hazards when metals are extracted, processed, or disposed. Try to avoid using inks with added antimony, arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, as well as metallic colors. Using substitutes for these colors are better for the environment, and these ink colors may require additional steps in the press cleaning process which may be hazardous as well.

This tip is from the excellent Minnesota Environmental Initiative’s Print Buyer’s Guide.

41. Use inks made with renewable resources

svcseattle — Sun, 27 May 2007 04:59:53 +0000

Vegetable based inks such as soy based inks are made with a certain amount of vegetable oil rather than petroleum oil. These inks are better for the environment because they are partially made with renewable resources such as soy, linseed, and corn, and use less non-renewable resources, such as petroleum oil. In order for the inks to work well and dry efficiently, vegetable based inks still contain some amount of petroleum oil. If no petroleum oil were used, the energy use in the print shop would increase because more heat would be needed to dry the inks, thus counteracting the environmental benefit of using vegetables instead of petroleum.

This tip is from the excellent Minnesota Environmental Initiative’s Print Buyer’s Guide.

40. Use low VOC-content inks

svcseattle — Sun, 27 May 2007 04:55:08 +0000

Ask your printer what percent of Volatile Organic Compounds are emitted when the ink dries, and how that compares to other inks. The amount of VOCs emitted will depend on the type of printing (for example, sheetfed or web off-set), but the following can serve as a recommended guide: less than 10% VOCs for sheetfed printing and less than 30% for heatset printing.

This tip is from the excellent Minnesota Environmental Initiative’s Print Buyer’s Guide.

39. Use the lowest weight paper you can

svcseattle — Sun, 27 May 2007 04:52:04 +0000

Consider lowering your paper basis weight (from 80 lb. to 70 lb., for example). Fewer fibers are needed per sheet of paper, saving resources.When lowering your paper weight slightly, the finished product often looks and performs the same as the higher weight. Ask your printer for comparison samples.

The cost of your paper will be lower by using a lower paper weight. The mailing costs of a finished piece may also decrease due to the weight reduction.

This tip is from the excellent Minnesota Environmental Initiative’s Print Buyer’s Guide.

38. Think about trim size before designing

svcseattle — Sun, 27 May 2007 04:49:51 +0000

Work with your printer to determine what pre-cut paper sizes are available before deciding on your exact trim size.Most papers come in pre-cut sizes or rolls. By adjusting your trim sizes slightly, you may be able to place more layouts on a sheet than originally planned. Trim adjustments could reduce the amount of paper wasted. In addition to offering environmental benefits, optimizing trim size could reduce your paper and printing costs.

This tip is from the excellent Minnesota Environmental Initiative’s Print Buyer’s Guide.

37. Don’t have too bright an idea

svcseattle — Sun, 27 May 2007 04:48:07 +0000

Use paper bright enough for, but not exceeding, the design needs. Increased brightness may require more bleach and other chemicals in the pulping process.

This tip is from the excellent Minnesota Environmental Initiative’s Print Buyer’s Guide.

36. Spec chlorine-free paper

svcseattle — Sun, 27 May 2007 04:43:24 +0000

The traditional way of bleaching pulp has come under scrutiny over the last decade as research has linked industrial effluents such as dioxins with risks to the environment and to humans. Dioxins are toxic chlorinated compounds generated when chlorine is used in the bleaching process.Totally chlorine free paper (TCF) is manufactured without the use of elemental chlorine, or chlorine compounds. Instead, alternative methods including oxygen and hydrogen peroxide are used to bleach the pulp. Using TCF methods eliminates the health risks associated with chlorine and chlorine compounds and also reduces water consumption in the bleaching process.

Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) paper uses processes which replace chlorine with chlorine dioxide in the first stage of chemical pulp bleaching. These processes are used as acceptable substitutes for chlorine bleached paper by some people because the amount of dioxin is reduced to non-detect levels. Water consumption also decreases with ECF processing.

Both TCF and ECF papers significantly reduce the persistent, bio-accumulative compounds from the mill waste water that are associated with traditional chlorine bleaching processes.

This tip is from the excellent Minnesota Environmental Initiative’s Print Buyer’s Guide.

35. Consider pre-press technologies that reduce waste

svcseattle — Sun, 27 May 2007 04:39:27 +0000

Ask your printer if there are pre-press options that suit your printing needs which are made with the least amount of hazardous materials, where the wastes can be recycled, and where any hazardous by-products can be pre-treated and hazardous wastes minimized.Different pre-press technologies have different waste issues associated with them. Choices which reduce the need for hazardous waste disposal, films, hazardous chemicals, and processes which can capture and recover silver are better for the environment.

Some options may include using paper printing plates, Direct to Plate and Digital Print processing, and water- based (aqueous) chemistry. These options are not available for all print jobs, however, and may be more expensive.

This tip is from the excellent Minnesota Environmental Initiative’s Print Buyer’s Guide.

34. Before you start a project, stop

svcseattle — Sun, 27 May 2007 04:31:32 +0000

When you’re given a new print assignment, ask yourself these questions before you jump to the usual solutions:

How are the products you choose for your print job produced?
Are there opportunities to use recycled products rather than raw materials?
Can you use renewable resources (materials that occur naturally and have essentially infinite supplies) rather than non-renewable or declining resources that have finite supplies?
How easy will it be to recycle your product when its intended use is over?

33. Communicate with the audience

svcseattle — Sat, 26 May 2007 22:36:30 +0000

If you’re sending out printed materials that are recycable, recycled, or can be reused in some way, tell the reader. Give them advice on how to recycle, remove their names from mailing lists if they’re simply not interested, or let them know that the piece they’re holding in their hands has been printed with an eye towards lessening its impact on the earth. For other tips along these lines, the Minnesota Environmental Initiative has more worthwhile things to say.

32. Do a web site instead

svcseattle — Sat, 26 May 2007 06:11:43 +0000

Before you sit down to work on a new print project ask the question, “could this be done as a paper-free web site or pdf instead?” This isn’t to say you need to give up print marketing materials, but you might be able to get away with a smaller, less elaborate print piece supported by an in-depth web site.

SVC switched from a 12-page catalog to a one-page flyer backed up by a catalog web site

31. Design for better paper efficiency

svcseattle — Sat, 26 May 2007 05:59:28 +0000

This may sound obvious, but your layout can mightily influence how many pages (and how much paper) a job requires. If you can get by with less white space, wider margins, and smaller point sizes, you can squeeze more content into fewer pages. We don’t recommend sacrificing readability, but nor do we recommend sacrificing trees in the name of aesthetics.

30. Avoid using colored paper stock

svcseattle — Sat, 26 May 2007 05:52:50 +0000

White paper is the easiest to recycle, flourescents and goldenrod stocks are the worst. Also, try to avoid using papers that are laminated with plastic reinforcers, covers, and binding materials.

29. Clean up the mailing list

svcseattle — Sat, 26 May 2007 05:51:01 +0000

Victoria’s Secret mails out more than 1,000,000 catalogs every single day. So you can imagine that one of the biggest wastes of paper is when firms mail to lapsed customers, people who have moved, or other non-prospects. Worse still, is using obsolete and “uncleaned” lists so multiple copies show up at one address. List providers can help remove those extra addresses, and graphic designers can make the question about efficient mail lists is being asked.

28. Don’t print on paper

svcseattle — Sat, 26 May 2007 05:41:00 +0000

Not every project can move from print to the web. But that doesn’t mean you have use tree-fiber-based paper to get the job done. Yupo is a Japanese company that invented synthetic paper a surprising number of years ago (like 30), and now produces a large range of weights and sizes for commercial printing of all kinds. It’s bright white, printing appears especially crisp, and the “paper” is 100% recyclable. Oh yes, it’s completely waterproof–perhaps the perfect material for printing a tourist’s guide to Seattle in the summer.

27. Attend a sustainable business conference

svcseattle — Sat, 26 May 2007 05:25:15 +0000

Last year, more than 1,000 business people from 40 countries gathered in New York for the Business for Social Responsibility annual conference to share ideas on–among other things–applying a corporate social responsibility stance into building brand equity. Right down your alley. This October, the 2007 version of the BSR conference will be conveniently located just down the coast in San Francisco.

26. Get rid of unused computers safely

svcseattle — Sat, 26 May 2007 05:06:03 +0000

You can imagine what sort of toxins and heavy metals are sitting inside those no-longer-used computers, monitors, and printers cluttering up your storage closet. Total Reclaim is one of many services that will recycle your office electronics, giving you these assurances: the residue of your stuff won’t be shipped overseas, reusable equipment is donated to non-profits, hazardous materials are properly handled, and nothing recyclable winds up in a landfill.

25. Promote with a solar-powered web site

svcseattle — Sat, 26 May 2007 05:00:54 +0000

You and your clients need a web site, right? But think about all the energy that goes into powering the servers that host your sites. No problem. Portland’s ecoSky offers sustainable personal and business web hosting for the same prices as the electron guzzlers.

24. Sign up for a free green marketing newsletter

svcseattle — Sat, 26 May 2007 04:50:15 +0000

In case you’re in doubt about whether marketing sustainable products and services is gaining some momentum, Green Marketing Newsletter is a free bi-monthly enewsletter available from the publishers of Sustainable Industries that’s devoted solely to PR, design, advertising, and marketing professionals. Perhaps you should read it–or write a guest column for it.

23. Let Seattle City Light help pay for new light fixtures

svcseattle — Sat, 26 May 2007 04:34:58 +0000

If you run a small business in the City of Seattle, your electric utility will help underwrite the cost of switching to more energy efficient lighting fixtures. They’ll kick in between $25 and $65 per fixture (more if your studio is in West Seattle), and you’ll lower your electric bill at the same time. Since office lighting typically accounts for 60% of your electric bill, that’s–dare we say it?–a pretty bright idea.

22. Have a clean, green toilet

svcseattle — Sat, 26 May 2007 03:16:05 +0000

Your design firm and house have toilets in them, yes? How about carpets, windoes, floors, and stuff? Well, all those things need to be cleaned from time to time, and there’s a planet-healthy alternative to all the chemical-laden cleaners you’d normally pick up at the grocery store. Consider, instead, Coastwide Labs Sustainable Earth Cleaners. They don’t contain phosphates, petroleum distillates, heavy metals, carcinogens, or other evil ingredients.

21. Read 40 newspapers in 2 minutes

svcseattle — Sat, 26 May 2007 03:11:05 +0000

To keep up-t0-date on regional news involving sustainability, subscribe to Tidepool News Service, a free daily email summarizing environmental issues in the northwest. This service is a project of the Sightline Institute, a Seattle-based non-profit research organization and think tank in support of sustainability.

20. Get a serious education in sustainability

svcseattle — Sat, 26 May 2007 03:02:59 +0000

You want to be a certified expert in the field of sustainable business? Why not add an MBA or an academic certificate to your credentials courtesy of the Bainbridge Graduate Institute? At the world’s first “green” business school, you can enroll in a nine-month certificate program in sustainable business. Classes are taught at the IslandWood Conference Center on Bainbridge Island, meeting one night a week.

19. Spec corn-derivative shopping bags instead of plastic

svcseattle — Sat, 26 May 2007 02:53:09 +0000

If you do design work for retailers, why not suggest that their shopping bags go green? 100% biodegradable shopping bags are available, imprintable with soy-based inks, that are made from non-genetically modified starch. The look just like plastic bags, but you can throw them on the compost pile and make them part of next spring’s vegetable garden.

18. See what the big boys are up to

svcseattle — Tue, 22 May 2007 18:51:26 +0000

Most large corporations–at least those with some sort of formal sustainability and social responsibility policy–publish an annual report that focuses just on their work in protecting the environment, improving the workplace, and treating suppliers fairly. Read their corporate social responsibility reports (here’s Starbucks CSR Report, for example). You can not only learn a thing or two you could apply to your own business, but you’ll also develop a list of prospective clients who you know will appreciate your skill and interest in sustainable design.

17. Run a carbon-neutral design firm

svcseattle — Tue, 22 May 2007 18:40:24 +0000

The first thing to do is reduce the amount of carbon-based energy your design practice uses by reducing your energy consumption by turning off lights, two-sided printing, using pdfs rather than printouts, and encouraging your staff to use mass transit–among other things. At some point though, you’ll still consumer carbon-based energy, which is bad for global warming and your guilt factor. For those energy leftovers, you can purchase carbon offsets. The money you spend, in turn, goes to support projects that reduce carbon dioxide emissions in some other part of the economy. Since most small businesses generate about 70 tons of carbon dioxide each year through their energy use, you can become carbon-neutral by purchasing a 70-ton offset for $385 from organizations such as carbonfund.org. Yes, it’s a little difficult to get your brain wrapped around this idea, but trust us that you’ll be doing a good thing in the fight against global warming, and you can definitely market your carbon-neutral position to prospective clients.

16. Make the case with an environmental calculator

svcseattle — Tue, 22 May 2007 18:30:17 +0000

Several paper companies have calculators on their web sites where you can determine the energy, water, waste, and emissions saved by using recycled, rather than virgin fiber paper. Mohawk Paper’s calculator can be downloaded to your desktop (and they offer both PC and Mac versions) so you can show your clients the specific savings for their projects.

15. Use recycled materials for signage

svcseattle — Tue, 22 May 2007 17:59:50 +0000

Designer Paula Rees, of Seattle’s own Maestri Design, has cleverly reused found objects to add a delightful new twist to store graphics for PCC Natural Market in Fremont. Old jars, bottles, and pizza paddles return to a new life as provocative displays.

14. Use something besides vinyl for banners

svcseattle — Tue, 22 May 2007 17:56:12 +0000

Vinyl-based banners–and the solvent-based inks typically used to print on them–are nasty distributors of volatile organic compounds, often referred to as VOCs. Fortunately, there are preferable materials available these days, such as water-based and UV-curable inks. You can also now by vinyl mesh that’s recyclable from the French company, FerrariTextiles.

13. Support your local paper mill

svcseattle — Tue, 22 May 2007 17:46:28 +0000

Grays Harbor Paper in Hoquiam is a modern-day success story. The company took over a closed-down paper mill on the Washington coast and started making FSC-certified 100% post-consumer recycled office and offset printing paper. In 2005, the mill started generating its own electricity, earning the company a Green-E certification. Its Harbor 100 paper is the only 100% post-consumer recycled paper made with 100% renewable energy. Another plus: Paper made in Washington doesn’t gobble up gallons of diesel when it’s trucked to your Puget Sound area printer.

12. Read a good book

svcseattle — Tue, 22 May 2007 17:44:14 +0000

Steven Heller (has anyone written more books about design?) came out with a book in 2003 that hasn’t received much attention. Citizen Designer: Perspectives on Design Responsibility. The book examines and critiques through essays and interviews three areas in which designers practice and in which responsibility to oneself and society is essential: Social Responsibility, Professional Responsibility, and Artistic Responsibility. It’s not just about sustainable design. It’s about not wasting your talent on endeavors that don’t enrich the planet or the soul.

11. Use recycled and tree-free paper

svcseattle — Tue, 22 May 2007 17:28:25 +0000

This seems like the most obvious place to start to clean up your enviro-act, but how do you make intelligent decisions about what stock to use. Fortunately, Celery Design Collaborative in Berkeley has done the heavy lifting for you by creating an online ecological guide to paper. It lists more than 100 paper options and includes links to the paper manufacturers’ web sites.

10. Get rid of the beemer

svcseattle — Mon, 21 May 2007 00:39:42 +0000

If you’re truly going to walk the talk, you can’t commute in anything that gets less than 30 mpg. So, if you can’t or won’t walk, cycle, skate, or take the bus, at least get rid of your ride and get something that sips, rather than gulps. If you’re in Seattle, check out the Green Car Co.,your connection to electric, hybrid, biodiesel, and high-mpg cars.

9. Join Design Can Change

svcseattle — Mon, 21 May 2007 00:29:26 +0000

Design Can Change is a non-commercial initiative founded by Eric Karjaluoto of smashLAB design in Vancouver, B.C. Its aim is to bring together the design community and make system-wide change based on how the work of graphic designers affects the planet. Here’s a free brochure on the work of Design Can Change that you are encouraged to download, and not encouraged to print out.

8. Use printers who are ISO 14001-certified

svcseattle — Mon, 21 May 2007 00:19:40 +0000

This won’t be easy, since of the 40,000 printing companies in the U.S., fewer than 10 have received this ISO 14001 certification from the International Standards Organization for adopting an on-going environmental management system. Don’t despair, though, if your favorite printer doesn’t have this certification. It’s not the only measure of a printer’s environmental practices. Here, for instance, is a list of printers in Washington State (including Seattle’s Olympus Press) that observe planet-friendly practices, and not all are 14001-certified.

7. Read Cradle to Cradle

svcseattle — Mon, 21 May 2007 00:12:31 +0000

To start thinking about the total life cycle of piece of design (like, “what good or bad thing will happen to this package after it gets into a purchaser’s hands?”), read the authoritative book on the subject: Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things by Braungart and McDonough. And don’t worry about the trees sacrificed to make this book. None were killed, as it’s printed on highly legible, bright white, waterproof, recyclable polymers.

6. Think about shipping

svcseattle — Mon, 21 May 2007 00:06:28 +0000

Even if you design the most eco-sensitive piece and print it on paper stock with a small environmental footprint, you still need to think about shipping. If that paper stock had to be shipped across the country or if the finished piece is heading out on the highway to reach its final destination, all your planet-friendly efforts could go up in a puff of diesel smoke.

5. Print on both sides of the paper

svcseattle — Sun, 20 May 2007 18:33:19 +0000

15 million sheets of office paper are used in the U.S. every five minutes. If all of us printed and photocopied on both sides of the sheet, you can do the math about how much paper>trees>energy that would save. Here are more tips on how to reduce your use of office paper.

4. Spec FSC-certified paper

svcseattle — Sat, 19 May 2007 22:15:59 +0000

Not every print job is going to be right for using paper stock with recycled fibers. So how can you use paper with virgin fibers and not develop a huge guilt complex? Look for papers that are FSC-certified. That means the trees used to make that paper were grown in forests that are responsibly managed from environmental, social, and economic standpoints. Find out more about the Forest Stewardship Council.

3. Make it smaller, lighter and from fewer materials

svcseattle — Sat, 19 May 2007 22:08:56 +0000

Before you start a new design project, ask yourself that question. Consider that some projects could be done entirely on the web, eliminating the need for paper, ink, and the energy to create and ship them. Here’s a list of 10 other questions you should ask at the beginning of every new assignment, so you start out on the right environmental foot.

2. Start a green salon

svcseattle — Sat, 19 May 2007 22:05:27 +0000

The national chapter of AIGA encourages the discussion of sustainable design practices to continue on a local level. First, Seattle needs to have a Green Salon established, so there’s an on-going venue for getting together with other designers who share your interest in treading more lightly on the planet. Then, as a next step, you’ll need to join and participate. But first things first: Here information on how to set up a Green Salon.

1. Attend a free workshop

svcseattle — Sat, 19 May 2007 19:57:33 +0000

It’s to late to attend the School of Visual Concepts’ all-day workshop: 101 Things Designers Can Do to Save the Earth, held May 30, 2007, but you can download a flyer to see what you missed. You can also keep your eye out for free events like this in your community. A good place to watch for them is treehugger.com. And if you know of any, post a comment and share the love.