paula : Graphic Design & the Environment

Sustainability – Advancing our economy while ensuring that we sustain our activities in our fragile world - without harming the futures potential.

In the 21st century more than any other time in history, we as human beings need to be aware of the ‘footprint’ we leave on our earth. We are becoming more aware of how climate change and dwindling resources is affecting the planet & eventually everything we take for granted will be affected. Water, power, fuel as we know it, our temperature and weather patterns are only a few examples.

As graphic designers we have a responsibility to create our work in a conscious way, we must have a commitment to ‘sustainability’ by using responsible and appropriate methods to reduce energy use and limit pollution to a minimum.

It was believed that with so much more computer based design and communication that paper use would be dramatically cut. This has not been the case and with tree to paper manufacturing being the 3rd largest user of fossil fuels worldwide and the largest user of water per pound of finished product, we really need to change our ways.

Printing inks & toner are the 2nd largest uses of carbon black, which is a by-product of oil. With these kind of figures we realise what a dirty business printing on paper really is and the resources we use without even thinking about it.

This has to change if Graphic design is to become a sustainable business.

The realisation of these issues is now broadly accepted and some of the things we can do as graphic designers to minimise our impact on the earth are:
1. Realise and admit that we have an obligation to ‘do no harm’…

2. Communicate with our client that there are methods + products with less impact on the environment, such as recycled papers and soy based inks, these still use energy and fuels in their production however less than virgin papers and traditional inks.

3.Making an effort to recycle the finished product after its use & educating about & encouraging a long lifecycle of all raw materials.

4.Follow the printed material through each stage of production to gauge how much energy, raw materials, liquids are used in each stage and try to minimise that.

5. Partner with responsible and earth conscious suppliers + printers with a commitment to ‘Beyond Compliance’ attitude.

Everyday & in every aspect of our lives we need to quage our carbon emissions and try to save our planet as we know it, I hope this information will help others to realise how
important these issues are.







http://www.aiga.org/resources/content/3/5/9/6/documents/AIGA_1ethics_.pdf