Designing Responsibly for a Greener Planet.

Posted by: Heidi Seymour | 18 April 2007

Recently everyone seems to be talking about how big your carbon footprint is? Of this I’m not entirely sure. It seems impossible to measure? However I do believe in treading lightly on this planet. My mantra to be “greener” has always the three R’s: reduce my personal impact on the environment and re-use or recycle whenever I can. I was pretty much convinced I was doing a good job until I read a recent article in a design magazine (Creative Review).

Strangely it hadn’t really occurred to me what environmental impact my creative endeavours could have. I was content that Mando Group sent e-cards instead of Christmas cards and used recycled paper but is there much more? Well it seems there is an awful lot more I as a graphic designer can do. It is as simple as selecting a lighter weighted paper to using non-toxic ink.

Other points I picked up from the article were:

• Think small? A reduced format can save on paper, ink, water, emissions and could also mean your client could save on postage costs.
• Can it be recycled? Binding glues and laminations can mean the item won’t be able to be recycled at all.
• Are the materials used sustainable? For example use vegetable oil based inks rather than more conventional mineral-oil inks.

Visit www.lovelyasatree.com to learn more. If you’re a graphic designer, I strongly urge you to do so!

Posted in: Creative