18 September 2008
PAPER ADDICTS ANONYMOUS
Icograda is pleased to have the collaboration of designer and blogger David Oberholtzer on this Blog edition.
Philadelphia (United States) - The issue of sustainability, or "going green," is a hot button topic - and for good reason. The dire state of the natural world is a major concern that impacts every single one of us. As designers, we consume massive amounts of paper and various print materials, so it's safe to say that we've all done our part in contributing to this current environmental quagmire. In spite of this, I'm certain that the design community can adopt more sustainable practices and reduce our carbon footprint in the process.
Whether you're a free agent or work for a massive firm, chances are that you've been guilty of printing out sketch after sketch without concerning yourself with issues of wastefulness or pollution. We use paper everyday to communicate our ideas, present our work, and produce the final product for distribution. Although we may be highly knowledgeable on paper stocks, weights, and textures, we're generally unfamiliar with the origin of the paper or the impact of our copious consumption on the ecosystem. According to Daniel Imhoff, author of "Paper or Plastic: Searching for Solutions to an Overpackaged World":
"The design community is a huge contributor to the consumption of paper, the printing industry is the world's third largest polluter behind cars and steel manufacturing." [1]
Yes. We may be a (huge) part of the problem, but I'm hopeful that we can become part of the solution and develop into industry leaders of sustainable business practices. But eventually, we may not have any choice in the matter. With the economic boom as experienced by developing countries across the globe, the issue of resources and consumption of raw materials is not going to go away, but rather worsen, making a sincere effort within the design community to take on more sustainable methods and standards imperative.
There are a myriad of challenges designers face when considering going the green route. From my observations, matters of the bottom line, client interests, lack of knowledge, even, dare I say, sheer laziness, can present significant obstacles in making the transition. But in the end - is there an excuse? We in the design community must change our entire approach to allow for sustainable practices to move beyond its present trendy appeal and become standard practice.
Works cited
[1] Imhoff, Daniel. "Paper or Plastic: Searching for Solutions to an Overpackaged World." pg. 100. Sierra Club Books, San Francisco. 2005.
Links
Here are a few resources to assist you in taking that first step towards sustainability:
SusttainAble (Handbook of Materials and Applications for Graphic Designers and their clients)
Three trees don't make a forest (non-profit that provides tools for designers and businesses who are involved in design and advertising to inspire them to re-think their working cultures and start to produce sustainable design that really works.
Sustainable Graphic Design Widget (Designed primarily as an easily-accessed working tool for designers, the widget also has some ethical tips and links to other websites with more information.
Online resources for sustainability
www.treehugger.com
www.re-nourish.com
www.designcanchange.org
http://zerofootprint.net
Join the discussion
Please feel free to share ideas and/or some of the challenges you face as a design professional.
About David
David Oberholtzer has over 10 years of professional design experience working with nationally known design studios and designers in NYC, San Francisco, and Philadelphia. He founded Oberholtzer Creative, a multi-disciplined design studio 2 years ago and recently began Visual Culture a daily graphic design blog geared towards sustainable design/social design on an international level. He holds a BFA in Graphic Design from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.
David Oberholtzer
113 E. Durham Street
Philadelphia, PA 19119
T: +1 267 974 9780
E:
W: www.oberholtzer-creative.com
Blog: www.oberholtzer-creative.com/visualculture
Philadelphia (United States) - The issue of sustainability, or "going green," is a hot button topic - and for good reason. The dire state of the natural world is a major concern that impacts every single one of us. As designers, we consume massive amounts of paper and various print materials, so it's safe to say that we've all done our part in contributing to this current environmental quagmire. In spite of this, I'm certain that the design community can adopt more sustainable practices and reduce our carbon footprint in the process.
Whether you're a free agent or work for a massive firm, chances are that you've been guilty of printing out sketch after sketch without concerning yourself with issues of wastefulness or pollution. We use paper everyday to communicate our ideas, present our work, and produce the final product for distribution. Although we may be highly knowledgeable on paper stocks, weights, and textures, we're generally unfamiliar with the origin of the paper or the impact of our copious consumption on the ecosystem. According to Daniel Imhoff, author of "Paper or Plastic: Searching for Solutions to an Overpackaged World":
"The design community is a huge contributor to the consumption of paper, the printing industry is the world's third largest polluter behind cars and steel manufacturing." [1]
Yes. We may be a (huge) part of the problem, but I'm hopeful that we can become part of the solution and develop into industry leaders of sustainable business practices. But eventually, we may not have any choice in the matter. With the economic boom as experienced by developing countries across the globe, the issue of resources and consumption of raw materials is not going to go away, but rather worsen, making a sincere effort within the design community to take on more sustainable methods and standards imperative.
There are a myriad of challenges designers face when considering going the green route. From my observations, matters of the bottom line, client interests, lack of knowledge, even, dare I say, sheer laziness, can present significant obstacles in making the transition. But in the end - is there an excuse? We in the design community must change our entire approach to allow for sustainable practices to move beyond its present trendy appeal and become standard practice.
Works cited
[1] Imhoff, Daniel. "Paper or Plastic: Searching for Solutions to an Overpackaged World." pg. 100. Sierra Club Books, San Francisco. 2005.
Links
Here are a few resources to assist you in taking that first step towards sustainability:
SusttainAble (Handbook of Materials and Applications for Graphic Designers and their clients)
Three trees don't make a forest (non-profit that provides tools for designers and businesses who are involved in design and advertising to inspire them to re-think their working cultures and start to produce sustainable design that really works.
Sustainable Graphic Design Widget (Designed primarily as an easily-accessed working tool for designers, the widget also has some ethical tips and links to other websites with more information.
Online resources for sustainability
www.treehugger.com
www.re-nourish.com
www.designcanchange.org
http://zerofootprint.net
Join the discussion
Please feel free to share ideas and/or some of the challenges you face as a design professional.
About David
David Oberholtzer has over 10 years of professional design experience working with nationally known design studios and designers in NYC, San Francisco, and Philadelphia. He founded Oberholtzer Creative, a multi-disciplined design studio 2 years ago and recently began Visual Culture a daily graphic design blog geared towards sustainable design/social design on an international level. He holds a BFA in Graphic Design from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.
David Oberholtzer
113 E. Durham Street
Philadelphia, PA 19119
T: +1 267 974 9780
E:
W: www.oberholtzer-creative.com
Blog: www.oberholtzer-creative.com/visualculture
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