SustainAble

Book review.

This book is bursting with information and case-studies on sustainability. A fantastic resource of information related to my study. In this post I will talk about the book and the themes throughout. ~resource section~

The book kicks off with an introduction to working with sustainability. First of all defining sustainable design as a mix of environmental, economic and social factors. In between the three lies sustainability, designer's also use other terms like 'eco-friendly' or 'green', however these terms are referring primarily to environmental factors, where-as 'sustainability' is inclusive of social and economic issues (regarding implications of materials, designs, and production processes.

Buckminster Fuller, inventor, scientist, writer and environmental activist of the early 1900's. Fuller believed in doing more with less'. This is an interesting theme that is talked about later on in the book, and to me possibly what I would like to look into in more depth in this research project. Re-using materials to create a new designs or up-cycling products propose interesting new ways to design.

ALR, a company with a particularly interesting ethos. Balancing the goals of the client against the environmental impact of the piece and its production. Some really interesting work. Poster/Leaflets, dual posters.

There's much more in this book, very insightful. Should be a valuable resource for my report.

Web site on Global Warming

http://www.designcanchange.org/



Found a website with lots information on global warming, statistics and effects. Great source of information for this project, with comments on what design can do to help. Great design, similar to the kind of screen-based outcome I had imagined I could have made, when I was brainstorming earlier on in the project.

Screen vs Print based.

http://www.visual-editions.com/blog/goodbye-disposable-books-hello-new-canvases

Found this book interesting. Commenting on the move from print based to screen based, does screen-based media lack something only the printed piece can use. What is that?

renourish

http://www.re-nourish.com/?l=home

Probably my best find to date. Renourish are a company all about sustainability in graphic design. The site is a great source for inspiration and features two of the best examples of 'sustainable graphic design' I have seen yet. In this post I will writing up these two wonderful pieces of design, inspired by sustainability and the environment.

1. Design team Barnhart develop this business promotion booklet for the eco-friendly and 100% natural burger joint Larkburger.




http://www.re-nourish.com/?l=project-barnhart_book

Dedication and creativity, a mix of computer and hand crafted imagery working together to create a visually intriguing piece. I think the piece hits the brief spot on and is a fantastic example of how sustainability as a theme can lend itself for graphic design.

I think the textures created here give a great 'one-off' feel and for a concept model work so well. They used an in-house laser printer, however I think Vegetable inks would have worked well too lending there duller tones. Well worth reading the interview with the designers.

2. Johnson Banks Ram-punched Christmas Trilogy.



From the same company that I wrote this on. Brilliantly designed cards with the graphic designer in mind. I think the cards work extremely well. Some thing that would usually be very expensive and environmentally un-friendly, is made completely the opposite through use of re-using. With the envelopes to match I am truly impressed by these designs. I like the way the trash appeals to the sender and receiver in the first instance and once again through simple innovation.

You could apply this idea across a wide-range of subjects and the target audience would be that of the topic of the magazine that has been used. I also wonder weather second hand books or old comics would have a similar effect.

Symbols to cultivate change

http://www.designboom.com/contemporary/sprout.html

Information graphics doing its bit here. I think as an exhibition the symbols work well, but separated out, loose some the the effect. An interesting concept. When reading the word cultivate, Im getting ideas of an environmental cult, perhaps a symbol that shows your aware and make an effort to make a change. Perhaps like the anti-fur ad's where blood was thrown on Fay Somers, there could be a paint the world green campaign. I think this is a destructive way of getting the message across though.

Greenpeace bp logo comp

http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/files/tarsands/logo-competition.html

Competition set up by Greenpeace, to reveal the real truth about 'Bp' and their sources for petrol. Designers were briefed to develop a logo for the company that shows that bp are not 'beyond petroleum'. Sadly the competition is closed, I would have liked to have entered. I think the winner of the competition answered the brief very well. An example of graphic design being used to work for the environment, demoting the use of oil.

Lovely as a tree

http://www.lovelyasatree.com/index.htm

Found this website dedicated to helping designers become more environmentally aware. From design to paper choice to printers, inks and finishes, the website has lots of information on how to make your projects greener. The website also has a section of case studies, of which one really grabbed my attention.

thomas.mathews 'Ten Ways Design Can Fight Climate Change'.

view pdf here.

Great piece of work exploring some of the themes I wish to look at.

I particularly like the V&A Megalith structure promoting interactivity on these discarded sheets. Metallic ink though... lets hope they were vege-based or perhaps this piece is a little contradictory.

I think the junk-mail envelopes are effective but at the same time not at all. I was considering my-self what could be done with all the junk-mail you receive, could these pieces of trash in-turn serve a purpose? Here it seems so... however how graphically pleasing are they really? Whats to say you won't just throw the envelope away thinking its still junk-mail?

www.thomasmatthews.com/ Also worth a look, some interesting projects. I keep seeing old posters being screen-printed over, I think visually it looks great and like the idea of the piece having history. Perhaps related themes could be printed over on greetings cards. Could you re-use a Christmas card? Set up a site where old greetings cards could be sent in and re-used? Use of foreign cards, again I like the idea that the card has history and this could almost make the card quite unique.

On the theme of cards. See my re-nourish post.

http://www.twosides.info/