Being in the presence of nature is something you can’t undo; it’s something that continually fills me up and reminds me how lucky I am to be able to go outside, smell the fresh air, and hike up Smith Rock. As I hear more news about climate change, population expansion, as well as running out of water, my heart sinks. As a designer, I’ve begun to realize how much of a responsibility we hold to the environment and the world around us. The three main steps we discussed in class help mentally recharge my brain so I can better myself as a designer: send positive messages, make responsible decisions, and support ethical and responsible companies.
One specific company that I find interesting is the Ethical Design Company. Their graphic design agency is dedicated to helping address real business and human needs particularly towards global climate change. What I admire about this company is that they partner with other companies with similar values. Similar to other smaller businesses, they incorporate their ethos into their design because they care about sustainability. They understand what drives them and they move forward with their services while maintaining ethical values. After diving deeper into their mission, Ethical Design Company’s clients serve as another source of ethical design. Some of their clients include Energy Hub, Calibre, Tridant, etc. Not only does Ethical Design Company partner with small businesses, communities, universities, and so much more, but they invest in their relationships with them; they share values in design with sustainability.
As a young designer, I want to invest more of my time and energy into creating more ethical and sustainable products. I want to feel confident in my work that I can proudly explain the ethical and sustainable reasons that went into designing it and why I chose to take that path. Unfortunately, as a stressed-out and worried junior in college, I’m not there yet, but time will come. As I continue to divest into learning more about sustainability and what it looks like as a designer, at the end of the day, I’m excited to see where it takes me. I’m eager to see where sustainability in design takes me in regard to national parks and traveling and how I can integrate it into my own work. By sending positive messages, making responsible decisions, and supporting ethical and responsible companies, I know the best is yet to come for our world; hope is still alive.
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