As a 20 year-old that loves nature and living on this beautiful Earth, climate change terrifies me. I see the science, I see our current path, and it definitely feels like we are doomed. There are so many aspects of it that we cannot control, but as graphic designers we can take small steps to design for the social good and move in the right direction.
I’ve seen a lot of agencies branding themselves as green designers. One business I found interesting is called Little Fox Design. Little Fox ensures that the work they create, whether that’s brand design, packaging, or web design, is environmentally-friendly from start to finish.
They also emphasize that the clients they take on must share the same beliefs and accept that green materials will be used. Although this could limit their clients, I admire that they are willing to stay true to their values and take that risk for the greater cause.
Little Fox Design voices, “Our green design work is based on years of research into climate, forestry, printing, and how this interacts with branding to provide our clients with cutting-edge scientific recommendations for choosing the most sustainable option available. We think our approach should be normalized within the design industry.”
That last sentence resonated with me. While this is a great way to advocate for sustainable design, why isn’t it just a normal thing to integrate into our daily processes? I am no expert on this topic, but the concept of sustainability in graphic design is really fascinating to me. If we approach design from a holistic perspective, we could ideally merge sustainable practices into everything we do – which would hopefully lead us to designing more for social good.
First, I think it’s crucial to recognize that the Earth is such a complex system, filled with subsets of even more complicated systems (both human-built and natural), yet everything is somehow interconnected. So how can designers even begin to tackle this large issue of climate change?
I think we can begin with a simple approach: learn about the issue, do lots of research, ask the important questions, and find people who have similar motivations to make our planet and lives healthier. In my opinion, this all should be a part of the design process. Before we can even begin to create designs or products we should know the problem inside and out. Only then, would we be able to find viable solutions that work for the user and the planet. At the end of the day, we can’t change the world overnight, but small actions will make a difference.