“Consider how you can begin to work either environmental or social good into your personal design process. Which of these directions most interests you? What do you feel your level of responsibility is here? Is there an example of environmental or social design that you find inspiring? How can businesses or design agencies implement design for good into day to day work?”
Environmental/social good can be integrated and applies to many aspects of our lives. Through the products we shop for and the companies we support, as well as the messages we send through the stances we take, designers (as well as anyone) can take do their part to support particular causes. As far as the personal design process, being aware of others’ sensitivities and coming to terms with the fact that you cannot (by yourself) speak for everyone, can help make you work towards supporting the environmental/social good. While it sounds cliche, being kind and showing respect for others is just one step anyone can take in integrating social good into their routine.
Through providing designs/products intended and made to last long durations of time, designers can do their part in working for the environmental good. The “throw-away” culture that has become synonymous with today’s first world societies is something that can be mediated through the promotion and implementation of products designed to last decades. While inexpensive to manufacture and convenient to dispose of, cheaply produced products often fail under much use, creating a system where manufactured waste inherently outnumbers quality products. In day to day design life, this can mean using white/chalkboards rather than post-it notes, recycling older computers/laptops when we upgrade to more capable machines, and using items such as mechanical pencils, that promote a reuse/refill model rather than a single-use or disposable system.
Something to understand is that the graphic design industry (any tech-based industry for that matter) is nowhere close to being environmentally friendly. The environmental damage and carbon footprint left behind by the manufacture and maintenance of electronic devices is something we cannot ignore. By taking small steps in each of our daily routines, together we can help reduce the waste and damage we create to benefit the environmental/social good. From the companies we support and the products we use, to how we use them, all play a major part in how we can improve the environment through our professions.
