re-use this info
You have switched your light bulbs, pledged to fly less and started a recycling bin in your studio. But you still have a niggling feeling that, so far, your actions may yet be world changing then try re-focusing attention to your design output – the how and why you create.
For a designer the solutions go deeper than just trying to convince our clients and suppliers to go green. Climate change demands integrity and there should be no time or space given to green wash. To really affect change the commitment must lie with us first and, like giving up all habitual habits, there will be challenging times ahead but the pay off is global on the feel good scale.
In our studio at thomas.matthews we follow a set of principles that help us to make informed sustainable decisions. We call these the ten ways design can fight climate change.
http://www.thomasmatthews.com/tm_sustainability_booklet_lo.pdf
None of it is rocket science worth keeping in mind when beginning a project. Here are six additional steps to help you in the right direction.
1. Do the research.
The more you know the more you can argue against bad practice and misinformation.
Sustainable technology is developing rapidly and you will need to keep up with your industry’s innovations. As a rule start by finding the people who have access to the specific knowledge you need. Spend some proper time to discover your trustworthy sources of knowledge and keep in regular contact through RSS feeds, blogs or email.
Also beware of wolves in green woolly jumpers. Research enables you to be able to spot a greenwash. Some materials claim to be green but when you start to dig deeper you may find they have little to offer in sustainable credentials.
2. Don’t get disheartened
Even though the situation is urgent it’s still a massive uphill struggle. We have been practicing sustainable design for 10 years at thomas.matthews and thankfully it is beginning to get easier. When the client demands: “Is it an affordable solution? Do I like it/ will the consumer like it? Will it promote my product/ sell my service?” we can tick all these boxes and add some of your own “Does this design have positive environmental credentials?” “Am I promoting positive behaviour change?” “Have I actively reduced the carbon emissions of my client?”
3. Build your knowledge bank, get empowered
Start to ask questions and don’t accept any lazy answers. Talk to your suppliers and see what is out there as sustainable alternatives. If they say none then find someone else who is willing to instigate change. We think this is just good design practice. Our materials and paper library is well thumbed and it allows us to pressurize our suppliers to experiment and find out what’ s new.
4. Shift your design away from bad practice
Old habits are tough to change but getting rid of them makes for a better designer. Make an example of your work as good design and good sustainable thinking. This planetary emergency requires big ideas. Lose that intense competitive streak within and start sharing your thoughts. My favourite projects are those where we have collaborated with clever like-minded people. In these instances the sum is definitely greater than its separate parts.
5. Don’t stop now
Just because you have printed one job on a recycled paper or have specified formaldehyde free mdf doesn’t mean you can feel exonerated.
You have to keep researching, talking, persuading and thinking. Climate change is not going to go away quickly and you are going to need all the knowledge you can collect in order to change too.
Increasingly a lot of our clients are now asking for evidence of improved sustainable performance. Take note- you can expect to hear this more and more as stricter legislation comes into play and business integrity starts to appear on the agenda.
As a designer you need to prepare for these questions and arm yourself with knowledge so that you don’t just know the answer but have already put it into practice and this will put you upstream of the pack.