Designing for the Environment
Each year 100,000 marine mammals die as a result of plastic pollution and 3.5 to 7 billion trees are cut down per year. As a Graphic Designer, I feel it is my responsibility to convince Business Owners and Managers to make decisions that reduce our impact on the environment.
Technologies
With advancement in technology, we are given a wide variety of materials to choose from when creating designs for print. Recently, we’ve been given the option to make business cards from recycled T-shirt offcuts and vegetable based inks. Some Distributors offset their carbon footprint by using hybrid delivery vehicles and Packaging Manufacturers offer recyclable or biodegradable products; These are all important factors when deciding to go green.
Cost
Usually, when picking materials and finishes, the deciding factor is cost. Choosing the 100% recycled option for letterheads, flyers and documents has, historically, been a lot more expensive than it is today. I recently provided a quote for 500 A5 flyers at 250gsm (grams per square metre). One option was uncoated and the other was for recycled uncoated. The recycled uncoated was around 20% more expensive. Twenty percent is an expensive difference, however, by using 100% recycled uncoated on all printed media, it could generate some positive content for your social media channels. Your business could apply for Environmental Certifications, which in turn could then improve your brands reputation and your customer’s affinity to your brand. By choosing higher quality environmentally friendly materials you add a high-end aspect to your brand.
Minimise
One way to reduce your companies’ impact on the environment, is to minimise the amount of materials produced in the first place. Giving customers the option to go paperless could save money and the environment.
The Rise of Digital
One of the positives of digital is that you can communicate with your customers, audiences and colleagues without harming the environment. Digital is also brilliant for creating data that helps you monitor your successes and failures.
Summary
I believe that more people within the creative and marketing industry need to make conscious decisions when planning and budgeting their projects. More people need to raise their concerns about our impact on the environment. The more that people want environmentally friendly options, the more that will become available, which will then hopefully make these options more affordable.
Business Owners and Directors can help their brand, by thinking about the environment when creating or updating unique selling points and core values, this in turn, will then have a ripple effect on their competitors. The more people want environmentally friendly options, the more will become available. Eco-friendly design is good for the environment and for your brand.