Earth Day 2010, Time To Reconnect With Nature

Posted on January 10, 2010 by itees

I have always tried to show, by design or blogging, that people need to reuse, recycle, plant, not tear down, and just plain care more about this place Earth, we all call home. I love the outdoors, gardens, beaches, forests, and have plants, nice green living things in every room, and every Spring into Summer, I have a small outdoor space which is full of flowers. In warmer weather, I ride my bicycle, so I can see and photograph the beautiful gardens around New York and New Jersey. When I travel, I see what I can of the landscape and enjoy it.

However, I’m really beginning to worry about the state of our planet (more than usual). This Winter has been quite frigid, and the snow in some parts of the world, has been at record proportions. The weather in general has been from one extreme to another, and if anyone still doesn’t believe we have global warming, just look around.

People generally live selfishly and don’t think “green,” so I think with Earth Day coming on April 22, and it being the 40th anniversary, it’s a great opportunity to spread the message, that every single person needs to reconnect and realize they are part of nature and do more to help save the planet.

Yesterday, I went to see Avatar, like millions of others, and I was blown away by the story, and the 3D effects. It was so visually stunning and 3d glasses enhanced the natural beauty and made you feel like you were really there. It made me feel so good and I wished everyone felt about our planet, the way the “Na’vi” people felt about Pandora.

I have been thinking about ways to help spread the message of Earth Day and will be designing posters and t-shirts for both i-Tees and the FROGS ARE GREEN sites. Look for more of them in the next week or two. I’m also looking for anyone who’d like to collaborate with me, by donating an illustration or photograph, for this purpose.

Let’s all do our part and show we care and want to save this planet. To learn more about Earth Day, visit this website: Earth Day Network.

Below is my first poster design idea collaborating with photographer, John Crittenden. This poster is 24″ w x 18″ h and we’re offering it at $12.00, along with FREE Shipping.

Poster design © 2010 Susan Newman Design Inc.
Photograph by John Crittenden.

Being One in a Quarter of a Million Graphic Designers

Posted on November 16, 2009 by itees

I just read an article on GreenerDesign.com and they were writing about being second or third place in a contest and how that can still make you a winner. In the design profession it’s widely known that we enter contests, so we can be rewarded by our peers, because clients rarely compliment, most pick apart or send revisions. They rarely start a response by saying, “wow what a creative idea you’ve come up with”, it’s usually more like, “I’ve rewritten the copy”, or “I’ve decided I want to go in another direction.” To be fair to the clients, they do occasionally compliment.

Meanwhile, one fact that was starring me in the face while reading, and I was so proud of my profession… There are over a quarter of a million graphic designers in the U.S. alone! Now, having been in this profession since the early 80s, I sure have been designing a long time, so I’m wondering why this profession has grown so large? Knowing that the competition will be so tough for each and every graphic designer that graduates, why do they think they will succeed?

One reason must be because every designer has their own style and creativity and will always bring their own spin to a project. Could it also be that being a graphic designer has finally become a profession that deserves respect?

In reading further into the article one thing that also had an impact on me was learning the amount of books, brochures, direct mail pieces, invitations, business cards and more, that are being printed and the impact that has on our environment.

From the website, GreenerDesign:

“These designers have a significant — though often unrecognized — impact on ecological and human health. They have a hand in the creation of 65 billion pieces of unsolicited direct mail every year, not to mention magazines and books, product packaging, and other printed matter. When it comes to greenhouse gas emissions, the pulp and paper industry is the fourth largest emitter in North America.”

I’m going to continue with my own efforts in trying to make sure that each new piece designed will be printed in an eco-friendly way, if my clients will agree to it and hopefully they will. I may only be one in a quarter of a million designers (in the U.S.), but even one can make a difference. Imagine if more designers around the world cared to make a difference.

Eco-friendly Design Without the Eco-friendly Product

Posted on November 14, 2009 by itees

Recently, I was shopping in an office supply store and came across some notebooks with the cover design on the outside promoting eco-friendly thinking, but the product didn’t say anywhere on it, that is was printed on recycled paper, or have any kind of logo or seal on it. So, I’m wondering why design something with the right type of message, but not go the next step and print it on recycled paper or FSC-certified paper? Because it usually costs a bit more. Regardless, they should have printed it the right way.

A few weeks ago I was watching the HBO program, Real Time with Bill Maher and he was talking about being in the supermarket and seeing the Froot Loops packaging that is advertising it’s a healthy, fruity, product? Agreeing with him that thinking of that cereal as healthy is a bit of a stretch considering the amount of sugar in that cereal.

Then I went to Cartridge World recently, to bring in my cartridges for recycling, and I see a new package on the wall called Ecco, so I think it’s eco-friendly ink. They even created green swirly packaging to make us think it’s eco-friendly. Nope, that’s just the name of the company.

It’s important to promote eco-friendly and green thinking, but let’s not try to fool people into buying a product that isn’t what it appears to be!

Have you seen any eco-friendly designs, or “green” packaging and the manufacturers did not follow through and actually produce them the right way? Send your comments in!