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!

100 bloggers, 100 green books, 1 day

Posted on October 25, 2009 by itees

Here’s the idea. 100 bloggers, 100 books, 1 day!

100 bloggers each selected one book from the list created by Eco-Libris and we will each review our book on the same day, at the same time!

Started by Raz Godelnik of Eco-Libris, he’s put together a list of 100 books that are meeting the “green” criteria (recycled or FSC-certified paper), with preference for newer books, that are good for children and/or adults. We each picked the book we wanted to review (first come, first served basis) and they asked the publishers to send us a review copy. All Bloggers will publish simultaneously their book review on Tuesday, November 10, at exactly 1:00 PM EST.

I chose, “Hope and the Super Green Highway” a children’s book by Helen Moore and Louise Rouse, published by Lollypop Publishing Ltd, UK.

We’ll ask participating bloggers and publishers to tweet these posts and use any other social network they usually use to spread the word on these reviews. We’ll provide further instructions later on about the best ways to magnify the effect of your post. As soon as the posts are published, we’ll release a post with all of the links so we can all interlink, comment and actively participate in this green lit conversation.

They’ll ask all the participating bloggers and publishers to tweet posts and use any other social networks, like LinkedIn and Facebook, to spread the word on these reviews.

As soon as the 100 posts are published, Eco-Libris will release a post with all of the blog reviewer’s links, so we can all interlink, comment and actively participate in this green lit conversation.

This is a wonderful concept, bringing attention to responsible, eco-friendly printing as well as “green” topics and having us all publish at the same time, gives this the importance it demands.