Sustainable graphic design

Sustainable graphic design is the application of sustainability principles to graphic design. It considers the environmental impacts of graphic design products (such as packaging, printed materials, publications, etc.) throughout a life cycle that includes: raw material; transformation; manufacturing; transportation; use; and disposal.

Graphic designers engaged in sustainable practice use techniques, processes, and materials that will help reduce the detrimental environmental, social, and economic impact of their designs, also known as the Triple Bottom Line.

When subjecting a design to a sustainability audit, a designer might consider:

reducing the amount of materials required for production
using paper and materials made with recycled, post-consumer waste
printing with low-VOC inks
what production methods require the least amount of transport
which vendors use renewable energy
if the product can fulfil more than one purpose
if the end-product is biodegradable or recyclable
if the end-product can be replaced by a digital, rather than printed, format
just-in-time production to reduce number of units produced and warehoused
which vendors sell products certified by third party NGOs

External links

AIGA Center For Sustainable Design
sustainable graphic design mac widget reference tool. Sponsored by Australian Graphic Design Association
Changing the Change - Torino, Italy : 2008 Conference seeks to discuss redirecting change toward a sustainable future.
CreativeForACause.org
Design By Nature
Design Can Change
The Designers Accord
Ecolect: A sustainable materials community The internet's largest directory of sustainable materials.
Lovely as a Tree : Resource for the environmentally conscious graphic designer.
Re-nourish
RethinkDesign.org
Society of Graphic Designers of Canada, Sustainable Design The definition of sustainable design along with the Sustainable Design Values and Principles that GDC members follow.
Sustainable Graphic Design: Tools, Systems and Strategies for Innovative Print Design.
101 Things Designers Can Do to Save the Earth

Design

Outline
Portal
Designer

Disciplines

Communication design	Advertising Book design Corporate design Environmental graphic design Exhibit design Graphic design Illustration Information design Instructional design News design Photography Retail design Signage / Traffic sign design Sustainable graphic design Typography Video design Visual merchandising

Environmental design	Architecture Architectural lighting design Building design Ecological design Environmental impact design Garden design Interior architecture Interior design Keyline design Landscape architecture Landscape design Passive solar building design Sustainable landscape architecture Urban design

Industrial design	Automotive design Furniture design Packaging and labeling Product design Production design Sensory design Service design

Interaction design	Experience design Icon design Immersive design Information design Level design Motion graphic design Sonic interaction design User experience design User interface design Video game design Web design

Other design areas	Algorithm design Public art design Ceramic / glass design Database design Drug design Electrical system design Fashion design costume jewelry Floral design Job design Game design Game art design Integrated circuit design Nuclear weapon design Nucleic acid design Organization design Process design Protein design Research design Scenic design Social design Software design Sound design Stage/set lighting design Systems design Textile design

Approaches

Tools
Intellectual property
Organizations
Awards

Tools	Architectural model Blueprint Comprehensive layout Computer Electronic design automation Flowchart Mockup Product design specification Prototype Sketch Storyboard Technical drawing Tools for Ideas Website wireframe

Intellectual property	Community design Design around Design patent Geschmacksmuster Industrial design rights European Union

Organizations	AIGA Chartered Society of Designers Design and Industries Association Design Council International Forum Design The Design Society Design Research Society

Awards	European Design Award German Design Award Good Design Awards (Chicago) Good Design Awards (Japan) Graphex IF product design award James Dyson Award Prince Philip Designers Prize

Related topics

Sustainability

Principles	Ecological modernization Environmentalism Human impact on the environment Planetary boundaries Stewardship Sustainable development

Consumption	Anthropization Anti-consumerism Ecological footprint Ethical Over-consumption Simple living Sustainability advertising Sustainability brand Sustainability marketing myopia Sustainable Systemic change resistance Tragedy of the commons

Population	Birth control Family planning Control Overpopulation Zero growth

Technology	Appropriate Environmental Sustainable

Biodiversity	Biosecurity Biosphere Conservation biology Deep ecology Endangered species Holocene extinction Invasive species

Energy	Carbon footprint Climate change mitigation Conservation Descent Efficiency Emissions trading Fossil-fuel phase-out Peak oil Renewable

Food	Forest gardening Local Permaculture Security Sustainable agriculture Sustainable fishery Urban horticulture

Water	Conservation Crisis Efficiency Footprint

Accountability	Sustainability accounting Sustainability measurement Sustainability metrics and indices Sustainability reporting Standards and certification Sustainable yield

Applications	Advertising Architecture Art Business City College programs Community Design Ecovillage Education for Sustainable Development Fashion Gardening Geopark Green marketing Industries Landscape architecture Living Low-impact development Organizations Packaging Practices Procurement Tourism Transport Urban drainage systems Urban infrastructure Urbanism

Management	Environmental Fisheries Forest Natural resource Planetary Waste

Agreements	UN Conference on the Human Environment (Stockholm 1972) Brundtlandt Commission Report (1983) Our Common Future (1987) Earth Summit (1992) Rio Declaration on Environment and Development Agenda 21 (1992) Convention on Biological Diversity (1992) ICPD Programme of Action (1994) Earth Charter Lisbon Principles UN Millennium Declaration (2000) Earth Summit 2002 (Rio+10, Johannesburg) United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20, 2012) Sustainable Development Goals (pending, September 2015)

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