Print Design and Environmental Responsibility 7 AIGA | the professional association for design AIGA | the professional association for design 164 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010 212 807 1990, www.aiga.org

AIGA Board: Bill Grant, president; Shel Perkins, secretary-treasurer; Richard Grefé, executive director; James Ales, Connie Birdsall, Laurie Churchman, Moira Cullen, David Gibson, Steve Hartman, Marcia Lausen, Debbie Millman, Marty Neumeier, Bennett Peji, Hank Richardson, Mark Randall and Bonnie Siegler; Michael Hodgson, presidents council representative

Publisher: Richard Grefé, AIGA Editor: Don Carli, Senior Research Fellow, Woodside Institute for Sustainable Communication, and Director, Greening of Print Research Project, Nima Hunter Inc. Design: Grant Design Collaborative, Atlanta Paper: Domtar EarthChoice, Proterra Straw Antique, 80lb. cover and Solutions Recycled White Smooth, 80 lb. text Printing: Peake DeLancey Printers, LLC Fonts: Interstate and Filosofia Copyright: © AIGA 2007. The first edition was published in 2003.

Presenting Sponsor for the AIGA Design Business and Ethics series:

www.adobe.com

Paper Sponsor for the AIGA Design Business and Ethics series: The Woodside Institute for Sustainable Communication developed this guide with the support of AIGA. The Woodside Institute is www.domtarearthchoice.com a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to raise awareness and develop capacity Printing Sponsor for the AIGA for sustainable communication in print and Design Business and Ethics series: other media (www.woodsideinstitute.com). Don Carli is a senior research fellow at the Woodside Institute. www.peakedelancey.com Letter from the director AIGA is often associated solely with its role in celebrating examples of design that are unforgettable for their creativity, finesse, effect and beauty. Yet AIGA also is committed to advancing professional and ethical standards for the design profession, and to encouraging greater understanding of the fundamental value and relevance of design to business and society.

This brochure in the AIGA Design Business and Ethics series provides designers and other graphic communications professionals with an introduction to design and print production practices that demonstrate respect for the challenges of one of the truly critical issues of our age: the balance between economic gain and environmental degradation. For design to be responsive to a client’s needs, it should be responsible and appropriate. Appropriateness, in the 21st century, will entail respect for resource constraints.

This primer includes best-practices tips and links to resources that will enhance your ability to design, produce and purchase print responsibly. Social responsibility has economic and environmental dimensions. This broad perspective is often described as a commitment to “sustainability,” which has become a term-of-art for advancing economic activity while ensuring that we can sustain our activities in a sometimes fragile world without harming the future’s potential. Showing respect for these consequences is no longer a fringe issue. Businesses are driving this agenda, and designers must learn to be trusted advisors on responsible communication techniques to serve clients effectively.

Business is beginning to understand how important a commitment to sustainability is in its strategic positioning and long-term economic well-being. This awareness of the issue—if not demonstrable performance—is becoming mainstream in business thinking. It is critical to the designer, as a trusted advisor to business on communication and positioning issues and as a crafter of design artifacts, that the profession also make these issues mainstream in its thinking.

We hope that this primer will address myths and misconceptions that reduce the impact of design, help designers understand the criteria they should use in taking a project to print, and address practical questions that will help designers in their quest.

Richard Grefé, Executive director, AIGA Print design and environmental responsibility

Design decisions are among the most critical issues in determining the external impacts of a product, service or communication over its entire life cycle. Designers, in pursuit of appropriate responses to client needs, have ethical responsibilities to provide work that minimizes adverse (i.e., unreasonable or inappropriate) consequences, creates value, and engenders positive results.

2 The highest and best use of There are many interpretations of a designer’s special talents is the term “sustainability,” and its creativity and skill in addressing definition continues to evolve as a client’s communication needs global debate on the topic widens. while balancing the economic, For some, it means maintaining the social and environmental conse- status quo. For others it is equated quences of his or her design with notions of responsibility, recommendations. Designers, conservation and stewardship. along with those in many other However, for a growing number of professions, have an obligation to people, sustainability is a concept “do no harm.” In pursuit of this associated with “sustainable devel- goal designers, in serving clients, opment,” the first definition of stakeholders and the public, can which was articulated in the United create special value and play a Nations World Conservation crucial role in supporting the Strategy of 1980. “Development” requirements of business to be in this context includes economic environmentally and socially growth, human rights and the responsible. satisfaction of basic human needs:

While there are comparatively For development to be few negative environmental effects sustainable, it must take directly associated with the design account of social and and procurement of print, design ecological factors, as well decisions made in the initial stages as economic ones; of the of a product life cycle, even when living and non-living the product is a communication resource base; and of the strategy, predetermine many of long-term as well as the the waste streams and environ- short-term advantages mental damages associated with and disadvantages of printed matter. alternative action.

Whether your design decisions Regardless of which definition are governed by the inspiration of of sustainability resonates with a muse, the rational arguments of your views, there are several myths business logic, or some combination and misconceptions about it that of the two, this guide should help this guide will help you confront. you see more clearly a path toward responsible design for print.

3 Myth 1: Print design is not an environmental issue.

The production of paper and Americans receive over 65 billion printing have never been more pieces of unsolicited mail each sensitive to environmental year, equal to 230 appeals, catalogs concerns than they are today. and advertisements for every Yet there has never been a person in the country. According greater need for continuing to to the not-for-profit organization improve upon the status quo. Environmental Defense, 17 billion catalogs were produced in 2001 Despite predictions that digital using mostly 100 percent virgin media will result in less printing, fiber paper. That is 64 catalogs the use of print has been on the for every person in America. rise since the invention of movable type by Bi Sheng in the year A.D. According to the American Forest 1045. Americans in particular are and Paper Association, the average prodigious consumers of printed American uses more than 748 products and paper. Although the pounds of paper per year, and waste United States represents less than paper is America’s single largest 5 percent of the world’s popula- export by weight. It takes about 68 tion, it consumes more than 25 million trees per year to produce percent of the world’s paper and the catalogs and appeals we receive printed products. annually, yet nearly half of this mail is thrown out unopened. For companies like Anheuser Busch and Coca-Cola, primary packaging is their single largest expenditure, and discarded packaging represents over 30 percent of the solid waste buried in U.S. landfills each year.

4 A common perception is that the Design choices play a major role adverse environmental impact in determining the financial, of paper use is the consumption environmental and social conse- of trees. In fact, since trees are a quences associated with the selection renewable resource, their use in of raw materials and processes paper is not as detrimental to employed in the production of ecological balance as the damage printed products. This places the incurred in the process of con- design profession in a pivotal role verting wood to paper. Paper in determining the character of manufacturing alone is the third the environmental impacts from largest use of fossil fuels worldwide printing, including the emission and the single largest industrial of greenhouse gases and persistent use of water per pound of finished organic pollutants. product. Printing inks and toner are the second largest uses of To those concerned with the fragile carbon black, which is primarily balance of our ecology, the dangers manufactured by the incomplete have been clear. From the perspec- combustion of oil. Even the tive of designers, however, it is manufacture of soy-based inks also important to observe an typically involves the extensive use increasing influence on clients’ of diesel fuel, petroleum-based behavior: growing pressure from pesticides and herbicides. In addi- investors, employees and other tion, some question the use of ink stakeholders to change the manner made from genetically modified of their consumption of forest soy due to genetic pollution risks products, paper and packaging. to organic farming.

If all of the world’s more than six billion people were to design, produce, consume and dispose of paper and print as North Americans do, we would require four times the resources available on our planet and would still not be able to achieve sustainable economic growth.

5 Myth 2: There is limited market demand for environmentally responsible design and print production.

Green printing and environmentally a coalition of businesses that are responsible design have operated on defining the measures for reporting the fringes of commerce since the corporate activity according to a publication of Rachel Carson’s “triple bottom line” of economic, Silent Spring in 1962, but a “perfect social and environmental impacts. storm” of corporate scandals and rising concern about global warming, Increasingly, it is likely that cor- water shortages and other threats porations will be asking designers to life as we know it are changing to create CSR and GRI reports the governance and purchasing along with their traditional annual priorities of business. reports. A time may come when performance reports will combine Both business and governmental the attributes of all of these into a leaders are now struggling to single statement expected by the restore investor and consumer public and investing community. confidence in financial markets. According to the annual report of This struggle has increased the the United Nations Global Compact, number of major corporations more than 1,000 companies from that are embracing the concept 53 countries are now participating of corporate social responsibility in voluntary Global Compact (CSR) and making it an organizing initiatives for the management principle for public corporate and reporting of corporate social governance reform and business responsibility (CSR) in their management. One international annual reports. This represents business initiative to codify the an increase of 100 percent in 2002- reporting of corporate social 2003 alone. responsibility is the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI),

6 Business leaders at companies The significance of print media to such as DuPont, Johnson & business has spawned a number Johnson, Procter & Gamble and of sustainable design initiatives Toyota are moving from seeing that address core concepts and environmental stewardship as a issues from which designers and necessary evil to viewing sustain- other graphic communications ability as a driver of top-line growth professionals can derive valuable and opportunity. For many of insights. Examples include the the world’s largest transnational U.S. Environmental Protection corporations, sustainability has Agency’s (EPA’s) Cradle-to- become the central focus of efforts Cradle Design Award and the to secure their future economic recently announced Resource growth and create new markets Conservation Challenge.2 for their products. Yet few have managed to integrate it success- The economic, social and envi- fully into their current, ongoing ronmental impacts of print are operational decision-making substantial, although they are and business practices. The need hidden in plain sight. According for print solutions with improved to an analysis of 1999 U.S. financial, social and environmen- Department of Commerce tal performance is becoming a figures, paper and commercial high priority for companies that printing expenditures represent rely heavily on print in industries 10-15 percent of all corporate like consumer goods, publishing, expenditures exclusive of labor. retail and banking. For publishers, the figure is 35 percent. However, despite its Designers have an opportunity to magnitude, print is typically not create measurable “triple bottom the first area of concern subjected line” value for their clients by to scrutiny when companies make viewing their design and produc- sustainability a priority. This is tion decisions—a highly visible the case for at least five reasons: public expenditure of clients’ funds, if not a major portion of ■ Printing is seen as a necessary their total expenditures—through evil rather than as a mission- a lens of sustainable business critical activity principles and ethical priorities. ■ Print-related activities are This challenge to designers not managed centrally involves both content and form: ■ The total costs of print—direct designers can counsel their clients and indirect, long-term lifecycle on the form of the message, while costs—to the enterprise are also balancing their aesthetic seldom measured decisions from economic, social ■ Print is so pervasive that it is and environmental perspectives. taken for granted ■ Design and printing processes are seen more as art than science

7 However, there is growing evidence Prescient designers will neither that the environmental and social be discouraged by lack of interest aspects of publishing, printing on the part of traditional print and packaging cannot be ignored buyers, nor will they wait for indefinitely. For example, there environmentally preferable is a work group of the Global purchasing criteria to be estab- Environmental Management lished. Rather, they will seek Initiative that is investigating out corporate sustainability ways in which companies can officers, marketing and strategy identify environmental issues executives, and other corporate along their supply chains, includ- executives for whom management ing environmentally preferable of corporate social responsibility enterprise publishing, printing is a key priority. There is no need and packaging.3 for environmentally preferable print to require aesthetic compro- This increased attention to envi- mise or unreasonable premiums, ronmental responsibility can and the brand image value of be an opportunity for designers responsible print has measurable to be seen as critical advisors to importance. For example, a part- corporations on how to reduce nership between CitiGroup and their negative impacts without The Alliance for Environmental compromising the imperative for Innovation4 is expected to generate product differentiation and annual savings of 1,000 tons of promotion through design solid waste, 19 million gallons of and printing. wastewater pollution, and 2,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions with no increase in direct costs. At Citibank’s current rate of annual paper use, this change alone will result in potential savings of 6,700 tons of wood each year, enough to build 500 average single-family homes in the United States.

8 Myth 3: Business leaders are concerned only with reducing costs and generating profits.

The evidence is clear that there is One of the first steps taken by abundant need for the restoration corporate leaders upon having a of trust in business. According to CSR epiphany is to commission a recent survey of more than 160 the publication of a corporate senior executives conducted by social responsibility report to Nima Hunter Inc. in conjunction signal their conversion. With with Ethical Corporation magazine, the erosion of trust in business the management of corporate social brought about by the rash of recent responsibility in accordance with scandals and a sagging economy, the principle of sustainability is there has been a bull market in the seen as the key to regaining that number of corporate sustainability trust.5 In the words of Dow Chemical and environmental reports being chairman William S. Stavropoulos: published by Fortune 500 compa- nies. Graphic designers with a Companies that don’t meet sensitivity toward and knowledge their responsibilities to all of these issues are crafting the their constituencies will have messages as well as the form of a difficult time. Responsible these reports. customers won’t want to buy their products. Talented people won’t want to work for them. Enlightened communities won’t want them as neighbors. And wise investors won’t entrust them with their economic futures.

9 According to a recent CSR The challenge is to work as a Network and Cameron Cole partner with clients to design survey of the environmental, solutions that create less waste, social and sustainability reporting less negative impact on the practices of the 100 largest compa- environment and more value nies in the world, almost half are to stakeholders. Sustainable producing global environmental design strategies are the key to or social reports. These reports print’s future. To quote designer/ typically exemplify the state of architect William McDonough: the art in sustainable design and “You don’t filter smokestacks or printing. However, designers water. Instead, you put the filter and printers should look beyond in your head and design the CSR reports and seek opportuni- problem out of existence.” ties to apply sustainable design principles to advertising, direct mail, packaging and other uses of print. Corporations are facing increasing criticism that CSR reports alone are not enough.

Investors, employees and non- governmental organizations (or NGOs, the large number of nonprofit organizations that are concerned with corporate responsibility and environmental issues) are looking for evidence that the concept of sustainability is being adopted root and branch at every level of the organization and throughout corporate supply chains. It is the need to put the principles of sustainability into practice at a grassroots level that presents graphic communication professionals with their most significant challenges and opportunities.

10 Myth 4: Using paper with recycled content and soy-based inks will eliminate the negative impacts of print.

One way of dealing with complexity There are four essential aspects is avoidance. Another is oversim- of recycling: plification. The specification of postconsumer recycled paper and The design of products that use the use of ink based on renewable less virgin material and that resources are important steps in themselves can be recycled the right direction. However, The manufacture of these materi- designers need to avoid simplistic als into new recyclable products approaches. They need to know The collection and processing more, do more and demand more of recyclable materials if design, printing and printers The specification, purchase and are to contribute to sustainable use of recycled-content products processes of production. It is important to specify recycled paper, but it is not enough.

11 Whether the issue is paper, ink Ask suppliers whether they can or the selection of a printer, provide independently verified designers and specifiers make information about the lifecycle environmentally preferable environmental impacts of materi- choices only when the environ- als and processes. Manufacturers mental “lifecycle” aspects and can apply for the International impacts of their raw material and Standards Organization (ISO) production process choices are 14000 series of standards, evaluated against alternatives. an international benchmark for A lifecycle analysis (LCA) commitment to continuous involves measurement and/or improvement in environmentally estimation of how much energy responsible performance; and raw materials are used and as a consumer or specifier, the how much solid, liquid and designer can ask whether a gaseous waste is generated at manufacturer is ISO 14000- each stage of the product’s life, qualified. Favor vendors and from the extraction of the raw suppliers that measure, manage materials used in its production and report on the total environ- and distribution, through to its mental performance of their use, possible reuse or recycling, products and services based on and its eventual disposal. a standard such as the ISO 14042 Lifecycle Assessment model.6 The sustainability of a product Companies such as HP offer or process requires an analysis best-practice examples, along of more than recycled paper with efforts of organizations content or soy ink content. How a participating in international product is printed, distributed, Environmental Product used and recovered is as important Declaration initiatives.7 as the raw materials of which it is made. When developing designs or advising clients, designers should learn to consider the entire production process, from paper choices to printing methods to distribution, use and recovery of resources.

12 Manufacturers of printing equip- Designers have an opportunity ment, paper, ink, toner and other to make their interest in environ- chemicals employed in printing mentally preferable products and and packaging like Heidelberg, HP, services known. To be credible, MeadWestvaco, Domtar, NewLeaf, designers and graphic communi- Stora Enso, DuPont, 3M and Dow cation professionals will need to Chemical recognize the value of learn to speak the language of sustainable development, yet much sustainability and to engage of what they have accomplished is vendors, suppliers, customers not visible to customers. Ironically, and other stakeholders in this some companies see little evidence issue. Designers also have an of demand for sustainable solutions obligation to themselves and to among printers and other buyers their profession to seek the of their products. In part, this may knowledge and skill required to be due to the complex specification move sustainable design from the and purchasing relationships that margins to the mainstream of exist among designers, printers design practice and business and corporate clients. In part, it communications in print. may be due to lack of information, lack of awareness, lack of knowledge or apathy on the part of buyers.

One indication of this lack of attention is apparent in exploring the issue on the web. At the time this guide was written, using the popular search engine Google yielded over 1.5 million citations for the term “sustainable devel- opment” and more than 178,000 citations for the term “corporate social responsibility.” In contrast, searching the term “sustainable design” resulted in only 73,500 citations, most of which had to do with industrial or architectural design. Searching the term “sustainable print” yielded 38 citations, while searching “sustainable print design” yielded none.

13 Myth 5: There are no sources of information, training programs or services available to support efforts to design and produce print in a sustainable manner.

An abundance of information United Nations Environmental about sustainability exists, as does Program’s Lifecycle Thinking a vast array of training, education Initiative also provides tools, and support services available training and support for lifecycle from colleges, universities and environmental management.13 community centers, federal and state government, consulting firms The EPA’s Design for the and not-for-profit organizations. Environment program14 is but In addition to the footnotes in one of many that promotes the this guide, a list of web links to integration of cleaner, cheaper useful resources is provided in and smarter solutions into a wide the appendix. variety of everyday products and business practices. Also, a coali- Designers can seek assistance tion of 56 environmental groups and support from not-for-profit recently crafted a common vision organizations like Conservatree,8 for environmentally preferable the Alliance for Environmental paper that is being adopted by a Innovation,9 or The Woodside growing number of companies.15 Institute.10 Designers can also make use of certification systems and guides for the evaluation of lifecycle environmental impacts from organizations like the Forest Stewardship Council11 and The Nordic Swan.12 Efforts such as the

14 Conservation of resources associ- adverse environmental impacts ated with paper use is among the of design choices and production high-priority challenges identified process alternatives. by the EPA’s Resource Conservation Challenge (RCC).16 The RCC 2: Principles of environmentally program is a major national effort responsible print design. to find flexible yet more protective ways to conserve our valuable ■ Rethink features and functions to resources through waste reduction use less material and less energy and energy recovery activities. ■ Consider closed-loop lifecycles These activities will improve from design through production, public health and the environment use and recovery and are also supported by the ■ Design for recyclability, reusabil- American Forest and Paper ity and recoverability of energy Association. and materials ■ Seek independently verified Recommendations and data about environmental information resources aspects and lifecycle impacts ■ Select materials with less 1: Environmental issues to consider impact and toxicity (via air, when designing or specifying raw water and solid waste streams) materials or printing processes. ■ Increase use of recycled and renewable materials Design-for-environment and ■ Optimize production tech- lifecycle-management principles niques to eliminate scrap, are the most significant issues to error and waste consider when designing or speci- ■ Select lower-impact packaging fying printing. Organizations like and distribution systems Nordic Swan17 have proven that ■ Design for reduced energy use, lifecycle concepts can be water use, and waste impacts successfully employed in the during use design, specification, production ■ Maximize the length of the and procurement of a wide array product’s useful life of products and processes, ■ Recover, reuse and recycle including printing and packaging. materials at end of the product’s life It is important for designers to identify and partner with capable 3: Criteria to consider in selecting and responsible suppliers who a printer. share a commitment to “beyond compliance” environmental ■ Management commitment to management in order to fully environmental stewardship that evaluate and minimize the extends beyond legal compliance

15 ■ All major suppliers and sub- ■ Fuel and energy use data contractors are informed of ■ Water use data the environmental policy and ■ Air emissions data encouraged to adopt similar ■ Solid waste recycling standards and disposal data ■ A dedicated manager for envi- ■ Toxic emissions reporting data ronmental health and safety ■ Transportation and storage of ■ Standards-based environmental raw materials and finished goods and quality management systems ■ Environmental violations, fines ■ Evidence of lifecycle thinking and lawsuits and continuous improvement ■ Community involvement applied to key products, services and corporate philanthropic offerings and business practices activities ■ Public disclosure and In addition to the criteria listed verification of performance above, designers and specifiers and improvement goals should evaluate printers based on ■ Innovative use of clean a number of other factors. This technologies and sustainable checklist is not a set of threshold business practices attributes for a responsible printer, ■ Environmental stewardship although it does detail aspects of certifications, citations a printer’s approach toward sus- and awards tainable practices that a designer should know if he or she is to use In addition, designers and a printer consistently while also specifiers should evaluate the advising clients on the choice of degree to which printing companies printers. Increasingly, clients may support environmental and need to report information like sustainability education, training this pertinent to their procure- and awareness-building initiatives ment and supply chain activities with supplier, community, in their CSR reports and/or in governmental and non-govern- their annual reports: mental organizations.

■ Facilities location, orderliness, Finally, designers should assess cleanliness and environmental the degree to which individual conditions employees are encouraged to ■ Published environmental assume leadership and supporting performance improvement roles as volunteers in community goals and objectives and industry efforts to promote ■ Quality management processes sustainable development and ■ Stakeholder relationship corporate social responsibility. management processes ■ Raw materials lifecycle analysis data ■ Worker health and safety data

16 It is important to note that due One example of particular note is to more stringent regulatory the British printing company environments, printers in Europe Beacon Press Ltd.,18 a 60-person and Canada have adopted formal company founded in 1976 that is environmental management located in Uckfield, East Sussex. systems and certifications to a far Beacon Presshas won more than greater extent than is the case 21 awards for its environmental in the United States, but global management system. Among its transnational corporations are many achievements, Beacon Press finding that there are advantages has reduced its gas consumption to adhering to a single set of by 46 percent and its water use strict standards. by 57 percent since 1995. It has totally eliminated all alcohol used The most prevalent standard in the printing process. It uses for environmental management vegetable-based inks, recycles systems in existence is the 95 percent of all dry waste, uses International Standards green electricity generated from Organization (ISO) 14001 renewable sources, and 95 percent standard. It is important to note of its press-cleaning solvents are that ISO 14001 does not mandate recycled for further use. Beacon any specific level of environmental Press has made a corporate performance or reporting. Rather, commitment to participate in the it provides a continuous improve- British government’s voluntary ment framework, which can be initiative to reduce CO2 emissions, adapted on a firm-by-firm basis. waste and water consumption by Therefore, one should not assume 2005 and to report on the effec- that ISO 14001 alone is a reliable tiveness of its efforts through a indicator of sustainable business series of 21 performance indicators practices. that are objectively measured each month. Beacon also donates one Some may believe that the list of percent of its profit to community issues and performance factors investment and is a member of described above is an impossible, the Campaign to Protect Rural impractical or economically England (CPRE), Earthwatch, the infeasible threshold. Yet there World Wildlife Fund, the 95+ are numerous examples of large, Group and the United Nations small and medium-sized printers Pioneers in Responsible in Europe, Canada and the United Enterprise Project. States that score well on all of these factors.

17 Designers should note that there Anderson’s facility for permanent are many printing companies total enclosure (PTE), as certified in Europe that have profiles by the local Los Angeles County air similar to Beacon’s, but there quality regulatory body. Anderson are comparatively few in the Lithograph is a member of the United States. At present, of Coalition for Environmentally the more than 40,000 printing Responsible Economies (CERES), companies in the United States, is Forest Stewardship Council only six currently have ISO Chain of Custody certified, is a 14001-certified environmental member of the California Climate management systems. While Action Registry and is in the printing companies that have process of becoming ISO 14001 taken a proactive stance are the certified.19 exception rather than the rule in the United States, several have While Anderson Lithograph is a made substantial investments large operation, another printer and public commitments that worthy of special note is Ideal are worthy of recognition. Such Jacobs,20 a small, 14-person print- companies are forerunners ing company in northern New in a “greening” of the American Jersey. Not only is it ISO 9000 and printing industry that will play ISO 14001 certified, but it has been a critical role in preserving the selected for inclusion in the EPA vitality of our economy, ensuring Performance Track program for our international competitiveness, companies that consistently meet conserving essential natural their legal responsibilities and resources, protecting the envi- have implemented high-quality ronment and restoring trust environmental management in business. systems. Ideal Jacobs has also been selected for recognition by Anderson Lithograph in Los the OSHA Safety and Health Angeles, a division of Mail-Well Achievement Recognition Inc., has developed a comprehen- Program (SHARP) for companies sive ISO 14001 based approach with exceptional health and to the management of “everything safety systems. that it takes, makes and wastes.” Anderson Lithograph are pioneers in the application of innovative clean technologies. For example, all electricity is generated through an onsite natural gas-fueled cogeneration facility, which was customized to capture nearly all volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions of both web and sheet fed presses. This qualifies

18 It is through the emulation and An excellent place to start your encouragement of leaders like search for prospects is among the Anderson Lithograph and Ideal 296 companies with CSR reports Jacobs that the environmentally listed on CSRwire.21 Other places preferable printing alternatives to connect with business leaders available to designers, print buyers, and managers that value environ- graphic communications profes- mentally preferable procurement sionals and the organizations they are meetings and conferences serve will grow. Similarly, it is associated with organizations through the active engagement such as the National Association of marketing communicators, for Environmental Management,22 corporate sustainability executives, The Global Environmental supply chain executives and pro- Management Initiative (GEMI) curement managers at companies Value Chain Workgroup, or the that are publicly committed to Institute for Supply Management’s environmental stewardship and Commission on Social corporate social responsibility Responsibility.23 management that designers will find new opportunities to put the Where can I turn for information, principles of sustainable design training, education and support into practice. for responsible design in print?

Successful engagement requires Sustainability is a journey rather patience, persistence and an open than a destination. In turn, the mind, as well as willingness to following links and resources are overcome challenges such as offered to start you on the path listening to critics; identifying toward greater awareness of the champions; securing buy-in from need for change. The knowledge stakeholders; coordinating the that you acquire and share with activities of internal functions others in the fields of business and suppliers; ensuring clear and print technology will expand communication between internal the transformative power of design functions and suppliers; address- and increase the value of print. ing technical difficulties that can The responsibilities of designers arise and hinder implementation; and the power of design are aptly or confronting difficulties described by Stefano Marzano, encountered in correctly specify- CEO and chief creative director ing new materials and production of Philips Design: processes.

19 Design plays a key role in the For many designers the exploration shift towards a sustainable of sustainable development concepts future. Due to its very nature like lifecycle analysis and triple of bridging socio-cultural bottom line analysis may be unfa- developments and technology, miliar or challenging. Much of the design is a powerful engine literature pertaining to sustainable for sustainable development. graphic design and environmen- And in their privileged role tally preferable printing has yet as interpreters and communi- to be written. However, there are cators between people and many not-for-profit organizations, technology, designers can trade associations, educational stimulate new ways to satisfy institutions and community groups people’s needs. In short, they that are converging on the concept can generate valuable solutions of sustainability, and designers that are economically, socially should monitor their progress in and environmentally sustain- the interest of always staying able. Taking responsibility for ahead of their clients in under- tomorrow, today.24 standing such critical issues.

Whether your motivation is a moral imperative, a business case, or some combination of the two, we invite you to explore the sources of information currently available (see Resource Links) and join AIGA in raising aware- ness and capacity for sustainable human communication through the power of design and print.

20 Resource Links

AIGA Center for Sustainable Design Cranfield University: Sustainability sustainability.aiga.org/ and Design www.cranfield.ac.uk/students/prospectus/ Alliance for Climate Protection www.allianceforclimateprotection.org/ Design With Memory www.designresource.org/ The Alliance for Environmental Innovation The ECO Design Center www.environmentaidedefense.org/ www.ecodesigncenter.com/pages/ designer.html/ American Forest & Paper Association Environmental & Recycling Info EcoMarket www.afandpa.org/ www.ecomarket.net/

Beyond Grey Pinstripes Eco-Procurement Good Practice Guide www.beyondgreypinstripes.org/ www.iclei-europe.org/

Bioneers Ecospecifier www.bioneers.org/ www.ecospecifier.org/

Business for Social Responsibility The EnviroLink Network www.bsr.org/ www.envirolink.org/

Center for Design Environmental Defense www.cfd.rmit.edu.au/ www.environmentaldefense.org/home.cfm/

The Center for Paper Business Environmental Product Declarations and Industry Studies www.environdec.com/ www.paperstudies.org/ Ethical Corporation Magazine Center for Responsible Business, www.ethicalcorp.com/ UC Berkeley www.haas.berkeley.edu/ Forest Ethics responsiblebusiness/ www.forestethics.org/

The Centre for Sustainable Design Forest Stewardship Council www.cfsd.org/ www.fscus.org/

Ceres Global Citizen Center www.ceres.org/ www.globalcitizencenter.org/

College of the Atlantic: Human Global Reporting Initiative Ecology Program www.globalreporting.org/Home/ www.coa.edu/ Global Spine Conservatree www.globalspine.com/ www.conservatree.com/ GreenBiz www.greenbiz.com/

21 Resource Links Continued

Green Options United National Global Compact www.greenoptions.com/ www.unglobalcompact.org/

Guiding Principles of The World Business Council for Sustainable Design Sustainable Development www.nps.gov/dsc/dsgncnstr/gpsd/ www.wbcsd.ch/

IDSA Ecodesign Section Viridian Design www.idsa.org/whatsnew/sections/ www.viridiandesign.org/ ecosection/ World Changing Institute for Sustainable www.worldchanging.com/ Communication www.sustaincom.org/ World Resources Institute www.wri.org/ Live Earth liveearth.org/ World Watch www.worldwatch.org/ Natural Capitalism www.natcap.org/

The Natural Step www.naturalstep.org/com/Start/

Pollution Prevention Pays (P2Pays) www.p2pays.org/

Print Planet www.printplanet.com/

Printers' National Environmental Assistance Center www.pneac.org/

Rainforest Alliance www.rainforestalliance.org/

Renourish www.re-nourish.com/

Rocky Mountain Institute www.rmi.org/

SustainAbility www.sustainability.com/

United Nations Environment Programme www.unep.org/

22 Endnotes

1 www.mbdc.com/challenge/ 2 www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/conserve/ 3 www.gemi.org/docs/workgroup.htm 4 www.environmentaldefense.org/pressrelease.cfm?ContentID=2861 5 www.nimahunter.com/reports.asp 6 www.epa.gov/ORD/NRMRL/lcaccess/whylca.htm 7 www.environdec.com/ 8 www.conservatree.com 9 www.environmentaldefense.org/alliance/ 10 www.woodsideinstiute.org 11 www.fscus.org/ 12 www.svanen.nu/Eng/default.asp 13 www.uneptie.org/pc/sustain/lcinitiative/background.htm 14 www.epa.gov/opptintr/dfe/ 15 www.conservatree.com/paper/Choose/commonvision.shtml 16 www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/conserve/ 17 www.svanen.nu/ 18 www.beaconpress.co.uk/index.html 19 www.climateregistry.org/ 20 www.idealjacobs.com/home_aboutij_welcome.html 21 www.csrwire.com/csr/home.mpl 22 www.naem.org/ 23 www.napm.org/AboutISM/ComSocResp.cfm 24 www.design.philips.com/

23 About AIGA AIGA supports the interests of AIGA, the professional association professionals, educators and students for design, is the oldest and largest who are engaged in the process of membership association for design designing. The association is com- professionals engaged in the mitted to stimulating thinking discipline, practice and culture of about design, demonstrating the designing. Its mission is to advance value of design, and empowering designing as a professional craft, success for designers throughout strategic tool and vital cultural force. the arc of their careers.

The organization was founded as the Through conferences, competitions, American Institute of Graphic Arts exhibitions, publications and in 1914. Since then, it has become websites, AIGA inspires, educates the preeminent professional associ- and informs designers, helping ation for communication designers, them to realize their talents and to broadly defined. In the past decade, advocate the value of design among designers have increasingly been the media, the business community, involved in creating value for clients governments and the public. (whether public or business) through applying design thinking to complex problems, even when the outcomes may be more strategic, multidimensional and conceptual than what most would consider traditional communication design. AIGA now represents more than 19,000 designers of all disciplines through national activities and local programs developed by more than 55 chapters and 200 student groups.

24 Adobe Systems, Inc. is the Official AIGA Domtar EarthChoice®, the Official AIGA Sponsor for Design Solutions and is proud Sponsor for Sustainable Design, is working to be the Presenting Sponsor of the with AIGA to foster sustainable thinking AIGA Design Business and Ethics series. in design. Through its support of AIGA’s Center for Sustainable Design, Domtar Together with AIGA, Adobe is creating EarthChoice is helping to encourage innovative programs that give members designers to consider the effects that their a voice, nurture young designers and general business practices, including paper actively engage the creative community and printing choices, have on a global in dialogues about the important issues in scale. Through this partnership, Domtar the fields of design and technology. EarthChoice and AIGA are committed to putting issues of sustainability at the fore- The alliance between AIGA and Adobe is front of design and social consciousnesses. a long-term partnership dedicated to advancing design and the use of technology Domtar EarthChoice is the most extensive across creative industries as well as under- line of socially and environmentally standing and highlighting the impact responsible papers available, offering of design on the economy and society. designers a tangible way to put their commitment to sustainability on Adobe has been an active participant in the paper. For more information, visit design community over the past 25 years and www.domtarearthchoice.com. looks forward to an ongoing conversation and dialogue – listening closely to designers “Print Design and Environmental and their needs. Responsibility” is one topic in the AIGA Design Business and About Adobe Systems Incorporated Ethics series, a range of publications Adobe revolutionizes how the world engages dealing with ethical standards and with ideas and information. practices for designers and their clients. New topics will be added The company’s award-winning technologies to the series periodically. Additional and software have redefined business, copies can be downloaded from entertainment, and personal communica- www.aiga.org. For more information tions by setting new standards for producing on solving communications design and delivering content that engages problems or hiring a professional people anywhere at anytime and through designer, visit www.aiga.org. any medium. To join AIGA or to review the For more information, visit purpose and benefits of AIGA, www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/ visit www.aiga.org. AIGA | the professional association for design 164 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10010 www.aiga.org 7