JUNE 08: GDUSA GREEN ENEWSLETTER IN THIS ISSUE Publisher's Note: New Wal-Mart/Walmart Logo Thinking Green: Burger King, Top 10 Design Cities More Thinking Green: Billboards Into Housing, Blame It On Canada If You Missed It: Specifying Recycled Papers Companies: Green Ideas, Developments, Promotions Special Note: Name Your Price PUBLISHERS NOTE: MAKE THE LOGO GREENER Satiric/sophomoric humor newspaper, The Onion, had an amusing faux story the other day. In "The Obligatory Green Issue" a headline blared "Companies: How To Makes Millions By Switching To A Green-Colored Logo." It's funny because it's often true and, even when it's not, it plays to the cynicism of 21st century America. Interestingly, The Onion salute to the environment came out within a few days of Wal-Mart's announcement that it has redesigned its logo. (See story below.) Though the company has been silent about the rationale, branding experts agree that the new look projects an organic, environmentally friendly, and generally more welcoming message. Given the company's part difficulties, I am sure the cynics will be out in force. My own sense - based on researching this enewsletter month-after-month - is that the retailer is morphing into a green innovator as well as into a more socially responsible corporate citizen. As for motivation, I cannot attest and I do not care. Even if driven purely by financial considerations, as is likely, we are still all better off. This strikes me as a happy example of where making the logo greener reflects a true evolution rather than a coverup. - Gordon Kaye THINKING GREEN Organic Look For Walmart Logo Walmart has revamped its logo as part of an "ongoing evolution" of the company. An official announcement states: "This update to the logo is simply a reflection of the refresh taking place inside our stores and our renewed sense of purpose to help people save money so they can live better." The new logo - made up of rounded, lowercase characters, and without the hypen - won't begin to appear on storefronts until the fall though it is showing up this month online and in marketing materials. The logo's debut coincides with CEO H. Lee Scott's goal of transforming the retailing giant into a more consumer and environmentally friendly corporation. In a recent BusinessWeek article, branding expert Marty Neumeier commented that "The new sunburst 'looks organic'. My sense is they are trying to say, 'we're an eco-aware company.'" Comments Tobias Frere-Jones, professor of typography at Yale University and a principal at the Hoefler & Frere-Jones type design firm: "They seem to be going for something friendlier." The visual shift, says Frere-Jones, can be seen as an attempt to recast itself as a kinder, gentler company since lowercase letters tend to be interpreted as more casual and approachable. http://www.brandweek.com/bw/news/recent_display.jsp? vnu_content_id=1003811333 The Ratings Game A private citizen, Kevin Tuerff, has created a Greenwashing Index website where people can submit ads, view others and rate them. When you rate an ad with the index, it generates a score based on the reviewer's response to five statements. Each individual score is included in the ad's overall score and comments are added to the tally. Here are the statements: (1) The Ad Misleads With Words (2) The Ad Misleads With Visuals Or Graphics (3) The Ad Misleads With Visuals Or Graphics (4) The Ad Overstates Or Exaggerates How Green The Product/Service Is (5) The Ad Leaves Out Or Masks Important Information. For details and to participate, see... http://www.greenwashingindex.com Kids Meals Redefined "Nutritionally Balanced Kids Meal" are now being introduced as part of the permanent menu at Burger King, with contents such as Fresh Apple Fries and low fat milk. In the same spirit, the new meal, as well old favorites, will henceforth come in bags and cups made from 100% recycled materials. The new packaging will feature information on recycling and other steps kids can take to make a positive impact on the environment. "We're taking advantage of our ability to move quickly to introduce 100% recycled bags and improve the profile of our cups," said Brian Gies, Vice President of Marketing Impact. "Burger King is always looking for ways to reduce waste and promote sustainability. Our recycling efforts will be one part of our corporate social responsibility program that is currently under development." The Handbook SustainAble, a new book by Aaris Sherin (Rockport Publishers), seeks to demystify the processes and methodology to achieve sustainable graphic design. It explores eco-friendly print and paper production, delives into leading theories of sustainability, and highlights companies making innovative products. The focus is on resources and real life projects. Production of the 300-page publication itself practices what it preaches: the book cover reuses proofs and other leftovers from the project, and the inside is printed with vegetable-based inks on Mohawk Options 100 percent postconsumer paper. Sherin is currently teaches graphic design at St. John's University in Queens NY. http://www.rockpub.com MORE THINKING GREEN SEPTA On Track SEPTA, Philadelphia's public transit authority, has launched an eco-friendly campaign urging residents to ride public transportation and thus make a positive impact on the environment. With gas prices at record highs, the message also includes the notion of adding green to the wallet. Moss is a running graphic themes - moss on the logo, in posters, in advertising and posters - encouraging people to "live green by riding public transportation." Reads one station ad which depicts a train and the tracks made from moss: "Riding SEPTA helps reduce smog-forming pollutants by 90%. Now that's a breath of fresh air." Red Tettemer created the campaign, and Brooklyn-based street artists Edina Tokodi and Jozsef Valyi-Toth helped implement the moss into station elements. Progress Report A progress report issued this month by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) shows signficant growth in the forest certification program. SFI Inc.: Making a Difference on the Ground explains why almost 500 organizations across the U.S. and Canada - twice as many as at the start of 2007 - are now directly involved with the SFI program. "SFI Inc. stands for responsible forest management in North America and responsible procurement around the world," says SFI President and CEO Kathy Abusow. "Our steady growth shows that corporate leaders, international markets and consumers at home share this view." The report includes updates on training programs, new awards, research funding, and a marketing strategy to promote the benefits of certification and the value of the SFI brand. Http://www.sfiprogram.org Cradle To Cradle The 2008 Society of Environmental Graphic Design (SEGD) awards program included a special jurors award for the The Billboard Earthbag project. Earthbag construction generally uses conventional sandbags or sandbag tubes filled with local dirt and stacked to create barrel-vaulted or domed roof structures; it enables temporary or emergency shelters to be rapidly and inexpensively constructed following natural disasters. The new project, conceived and designed by Norman Lee and Charles Houser, envisions using billboard vinyl as an alternative material for earthbags. Polyvinylchloride (PVC) cannot be incinerated because of the toxic gases it would emit and thus goes into landfills. On the other hand, because of its durability and imperviousness to the sun and other elements, vinyl is an ideal material for reuse. Declared the jury: "Jurors were intrigued by this project as an example of 'cradle-to-cradle' design pertinent to the signage industry... The idea takes the recycling of billboards, street banners, and print graphics - already employed by art museums in the creation of second-use products - to another level. Truly inventive!" http://www.segd.org/awards/2008.html The D8 Good Magazine reports that the Designers Accord, the fast-spreading manifesto of environmentally and socially responsible design, first drated by veteran designer Valerie Casey, has been adopted by eight of the most influential product design firms. Casey refers to them as the D8, in a wry nod the G8 economic giants. Included are ideo (Palm Pilot), Frog Design (MP3 Player), Continuum (One Laptop Per Child $100 laptop), and Ziba (KitchenAid appliances). It's quickly becoming an industry standard, says Good Magazine blogger Emily Pilloton. http://www.goodmagazine.com Canada Cracks Down At least in Canada, more detail is better when it comes to the advertising or marketing of environmental claims. This according to new guidelines issued by the Competition Bureau and the Canadian Standards Association. The central message: avoid vague, general terms and focus on specifics. The guide discourages the use of "green," "environmentally friendly," "all natural" and "eco" arguing that, when used alone, they have no specific meaning. Claims should only be made when they can be substantiated and verified with supporting information. For example, when indicating a product is recyclable or contains recycled content, marketing should not only have a symbol for recycling, but also information on the percentage of recycled content and if only certain parts of it are recyclable. The Competition Bureau, which enforces violations of environmental claims, is allowing a one-year transition period to change claims on advertising and packaging. http://www.greenbiz.com/resources/resource/ environmental-claims-a-guide-industry-and-advertisers Two If By Land... Two Academy of Art University graphic design alums are winners in the International Design Awards Land & Sea competition for sustainable design. Scott Abel, currently interning with Kit Hinrichs at Pentagram SF, took the Graphics, Land category for a self-published book Connect, Discover, Respond, his MFA Thesis project. Vincent Lo's G1 Grand Prix won in the Graphics, Land Student category; it is a conceptual professional automobile race for environmentally friendly cars. Phil Hamlett, Director of Graduate Studies for the School of Graphic Design, and Co-Chair for AIGA's Center for Sustainable Design, instructed both Able and Lo in their MFA studies. "Teaching sustainable design is a primary focus and we have seen a growing understanding of this amongst our students..." Mary Scott is Chair of the School of Graphic Design at The Academy of Art. http://www.academyart.edu or http://www.idesignawards.com IF YOU MISSED IT: 45TH ANNUAL PRINT AND PAPER SURVEY Among the findings of this new survey sponsored by Agfa Graphics - 57 percent of GDUSA readers are specifying recycled papers, most are specifying them more often, and FSC or SFI certification matters in the decision process. To read or download the survey, visit... http://gdusa.com/issue_2008/06_jun/ To learn more about Agfa Graphics and find eco-responsible printers in your area, visit... http://www.gdusa.com/agfa COMPANIES Cast-Coated Certification SMART Papers has become the first North American papermaker to produce FSC-certified premium cast-coated papers. Kromekote, a legendary triple cast-coated paper, is now FSC-certified in Kromekote Recycled. The move underscores the mill's longstanding commitment to sustainability in its premium branded papers and manufacturing operations. Recently the company broke ground on a $30 million energy production facility to be powered by 100% cellulosic biomass fuel, primarily yard waste. By late 2009, all products will be fully carbon neutral and produced fossil fuel free. "We're always striving to exceed customer expectations when it comes to environmental stewardship," said Doug Gruber, Vice President, Sales and Marketing. http://www.smartpapers.com Great Chain Of Being NewPage Corporation's Stevens Point, WI mill has received chain-of-custody standards certification from the FSC. The Stevens Point mill produces specialized labeling and packaging papers."We are pleased and proud to receive this recognition of our mill's adherence to the FSC standards of responsibility and accountability," said Ed Buehler, General Manager, Specialty Papers, for NewPage. "This FSC chain-of-custody certification affirms to our customers that they can be confident that, from harvesting to manufacturing to delivery to their door, the specialty paper we supply to them is the product of our rigorous regard for sustainable practices." http: www.NewPageCorp.com The Nature of Nurture Domtar's new Cougar promotion is entitled "Orchidaceae," meaning the study of orchids. Featuring dramatic four-color natural imagery, a variety of orchids flood the printed pages, providing an elegant subject to demonstrate the beauty and benefits of Cougar. The message: With a little creativity and a lot of care, the beautiful gifts of nature become even more extraordinary. The same can be said for Cougar. Continuing the nature theme, the promotion explains that Cougar contains 10% postconsumer fiber, and is FSC-certified, SFI-certified and endorsed by the Rainforest Alliance. http://www.domtar.com or http://www.makingpaperfun.com Mohawk Is Hot Pick Tom O'Connor, Jr., CEO, Mohawk Fine Papers, whose mills are on the cutting edge of sustainability, sent along this quote from the respected British publication, Ethical Corporation Magazine: "Who is serious about sustainability? Complaints about dodgy corporate greenwash are on the rise. Meanwhile, the same old examples of business sustainability "innovation" are touted at conferences time and again. So this month, Greenwasher has delved into the contacts book to ask old-hands of responsible business what companies they think are interesting. No, this is not a "best of" list, but the hot picks of a dozen respected specialists across business, finance and non-governmental organisations of those companies getting closer to integrating sustainability thinking into strategy. Companies highlighted were: P&G, IAG Australia, Co-operative Financial Services, Unipart, BT, Novo Nordisk, Herman Miller, Natura, KfW Bankengruppe, Mohawk Fine Papers, Ecolab, Timberland, Nike and Innocent." http://mohawkpaper.com/environment Neenah Green Neenah's new web site combines all of the mill's brands for graphic designers into one easy-to-navigate ecommerce solution. Environment matters are very much an issue on the site. This is embodied in a Neenah Green icon, featured front and center on the home page, which details the company's commitment to "earth, sky and future generations" and provides "everything that you need to know about Neenah's commitment to third party certifications." According to Meredith Grant, Product Manager for Neenah Paper, "We extensively revised the Neenah Green page based on feedback collected directly from meetings with customers." http://www.neenahpaper.com Naturally Creative FiberMark, producer of specialty covering materials, has announced winners of its 2007 Annual Specifier Awards. The awards program, launched in 1992, honors projectscreated using the company's materials. Design creativity was evident in the breadth of submissions. The 2007 Best of Show-Gold winner was Maquet, a healthcare package featuring Iridescents by Corvon(R) that was entered by Influence Communications/Dorland Global Health Communications/Marketing IV. Best of Show-Silver went to Rolex's Co-op Advertising Portfolio which incorporated FiberMark's Senzo by Corvon(R) for its cover, Metallics by Skivertex(R) for the endsheet, and Touche(R) Cover for tabbed dividers. Acknowledgement goes to Bassil Bookbinding and Imtech Graphics for this submission. FiberMark is now accepting entries for its 2008 Annual Specifier Awards program. "This year's program picks up our theme of 'Naturally Creative,'" says Susan Hurt, vice president of marketing at FiberMark. Entry forms can be downloaded from the mill's website; the deadline is December 31. http://www.fibermark.com/awards Eco-Friendly Bonus "Eco-Friendly" is a special Bonus Category in the third quarter of the Fifth Annual UniKeep Design Awards Contest. The category is open to September 30, 2008. "Our mission for over 20 years has been to provide environmentally responsible products. The 'Eco-Friendly' Bonus Category provides graphic designers with an opportunity to design graphic inserts for UniKeep's archival storage organizing products, promote responsible consumption and potentially win a cash prize," said Ross Youngs, CEO of UniKeep. A video with contest information, can be seen at... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_Od2B1ROF0 Finch Fine Even Better Every sheet of Finch Fine is now made with 10% postconsumer recycled content, as well as being certified to the standards of the FSC and SFI. The new recycled content - along with the dual forestry certifications are standard across the Fine line - in offset and digital sizes; in shades of 98-bright Bright White, Soft White and Vanilla; in Ultra Smooth and Antique finishes; and in every basis weight from 40 lb. text to 200 lb. double-thick cover. "Finch Fine offers a potent combination of outstanding printability, postconsumer content, and the world's two most-respected responsible forestry certifications," said Michael Bean, national sales manager for Finch Paper. A new swatchbook, designed by Bart Crosby of Crosby Associates, is available. T. 800.833.9983. Admore Presents Certificate Admore is the first Ennis facility to receive the FSC Chain-of-Custody Certificate. The certification for Admore's Macomb MI facility gives the company the ability to place and print the FSC logo on projects that meet the strict criteria. Bill Tignalli, General Manager of Admore, comments: "This certification continues Admore's efforts to provide environmentally responsible products. The Admore staff can advise distributors on a green approach to design, production and manufacturing processes on all of our presentation products." http://www.admoreonline.com New Member Of Royal Family Wausau Paper has rebranded its Royal SilkPlus paper to Royal Resource(TM), an environmentally-preferred addition to the popular Royal brand of premium writing, text and cover papers. "As part of Wausau Paper's Royal Redefined campaign, the introduction of Royal Resource is a change for the better that goes beyond cosmetic to expand and strengthen the total product offerings under the Royal brand," said Jeff Fox, Director of Marketing for Wausau Paper's Printing & Writing sector. "Royal Resource(TM) is where environmental responsibility and high-quality combine with trendy colors, weights and finishes to provide customers with unique paper solutions." The papers are FSC Certified, and nearly all Royal Resource(TM) grades are also Green Seal Certified and contain at least 30 percent recycled post-consumer fiber. A new Bark Finish and several new earthy colors freshen theoffering. http:///RoyalRedefined.com. SPECIAL NOTE: NAME YOUR PRICE moodboard is a new alternative in stock photography where you can buy or sell images at a range of prices to suit your needs. You can even set your own price with the launch of the latest collection, moodboard unlimited. http://www.moodboard.com SIDEBAR Top 10 Design Cities Architectural firm RMJM Hillier has developed a list of "America's Best Cities for Design," produced in conjunction with the American Institute of Architecture and Zogby International. Big American cities were judged according to various criteria including commitment to sustainability, quality of public transit, how many work within creative industries, etc. As reported in BusinessWeek: 1. Chicago 2. New York 3. Boston 4. Los Angeles 5. Portland (OR) 6. San Francisco 7. Seattle 8. Denver 9. Philadelphia 10 Washington DC http://images.businessweek.com/ss/08/06/ 0625_design_cities/index.htm