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Publisher's Note
Thinking Green
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PUBLISHER'S NOTE:
NOT IN A VACUUM

GDUSA's Inhouse Design Annual was mailed late last week. Included within is a new survey of our inhouse award-winners. For eco-purists, the "green" related results of the survey may disappoint. Rather than a call to arms, the respondents paint a thoughtful and nuanced picture of a how environmental goals are pursued in the face of a deep recession and competing institutional demands. Some highlights:

— Many designers see the "greening" of design as an important inhouse trend, but rate it as less pressing than other needs such as mastering social media and mobile media on behalf of their organization.

— Some see promoting green initiatives as a growth opportunity for their department, but less so than seizing this moment to develop more targeted messaging or streamline internal processes and procedures.

— A majority of inhousers expect their companies to become more focused on the environmental impact of their activities over the next year, but only 40 percent say they are "very interested" in learning more about sustainable practices and principles.

— Most designers are working to make their companies and institutions more environmentally responsible: by becoming a resource for all things green; by demanding more from their print and paper vendors; by fighting for a place at the table when environmental policy is first made. But here, too, realism, rears its head: many say their most effective approach right now is to "green it gradually" in small, affordable, easily digested steps.

What's my point? For inhouse designers, going green is a meaningful goal but one that cannot be pursued in a vacuum.

— Gordon Kaye

THINKING GREEN

Duffy Riding High
Duffy & Partners and Bike Walk Twin Cities are partnering to promote one of the first major bicycle share programs in the US — Nice Ride Minnesota. The design firm developed the name, brand strategy and all design related elements for the program; this station kiosks, bikes, banners, t-shirts, website and all collateral, including letterhead and presentation materials. "We are always looking for opportunities to contribute to the enrichment of our community and to promote smart environmental solutions," said Joe Duffy, chairman and principal of Duffy & Partners.
 
Too Easy To Be Green
Last year, the number of products claiming to be environmentally friendly rose nearly 200 percent. In a hearing on Capitol Hill earlier this summer — It's Too Easy Being Green: Defining Fair Green Marketing Practices — a panel of product and certification experts argued that too many products touting environmental attributes are flooding the marketplace without evidence helpful to consumers. The hearing explored consumer perceptions, truthfulness, and the role of the FTC and private certifiers and labeling programs in verifying claims. The panelists had several key recommendations: better public disclosure on critical impacts, full ingredient lists, consistency, transparency, and verifiable and readily available information.
http://energycommerce.house.gov
 
Green Glass Campaign
PPG Industries' architectural glass business has won a 2009 Pro-Comm Award of Excellence from the Business Marketing Association. The company's "Greening of Architectural Glass" campaign was recognized by a panel of national marketing experts for its exceptional product positioning and brand development, joining IBM as the only other winner in the category. The award was shared by five Pittsburgh-based advertising, digital marketing, graphic design, marketing communications and public relations firms: Brunner, Mullen, Pipitone Group, Vance Wright Adams & Associates, and Yearick-Millea. PPG officials claim that the campaign has produced 15 percent growth in the perception of PPG as the leading "green" manufacturer of architectural glass.
http://www.ppgideascapes.com

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

"US consumers want to buy greener products, but they are confused by competing environmental claims, unsure when a claim is accurate, and increasingly skeptical of all environmental claims. As a result, the recent focus on green jobs, green manufacturing processes, and a green economy could collapse because of inadequate, competing and even contradictory definitions of green."

-M. Scot Case, vice president of TerraChoice Group and co-executive director of the EcoLogo program, at Capitol Hill Hearing titled It's Too Easy Being Green.

MORE THINKING PAPER

Wurman Reaches Summit
Graphic designer and information design pioneer Richard Saul Wurman will be among the featured presenters.when the Design Futures Council present its Leadership Summit on Sustainable Design September 30 - October 2 in Chicago. The annual event, which responds the growing interest in building green, invites 100 delegates from architectural, engineering and construction firms to convene for two days to explore sustainable design.
http://www.di.net/about/board_advisors/
 
Hop On In
Mary Jo Rhodes, a noted author on nature books and Susan Newman, an award winning graphic designer, have launched a custom designed blog, Frogs Are Green. The goal is to raise awareness of the frog extinction crisis, show how folks can help the threat to amphibians, and explore the link between healthy frogs and a healthy planet. The blog urges designers to "please hop in and get involved."
http://frogsaregreen.com
http://www.susannewmandesign.com
 
Making Space
PRINT 09 is the largest graphic communications exposition and conference in the Western Hemisphere. Included among the many exhibits and conferences, the show organizers are debuting GREENspace. Attendees can learn all about what going green really means, with sustainability-related information/education, individual counseling and eco-friendly print and design products and services.
http://www.print09.com

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MORE THINKING GREEN

Golden Age For Shorewood
Shorewood Packaging's REPAK® CD package for Starbucks Entertainment's "Golden Age of Song" compilation has won several packaging awards for outstanding design and sustainable packaging. The CD features 1930-40s era tunes, courtesy of Universal Music Enterprises. The all paperboard alternative to the jewel case was recognized by the Paperboard Packaging Council's (PPC) competition for a Gold Award for overall production value and for a Gold Eco Award in its inaugural sustainability category. Earlier, the package also won an American Package Design Award from GDUSA.

What's A Republican To Do?
With the Republican Party struggling to remain relevant, Jim DiPeso, policy director for Republicans for Environmental Protections (sometimes called The Green Conservative) has some suggestions to his party on the issues they should be championing to stay relevant. Issues include climate change - the science is solid and the business community is jumping on board the legislation bandwagon - and funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. DiPeso also points out that while Republicans describe their energy security plan as "all of the above", a real all of the above energy plan would start with fuel efficiency since no true conservative tolerates waste. Furthermore, Republicans should continue to work to reduce air pollution, since the Clean Air Act, he notes, is one of the GOP's greatest environmental legacies.
http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/blogs/republican/republican-environmental-47061503

Pixels Versus Paper
Are electronic devices more environmentally friendly than paper? To address this question, International Paper's new brochure — "Pixels vs. Paper: Are pixels greener than paper?" — The brochure reveals some oft-overlooked facts about communicating. For instance, every day the paper industry plants more than three times the number of trees than are harvested, while electronic devices are typically made of plastics and other-non renewable resources and often contain chemicals and metals. The amount of electricity to run a computer for five months could produce enough paper for the average person to use for an entire year. Plus paper is biodegradable and nearly 60 percent of paper in the US is recycled, while only 18 percent of electronic devices are recycled. IP's point: both pixels and paper have a place in our communications future and their impact on the environment needs to be considered.
http://www.ipsustainability.com

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MORE THINKING GREEN

A New Drive-In
CARSPAZE is rolling out an eco-friendly advertising medium that transforms parking lots into large scale, drive-in brand environments. JetBlue is pioneering the concept in the U.S., creating installations in Northern Virginia and Los Angeles. The platform uses materials developed in Europe including recycled printed panels, crushed tires and low energy recyclable lighting. JetBlue's installations are designed to bring alive the in-flight experience, explains Fiona Morrisson, Director of Brand and Advertising.

What, Me Worry?
Sustainable packaging is not as serious a concern for Americans as it is for many others around the world, according to a new Datamonitor report. In fact, the US is one of the countries least concerned about excessive packaging and Americans are among the least interested in seeking out products with less packaging. The survey draws on the responses of consumers in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, South America and the US. China and India were among the countries most concerned about overpackaging. The US was also one of the countries least likely to seek out products with less wasteful packaging, with only 35 percent of Americans saying they would seek out alternative products if packaging were excessive. That is 10 percent below the global average.

It Resonates
Appleton Coated has released "The Green Outlook." Designed by green graphic design experts, Resonance Marketing of Decatur GA, the guide examines trends, topics, and tactics in print communications. In addition to sharing the latest statistics on the social and financial benefits of green business practices, "The Green Outlook" encourages companies to think about green communications strategically. It also includes practical advice for gaining support from management, suppliers and partners. Says Resonance principal Kathleen Turaski, "One of the key findings... is that sustainabiltity remains a competitive advantage for companies."
http://www.withresonance.com/contact/
http://appletoncoated.com/greenzone/

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BOOK OF THE MONTH

When the economy turns rough, many companies sideline their green business initiatives. That's a big mistake, argues Andrew Winston in this new book, Green Recovery. Winston contends that no company can afford to wait for the downturn to ease before going green. Green initiatives ratchet up your company's resource efficiency, creativity, and employee motivation. They save energy, waste, and money, preserving precious capital, and give precise focus to innovation efforts and strategic priorities. Part manifesto and part how-to guide, this concise book provides a road map for using green initiatives to deliver short term gains and position the company for long term strategic growth. The publisher is Harvard Business School and the release date is August 17.

— A special thanks to Smart Papers Chairman Tim Needham for calling our attention to Green Recovery. GK

NOW ON GDUSA.COM

GDUSA 46th Annnual Print and Paper Sruvey
http://www.gdusa.com/issue_2009/06_jun/feature/index.php

GDUSA's Pantone Store
http://www.gdusa.com/store/home.php?cat=251

TOP 10 GREENEST PRESIDENTS
 
(THE DAILY GREEN)

1. Teddy Roosevelt
2. Jimmy Carter
3. Thomas Jefferson
4. Bill Clinton
5. Richard Nixon
6. Franklin Roosevelt
7. Abraham Lincoln
8. Lyndon Johnson
9. Woodrow Wilson
10. John Kennedy

WORST ECO-LEGACIES

1. George W. Bush
2. Ronald Reagan
3. Ulysses Grant
4. Dwight Eisenhower
5. Warren Harding
6. Herbert Hoover
7. Andrew Jackson
8. Richard Nixon (Both Lists)
9. Willliam McKinley

http://www.thedailygreen.com