IN THIS ISSUE
Publisher's Note
Thinking Green
Quote Of The Month
More Thinking Green
Package Design Competition
PUBLISHERS NOTES: NO BARKING DOGS
Sherlock Holmes made famous the idea that
a non-event — dogs not barking when
they might have been expected to do so — can
be compelling evidence. This is an apt framework
when thinking about ClimateGate, last month's
heavily publicized hacking into the Climate Research
Unit emails at the University of East Anglia. As
you may remember, the incident revealed email
exchanges among climatologists which revealed some
scientists pushing their political agenda at the
expensive of scientific objectivity. I enjoy seeing
so-called wise men screw up as much as the next
guy, but with the perspective of a few weeks, these
email revelations are not as consequential or
conspiratorial as they appeared at first blush. Yes,
it is clear that some scientists tried to manipulate
information to overstate the case of human influence
on climate. On the other hand, in the thousands of
emails, it is interesting to note what is not
there: no indication of a vast conspiracy, no
anti-western socialist agenda, no admission that
climate change is a hoax — the kinds of
machinations that climate change deniers most
fear. Some overzealous scientists stepped in
canine droppings and I hope it sticks to their
shoes. But, in the big picture, no barking dogs.
— Gordon Kaye
PS. We've extended our
fast-growing package design competition for one
week...
entries can be postmarked as late as
December 22.
For more information or to download
an entry form, visit...
www.gdusa.com/contests/apda.php
LETTER: THIS BIG GREEN THING
A pointed response to my concern that publications and website covering eco-friendly design — and in particular our October "Going Green" edition — simply add to the "green noise for the landfills of the mind."
I recently read your publisher's letter in the October 2009 GDUSA magazine (yes, I'm a little behind in my reading!) and couldn't agree more with your "green noise" theory. Everyone seems to be searching for the next bandwagon to jump on — without giving it any thought — all in the name of doing something altruistic. But do they really know and understand? I would argue no. Take a look at one of the photos — the big call out from the article reads: "We are continually pushing our clients and ourselves to be more sustainable and consider the environment in all we do." This in huge type below the photo of them sitting around their conference room table littered with styrofoam cups and water bottles. Maybe you should send them some large type (perhaps cut out of foam core or some sort of polystyrene) that reads "Hey hypocrites, nothing is worse for the environment than styrofoam!"... I would love to see an article that challenges the green phenomenon. I feel like this big green thing has taken on a life of its own — with little thought or knowledge. Is anybody asking why? Is it not our job as designers to ask why? (Reminds me of one of my favorite jokes: An account exec asks "how many art directors does it take to screw in a light bulb" the art director replies "does it have to be a light bulb?") By nature, we designers are not "joiners" but for some reason, this green thing has eclipsed that. We need to stop blindly accepting what we are told. Start asking, why?
— Mary Conrey Leavitt
GDUSA Going Green feature...
http://gdusa.com/issue_2009/10_oct/
Green Noise comment at...
www.gdusa.com/egdusa/pages/090930-green.html
Keep Your Shirt On
Graphics Gone Green: Ways To Go Green Without
Losing Your Shirt. This recently released ebook by
Rita Amladi and Erica Aitken addresses how to design
products and campaigns with the environment in mind, all
the while streamlining effort, cost and waste. Included
are interviews with eco-innovators such as Terri
Stone, Don Carli, Michael Hodgson, Ellen Gitting, Travis
Lee, Scot Herbst, and the Renourish.com folks, Yvette
Perulho and Eric Benson, and more. Plus tools such as
paper calculators and energy audits. It is designed
by Erica Aitken, as well, to make the ebook format
easy reading.
www.graphicsgonegreen.com
Non-Profits Merge
The nonprofit GreenBlue, which focuses on sustainable
product design and materials sourcing, acquires
nonprofit Metafore, which provides tools and information
on paper purchasing decisions. The combination, which
will retain the GreenBlue brand, hopes to exert more
influence on sustainable design and procurement. Both
GreenBlue and Metafore are known for scientific rigor
and working closely with the private sector on sustainability
issues. GreenBlue houses the Sustainable Packaging
Coalition, an industry group working to transforming
packaging into more sustainable materials and
systems; Cleangredients, an online resource for manufacturers
of cleaning product formulations; and Green2Green, a
free online resource for building professionals. The two
groups will eventually be housed in GreenBlue's
headquarters in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Red to Green?
In Germany at least, McDonald's is attempting to
improve its image by changing its colors. The burger
franchise is said to be swapping out red for green as
the background for its golden arches in an effort to
demonstrate a commitment to the environment and social
justice. "Simplicity and a focus on the essentials
is the new design philosophy," says McDonald's
Germany deputy Holger Beeck. All restaurants set to open
in 2010 will adhere to the new design sensibilities;
including a façade of natural stone and wood.
"With the new appearance, we want to clarify our
responsibility and relationship with natural
resources," Beeck said.
Contacting Copenhagen
These last few days of the UN Framework Convention on
Climate Change in Copenhagen are packed with important
decisions and visits from various world leaders. Don
Carli, SustainCommWorld's EVP and a Senior Research
Fellow with the Institute for Sustainable Communication
is updates to GreenMediaConnect, SustainCommWorld's
social networking site and responding to questions
from U.S. audiences. More information at
info@sustaincommworld.com or just sign up at...
www.greenmediaconnect.com/
GDUSA PACKAGE
DESIGN COMPETITION
We've extended this fastest-growing
of GDUSA's national design competitions for one week...
Entries can be postmarked as late as December 22.
For more
information or an Entry Form, visit...
www.gdusa.com/contests/apda.php
MORE THINKING GREEN
Making A Case
Substance151a Baltimore MD brand design and strategy
firm has had its project for the Baltimore Bioneers
Conference selected as a case study on the respected
Re-nourish.com website. The Bioneers Conference is a
multidisciplinary forum of innovators and thought leaders
working to improve the health of the environment and
human communities. Substance151 developed a brand image
that visually communicated the main concept —
"creating a sustainable world where all natural
and all man-made coexists in a non-destructive,
synergetic, economically and socially just way."
All communications for the conferences are printed on
recycled papers, produced using wind power, and FSC
Certified for paper and printing. Ida Cheinman is
principal and creative director.
www.re-nourish.com/?l=substance151_1
A More Sustainable Sears
Sears Holdings has adopted a Sustainable Paper Procurement
Policy. The policy is part of a larger effort by the
company to increase its sourcing of environmentally-preferred
paper for its catalogs, retail circulars, direct mail and
internal paper usage. The company says it is committed to
phase out fiber from unwanted sources, and procure paper
sourced from credibly certified forest sources with
verified chain-of-custody and/or recycled sources with a
preference for post-consumer recycled paper. The policy
also outlines supplier requirements and a preferred
sustainable supplier program. In addition, it will
implement Metafore's Environmental Paper Assessment Tool
(EPAT) to assist it. Said CEO Bruce Johnson: "Sears
Holdings is actively engaged with its suppliers and
industry associations to continuously improve the
company's prudent use of natural resources, and to
reduce its impact on the environment."
Betty or Veronica?
Archie Comics has joined the crowd "going
green" and reducing the environmental impact of
publishing its books. In a partnership with World Color
Press, all Archie products are now printed on recycled
paper and printing inks made with a minimum of 20%
renewable resources such as pine rosin and vegetable
oils instead of petroleum-based components. The inks,
note the printer, also contain no heavy metals such
as lead or mercury.
MyCompost
Be Green Packaging, a design and manufacturing packaging
firm has launched its Very Own Compost Tool Kit and
Training Program. The stand alone kit and training program
for its end user customers, such as nationwide grocery
and restaurant chains, walks customers through three phases
of establishing an inhouse food scrap composting program.
Also included: useful information such as how to talk with
your local waste management company, equipment needed,
and how to receive tax incentives by participating in
city food scrap programs where applicable.
www.begreenpackaging.com/
When you choose green practices,
you automatically enhance your brand image and create a
marketing advantage. In addition, recent studies have shown
that early adopters of eco-friendly processes edge out
their competition. You establish a standard of social
responsibility that distinguishes your company from the
crowd. Being green helps your business. I can do this for
my company and I can do this for my clients. Ultimately, my
goal is to enhance client images by creating sustainable
visual identities and marketing campaigns that make a
big and positive impression.
— Angela Ferraro-Fanning of
13thirtyone in GDUSA's October magazine feature on Going
Green. Read about ten design firms grappling with these
issues at...
gdusa.com/issue_2009/10_oct/
Mother Nature's Media Buy
In a first of its kind deal in this country, AirTran
Airways is selling ad space on the backs of seats in all
of its 138 jets. The first advertiser is Mother Nature
Network (MNN), a "one-stop resource and an everyman's
eco-guide" for environmental news, travel and
lifestyle. MNN hopes the AirTran exposure will make more
people aware of its existence. "We have gone to great
lengths to present these advertisements in a tasteful,
unobtrusive way that we believe customers will enjoy,"
says AirTran's veep of marketing Tad Hutcheson. MNN is hoping
to reach two million passengers a month using this
reach to a broader market.
Less Is More
Hickory Farms, the purveyor of premium foods and specialty
gifts, lost its image as well as 30% of its sales since 2005.
CEO Mark Rodriguez, hired in 2007, found the company had not
evolved with the times in terms of visuals, descriptions,
packaging, and recipes. To reclaim the brand, he has poured
$6 million since January 2008 into consumer research and
design, a new photography library, replacing old packaging
materials, a revamped website, and advertising. Rodriguez
recently told BusinessWeek that an emphasis on environmental
stewardship has been critical improving the brand
perception. Hickory Farms has updated its packaging to use
more recycled content and eliminate 94% of the plastic
sheets inserted in gift boxes and displays. It also
eliminated metallic foil boxes, reduced mailings, condensed
catalogs and cut paper consumption by 76 percent. The jury
is still out on sales and revenues, but Hickory Farms has
been able to reduce its retail prices by 13
percent this holiday season.
The Big Picture
NewPage Corporation releases Balance, the thirteenth
issue in its "Ed" series of educational
brochures. This new issue offers a big picture view of
sustainability in communications, considering the many
steps of the process and acknowledging the complex choices
and tradeoffs. "Ed #13 Balance will educate its
readers to more fully understand the environmental impact
of both print and electronic communications," said
Julie Davis, marketing communications manager, Commercial
and Digital for NewPage. "Print is a truly sustainable
communication vehicle that plays an important role in a
successful, integrated marketing campaign and works in
partnership with e-media initiatives to increase brand
awareness." Design credits to Chicago's Froeter
Design Company.
edliveshere.com/issue/balance/
My Ad Council
The Advertising Council, the leading producer of public
service advertisements (PSAs) in the U.S., has developed
a website to further the reach of public service campaigns
online. Through My Ad Council, users can share PSA videos
and images via social media platforms, and comment on the
PSAs through sites such as Facebook and Twitter and learn
more about how the campaigns have been created through
"behind the scenes" videos featuring ad agency
individuals. Additionally, My Ad Council highlights the
pro bono efforts of advertising agency partners, media
supporters and other contributors. The site was developed
by JESS3, a creative digital agency in Washington D.C.
The site currently features ten Ad Council campaigns
from agencies like BBDO), Mullen, The Vidal Partnership,
Ogilvy and Mather, kirshenbaum bond senecal + partners,
Publicis, Draftfcb, ArnoldNYC, Euro RSCG Tonic, R/GA
and Draftfcb.
myadcouncil.org
INTERESTING NEWS FOR PRINT DESIGNERS
8 MYTHS ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY IN BUSINESS
1. It's A Cost We Cannot Afford Now
2. It Requires Alot Of Staff
3. There's No Money To Be Made
4. It's Just For Big Companies
5. It's Mostly For B2C Companies
6. We'll Be Accused Of Greenwashing
7. NGOs Are Our Adversaries
8. No Need To Worry About Supply Chain
Thanks to Vijay Kanal and GreenBiz.com
greenbiz.com/bio/vijay-kanal