Sustainable Graphic Design Practices

Chatting with Aaris Sherin

Aaris Sherin

Graphic designer, university professor, and new author Aaris Sherin will be speaking at our 3rd Annual Print Buyers Conference in September. I met Aaris last spring, when MIT Publishing Services Bureau held a daylong event that dug into sustainability in printing and the graphic arts. Her presentation was as eye opening as any one I've heard on this hot topic. Her new book, entitled "SustainAble: A Handbook of Materials and Applications for Graphic Designers and Their Clients," was just published by Rockport Publishers. You can purchase it on Amazon.com.

Aside from dozens of practical tips on how to design for greener printing, Aaris will share examples of several creative and design agencies who are demonstrating sustainable design practices.

I asked Aaris a few questions in anticipation of her September session.

MD: How long have you been teaching graphic design - and has the interest in sustainability changed recently? What are your students most interested in learning, aside from how to do great design work?

AS: I have been teaching graphic design for 7 years, and today students are more interested in sustainability than every before. Other than doing "cool looking work," making design that is not at odds with the health of the planet and social systems is one of their primary interests. I was really surprised that when I added a rigorous component on sustainability to the sophomore curricula, my students wanted even more information on eco-friendly design and printing options than I had originally planned to incorporate in the class.

MD: How much does "green design" figure into your class curriculum?

AS: At St. John's, we approach "green design" in several ways. The technical competencies are the focus of a class that we call "Graphic Production," where students design and print an arts and literary publication called the Sequoya. But, my colleagues and I also introduce "green design" concepts in other studio classes. This means a student might end up learning about recycling for a poster project during freshman year and then have that knowledge base reinforced and expanded on during Graphic Production and/or as part of Junior and Senior design classes. Our goal is to teach students that sustainable design should be a part of normal visual problem-solving and not just something they think about when they go to printer.

MD: What's the #1 way in which designers can help make printing a more eco-friendly industry?

AS: I believe that as designers we need a two-pronged approach. First and foremost, we have a responsibility to ask if every piece we make fulfills its intended goals and see if there are ways that a piece can use less materials or be made more responsibly (there's lots of tips for this in the book). Second, we need to be out there working as advocates with vendors by specing green production. Almost every environmentally friendly printer has a story about a pivotal moment when a client wanted an eco-friendly service that they didn't provide and how that experience ended up inspiring them to work differently.

MD: I seem to remember your sharing some pretty nifty sustainability checklists in your session last spring at MIT. Will your conference session include more of these?

AS: There are lots of great checklists out there – I will share some during the session, and I will also talk about how it can be valuable to customize or create one's own checklist.

MD: Is the notion of "green design practices" at odds with an industry that is, for the most part, paper based? I can't imagine you encourage your students not to design for print. Without giving away your session's main points, can you give us a hint about ways in which designers can design environmentally friendly print projects?

AS: Green Design is absolutely NOT incompatible with a paper-based industry. This is a misconception that I will address directly during my talk. For the foreseeable future there is going to continue to be a need for work to be produced on tree-based substrates, and designers have the power to make sure that what their work is made with responsibly sourced materials. I will cover topics that range from sustainable forestry to new ideas in pre-press, but here are a few hints:

1. Using proper sizes or asking for custom sheets is an easy way to reduce waste.

2. Every designer should be able to identify and understand the value of FSC and other third-party certifications.

3. Using eco-friendly paper doesn't always cost more.

MD: In a nutshell, what can your audience expect to learn in your session at our conference?

AS: My presentation – READY, SET, GO GREEN - will be split time between practical tips for greening one's practice, including materials specification and printing, and visual examples of projects that prove that graphic designers can make great looking and eco-friendly work. With each example, I will describe which sustainable touch-points the designers were targeting.

Thanks, Aaris! If you want to meet Aaris Sherin at our fall Conference, register for her "Ready, Set, Go Green" session at 10:30 am on Thursday, September 11th. She will also be leading a Roundtable Discussion immediately following this session. Aaris' book will be available at the Conference as well.

Comments? Talk to me at mdana@bostonprintbuyers.com.

©2008 Margie Dana. All rights reserved. You're free to forward this email to friends and colleagues: please do! However, no part of this column may be reprinted without permission from the author.

Print Buyer Conference Update

September 11th - 12th, 2008

Sheraton Boston Hotel, Boston, MA

Here are our three newest Exhibitors - stop by and say "Hi"!

Mtivity Ltd.	London, UK	www.mtivity.com
Expand International	Stratford, CT	www.expandmedia.com
The Smith Print	Norwell, MA	www.smithprint.com

What's REALLY exciting? Each of these firms offers different products and services - one offers print sourcing software for professional buyers; one specializes in high-end portable displays (expecting a grand booth from these folks!), and one produces top-quality, full-color commercial printing.

Go to our exhibitor list page to see who'll be exhibiting on September 11 - 12th. They come from far and near - just like our attendees!

Exhibitors, there are only a few booths left. Don't be left out! Go to www.printbuyersconference.com and click on Exhibitors, or contact Barbara Graham at (978) 490-0010 for details.

Registration questions? Contact info@printbuyersinternational.com.

Current Print Buyer Poll

Buyers, answer this question:
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Cast your vote on our home page at www.bostonprintbuyers.com.

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