Nicole Roberts MFA Thesis Visual Component Artwork - Savannah ...

87
% of professionals
view sustainability
as a top priority
and are beginning
to learn how to
apply its principles
more effectively.
Too many design students
are making without intent or
understanding of the context
in which they live as simple
humans, let alone designers.
Eric Heiman, Professor
California College of the Arts
San Francisco, California
“As one of the defining ideas of the 21st century,
sustainability holds tremendous possibilities for the
creative community, its business partners and society.” 29
‘Green design,’ as it is termed, seeks to find processes
and materials that do not negatively impact the
environment. For example, graphic designers may
“research things such as recycled and tree-free papers;
or try to find nontoxic inks; or devise folds and
structures that result in less waste.” 30 The eminence of
sustainability became even more apparent as our nation
watched the first political campaigns of the twentyfirst
century, which focused heavily on the importance
of clean energy efficiency. Ideologies of conservation
and environmental protection are changing how the
world operates globally. “87% of recently surveyed
aiga members view sustainability as a top priority, but
many of them confess they are ill-equipped to apply its
principles effectively.” 31 Opportunities for pedagogical
change can be found in teaching applications that
embrace these basic principles. It is critical that design
students stay informed of increased environmental efforts
for global business, as professional expectations of
sustainability knowledge are guaranteed to follow suit.
29 AIGA Center for Sustainable Design,
“The Living Principles,” AIGA, http://
www.livingprinciples.net/ (accessed
February 11, 2010).
30 Brian Dougherty, Green Graphic
Design, (New York, NY: Allworth Press,
2008), 10.
31 AIGA, http://www.livingprinciples.net
(accessed February 11, 2010).
32 Heller, Steven and Lita Talarico, Design
School Confidential, (Beverly, MA:
Rockport Publishers, 2009), 168.
May 2009 Time Magazine
illustrating the cover story
on ‘green designers’
42