Less Design
For 2006 my new year's resolution is Less Design.
A lot of people wonder how they can make a difference to the world's decent into waste hell. I think designers have a unique oppurtunity to make a difference.
I can't believe how much 'design' I throw away into my bin. Who isn't sick of it?
Can we lead consumers (and ourselves) out of this mess instead of feeding fuel to this pollution? It's really up to us. As society becomes more and more intersted in design we have an unprecendented chance to do just that.
posted by marc kremers at 10:51
4 Comments:
that's a real problem…
design nowadays became more of a powerseller-tool than instead being connected to an idea of something ( read e.g. wim crouwel's interview in the last wallpaper-magazine). having thought about that recently with a few friends it seems like graphic designers don't have a direct impact since product designers, architects etc. are able to produce even more powerful solutions to that.
anyone a suggestion?
Sorry Marc, you will need to be a bit more precise before I can get the point.
Are you talking about us as designers contributing to the fact that people buy things they don't need, thus contributing to the "decent into waste hell" ?
Because, as much as we like to believe the design-hype, the fact is that we are part of a chain and if you want to make a change, you certainly have to start up higher...
How about Less Advertising?
Less Marketing?
No more ads on kids TV?
Less Christmas?
More consumer information?
How about seperating your waste in the UK, like you do in Europe? I cannot believe we still have to throw everything into the same bin! My mum in Germany has 4 wheelie bins for her waste.
So as for the points above, I can completely subscribe to them.
I think we have a responsibility as designers to choose environmentally safe techniques, colours and papers for example and even more importantly to turn down jobs that we cannot support morally (I have turned down all cigarettes jobs we have been offered for example), but to think that WE are selling a product alone is IMO taking ourselves a bit too seriously...
As always, if you can make a change as part of the chain, you should - so don't get me wrong.
I just don't think that design is the main problem or the main solution.
And it's difficult to see this for us, as we are so much closer to it than non-designers.
Over to you...
JB
To clarify:
I was saying as designers, we can show clients more sound paper stock, more economical packaging solutions, that kind of thing.
Of course the whole responsbility doesnt lie on our shoulders, just saying we actually have a chance in our proffesion to make a difference with those aspects. which is actually quite a lot!
By the way recycling in london is in full swing now (I recycle every tuesday.) The problem is that some of londons recylced waste goes straight to the landfills in Indonesia. If you live in Islington for example, your councils recycled waste contracters are doing this.
I agree, and thanks for the heads up on the recycling.
I think avoiding waste in the first place is the new recycling.
Like buying your veggies straight from a shop like Fresh & Wild or your local shop, rather than getting prepackaged ones from Tesco, etc.
And I still don't understand why Tesco doesn't charge for their bags. You can get like 30 in there and no one complains. They may be bio-degradable, but what's the point. It's still a waste of energy to get them produced and they end up in the bin.
I think people's attitude towards waste in the UK lags far far behind Europe and one day it's going to bite back big time.
Also, to be clear on my comment, I just didn't feel it was an issue of Less Design. It's a question of conscious design and packaging.
JB
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