Design Can Change. Really.

I followed this link on a suggestion with a friend. Design Can Change is an initiative aimed at uniting the world’s graphic designers to use their influence and purchasing power to combat climate change. It was developed by smashLAB, a design firm based in Vancouver, BC.

Objectives

According to the website, the Design Can Change initiative intends to:

• Bring together the design community to leverage our collective strength
• Establish a set of definitive standards that we can all readily implement
• Showcase the work of designers committed to the environment
• Promote designers and studios who embrace sustainable practices
• Raise awareness of the importance of sustainable-thinking

One of its objectives was to highlight the fact that designers influence the buying decisions of businesses and organizations with massive advertising budgets and being in control of such vast purse strings gives committed designers the ability to make a huge difference.

Pledge

At the core of the initiative is a pledge that asks for a designer’s commitment to a sustainable practice and green mindset. The pledge’s five guidelines require that its signators:

1. engage in the topic,
2. consider their choices carefully,
3. put their knowledge to use,
4. share information with others, and
5. unite with the community to spark change.

Designers who take the pledge are listed in the site’s searchable directory of like-minded studios. It’s very cool. Check it out HERE: