The Green Graphic Design Course

A brief introduction to our thoughts on what sustainability means.

Learn about what the climate crisis actually is, what’s causing it, and why it is important to know about as a green designer.

A brief look into the history of propaganda campaigns run by the oil industry to convince the public and politicians that burning oil is ~ perfectly fine ~ and ~ definitely doesn’t ~ impact the environment.

Discussing our human impact on the environment.

Discussing various climate solutions and their effectiveness.

Why forests are important, beyond the value of the lumber.

Is the forestry industry sustainable because wood is a “renewable resource”? A deep dive into the discourse around certifications, Indigenous rights in forestry practices, and controversies associated with different certifications.

Discussing how graphic design interlocks with extractive industries and what we can do to reduce our impact.

Learn about the different types of paper stocks, why material choice is extremely important as sustainable designers, and how to evaluate paper as sustainable.

A discussion of the environmental impacts of printing ink and other add-ons to printed materials such as coatings and foils. We also look into whether or not picking an ‘eco-friendly’ font reduces ink waste.

One of the most common questions we get is “How do I choose a sustainable printer?” In this video, we’ll explore the criteria you should use to evaluate printers for sustainability to pick the right one for your project.

How can I design so that consumers and clients understand that my work is sustainable? In this video we’ll look at how you can build trust with key decision makers through design transparency and sustainable values.

A look into how the recycling system fails us and takes a look at how understanding the failures of the current recycling system can make us better designers and inform our sustainable design choices.

An exploration of the human reasons why the use of plastic is harmful to BIPOC communities. A case study for the impacts of externalities on our “normal” business-as-usual behaviour and why it has to change.

A material discussion and breakdown about the material composition and lifecycle of bioplastics, including compostable plastics.

A deep dive into glass manufacturing, recycling, and lifecycle assessments.

A look into some examples of greenwashing and why we should be a little skeptical when a multinational announces an environmentally friendly initiative such as recycling or recycled plastics.

Why should you set environmental policies for your studio? Exploring how environmental policies can guide your client work, keep your values clear as a studio, and set your studio apart from others.

Should I enforce my sustainability in my design contract? What clauses should be in my contract? A look at what to put into your contract as well as discussing specific clauses and items to include relating to sustainable and ethical design.

Learn how to audit your studio for environmental areas of improvement. Studio audits can be both a fun way to look back on a year of projects, a great way to evaluate your material impact of previous print projects, as well as a great way to assess areas of environmental improvement and a neat talking point with clients.

Compile your studio audit into an environmental impact report. An environmental impact report is a great marketing cool and document you can use on your website and in client discussions to talk about your studio’s sustainable values and achievements.

Learn how to market yourself as a green designer or sustainable design studio. What keywords to use? How do you develop a niche? This video is a deep dive into ways to develop your unique marketing as a sustainable designer. We also look at breaking down effective sustainable marketing brands and websites.

A small breakdown on what content marketing is as a method for building leads and converting clients. We discuss different approaches for marketing for different social media platforms and how to maximize content marketing approaches on them.

What do you do if a client isn’t a good fit? How do you determine if a client is a green or red flag on their inquiry call? We go over some of our tips and tricks for assessing clients on a call to see whether or not they’re a good fit sustainably-wise, and talk about how to turn down a client.

How do you make a green design studio profitable? How do you price projects and research? A look into how we evaluate profitability and price projects for clients.

Branding; what it is it? To embody a lifestyle? To sell a product? To create consumer awareness? A history of branding and where we should go from there based on the current research for effective green marketing and how consumers make purchasing decisions.

Sustainable packaging: will consumers spend more for it? Or is that a myth? A look into research into consumer purchasing behaviour for sustainable packaging specifically and the forecasted trends for the consumer goods industry shifting towards using more recycled materials in packaging.

Why are sustainable things predominantly marketed to woman? How can we break away from feminine presentations of sustainability? How we can examine “norms” in design trends for “green design” styles and explore room for creative solutions that can be feminine, masculine, or, more importantly, not necessarily geared to one gender or another.

Okay, that’s all great about the research but what if my client has hesitations or complains? How do I talk to them about this? A discussion of what to do when the client’s expectations are different from yours and how to respond to friction in the contract.

Greenwashing can be hard to spot now in today’s world. It’s generally more nefarious than just a tree image on a plastic bottle. A guide to remaining critical in consumption as you try to make ethical buying choices.

What do government agencies have to say about sustainable claims? Is it a free-for-all? Looking into some of the legal structures and lawsuits associated with green/sustainable marketing claims.

Are carbon offsets a scam? Are any organizations or ways of offsetting more legitimate than others? A discussion around some of the criticisms and controversies of carbon offsets, and how to go about vetting carbon offset programs.

Which certifications should you pursue for your green design studio? Any of them? A closer look into how certifications function, the behind-the-scenes of B-Corp, and why you might want to reconsider where your money goes for both marketing and donations.