Elise Rocque is a Vancouver based graphic designer with a Bachelor of Communication Design degree from the Emily Carr University of Art & Design. Elise values design’s immense potential to help improve the human condition and the global environment. She has a passion and responsibility to apply her skills and abilities to more holistic ideas. Elise Rocque’s current practice includes creative strategy and consulting. Services include brand identity development, web design, marketing collateral, photography and other modes of visual communication.
Elise is ambitious to apply her analytical and strategic thinking towards the betterment of creative, environmental and local economies. Ideal clients initiatives are aligned with the best practices for greener printing and other sustainability initiatives.
There are efforts towards creating a standard for measuring impact. Re-nourish and the Society of Graphic Designers of Canada, has recently developed a Sustainable Design Auditing Project (SDAP), a public process to develop metrics for measuring the environmental, social and economic impacts of the graphic design supply chain.
Best Practices for Greener Print Design
Although the ideas below aren’t the answer for the future, they are positive steps you can take today:
- Reduce the amount of paper and other materials used overall by designing smaller pieces.
- Reduce wasted paper and other materials through clear decision-making during production.
- Replace wood fiber papers with agri-fiber papers when doing so is regionally and environmentally preferable.
- Aim for 100% post-consumer waste (PCW) recycled content paper.
- Choose paper manufactured using renewable energy, or offset by legitimate renewable energy credit programs.
- Select a greener printer for production.
- Use vegetable-based, low-VOC inks on press.
- Stick to digital printing for shorter runs.
- Avoid additives or excess finishing like foil stamps, varnishes, and laminates.
- Design the piece for extended use, or intentional reuse.
- Include verifiable information about the environmentally aware aspects of the piece.
Source: www.re-nourish.com