SustainAble is a new book written with the graphic designer in mind. As your clients continue to adapt to and provide environmental solutions with their own products, they are demanding it from you, their creative partners. We asked Aaris Sherin, author, to tell us about the process that she went through to produce this unique - and very readable - book, things learned along the way, and her perspective on sustainable design. Today, in Part 1 of our interview, Aaris touches on her purpose and some of her discoveries during the research phase. Tomorrow read Part 2, when she will take a different tack and discuss cultural issues and a bit of philosophy. WTT: You combine the perspective of an artist and an academician and certainly look at the issue of sustainability from many directions. Where did the idea of this book come from? What questions were you trying to answer? AS: SustainAble is a handbook for designers, media buyers, publishers, and people working in related professions who are interested in practical approaches to working more sustainably. It is part of Rockport Publisher's Design Field Guide Series, which tries to make complex topics accessible to readers. Sustainable design was a perfect topic for the series because its complexity means that designers are often overwhelmed when they think about how to move to more responsible production or change their practice. The book covers topics that include sustainable forestry, basic history and theory, as well as practical information about eco-friendly production materials and techniques. The second half of the book is devoted to case studies that trace how designers approached specific projects with the environment and social systems in mind. The idea was to make a sort of one-stop reference for those interested in the topic. WTT: You were both a freelance and staff graphic designer on your way to becoming a professor at St. John's University. Is this what makes you an "expert" on sustainability in design? How do you combine the ivory tower with the design studio? AS: This book is the culmination of over a year and a half of work - talking to experts, visiting facilities and really learning what a designer needs to know about sustainable design. My background in both journalistic style research and understanding of the importance of scholarly rigor allowed me to be objective and really dive into the topic of green design. I found that my experience as a professional designer gave me an immediate framework with which to approach the questions and issues that come up when graphic designers want to work more responsibly. For each chapter, I tried to imagine what I would have wanted to know and how that information could be put structured so that it would be easily accessible for a busy designer. WTT: During your research what were some of the new things you discovered? AS: One of the interesting things that I found interviewing scores of people for the book was that there tends to be two levels of knowledge when it come to eco-friendly design and production. First there are people who have been early adopters. They have been working towards reducing their footprint and specing environmentally preferable production for years. However the vast majority of designers fall into a second group, they are interested in sustainable design but have no idea where to start making changes. I hope that the book will be a bridge between these experts and the lay public, those who are inspired and excited to change their practice but just don't know where to start. WTT: You must have learned a lot about inks and papers and printing processes. What other things did you uncover? AS: Something that a lot of people seem not to know is that the benefits of soy-based inks are largely exaggerated. It is true that vegetable-oil based inks are better than those made primarily with petroleum products, however soy is no better than inks made with cottonseed or linseed and some environmental groups discourage the use of soy based inks because soybeans are the crop most often planted when rainforests are cut down. Toshiba has created a laser-toner product called "disappearing ink" that allows paper to be recycled up to 9 times. Unfortunately it is only available in Japan. If there was more of a market for this type of product or if regulation mandated more efficiency, Toshiba might be able to market "disappearing ink" in the U.S. Waterless printing has made significant inroads in Japan and Europe and yet is rarely used in the U.S. Additionally there are misconceptions about what items can be printed using this process. Waterless printing is environmentally preferable, efficient, cost effective (in the long run) and is appropriate for anything that is currently being produced with traditional offset printing. For more information visit the Waterless Printing Association at www.waterless.org. WTT: Research can turn over lots of stones. What did you discover that surprised you? AS: I was really surprised how freely people were willing to share and give me information. I say in the introduction of the book, that this is one of the most generous communities that I have ever met, and it's true. If you take on this topic and look for ways of changing your work or the production of your work you can look forward to becoming part of a vibrant and active community of like minded professionals. WTT: On the other hand, what did you discover that disappointed you? AS: There are so many people (many of whom were early adopters) who have created their own resources, libraries, and community groups for teaching and practicing sustainable design. This is both very encouraging and also a little discouraging because as I talked to people I realized that a lot of them are duplicating each others' work. We really need more resources and more sharing of information so that the next generation isn't tasked with replicating our work. About Aaris Sherin Aaris Sherin is an educator, writer and designer. She is currently assistant professor of graphic design at St. John’s University in Queens, New York, where she teaches both history and studio classes. She holds a BFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and an MFA from Rochester Institute of Technology.