SustainAble is a new book written with the graphic designer in mind. We asked Aaris Sherin, author, to tell us about the process that she went through to produce this unique book, things learned along the way, and her perspective on sustainable design. Yesterday, in Part 1 of our interview, Aaris touched on her purpose and some of her discoveries during the research phase. Today, she takes a different tack and discusses philosophy of design and changing cultural issues. Not only are the contents of this book terrific - and I've read it, so I can tell you that! - but the book is a prime example of ways you can use very different production processes. For example, all the "make ready" and proof sheets were used to bind the book and as end pages. And instead of a full paper jacket, a "demi-jacket" was created by printing on the reverse of more of the extra sheets that would have gone to waste. Take a look... very clever design! WTT: Sustainability is an issue that needs to be addressed at many different levels, not the least of which is cultural change. How can we as individuals facilitate that change? AS: I think people have a tendency to think that change has to happen at a marco level - big change, big companies and big government. While it is true that the sustainable revolution will require large changes, I absolutely believe that designers, printers and media buyers can and will have a huge effect by making small changes. Talking to ones clients and encouraging them to adopt more environmentally responsible print production may seem like a drop in the bucket compared with the impact that a large fortune 500 company has globally, however data shows that once a company buys into change (and while this has to include the CEO and top management, it equally should include employees at lower levels) they usually opt to voluntarily raise their environmental performance. There is a great section in the book where designer, Cheryl Heller, gives practical advice on how and why to talk to clients about their impact on the environment and social systems. WTT: Would you address Design (big D) vs design (little d); i.e. design from the concept of product design, graphic design, architectural design? AS: I really believe that design has a crucial role to play as we move toward the cultural shift that will need to happen in order to become more sustainable. This means both design with the big D and all of its sub-disciplines. Over the winter I was at Eco-Products (in Tokyo) the largest tradeshow for environmentally friendly products and services in the world. I saw some amazingly innovative new products and processes, yet without good communication design/info design, it was difficult to understand what value that these services brought to market and/or to differentiate between brands and similar types of products. I left thinking that many of these product designers would have benefited from spending more time with graphic designers and vise-versa; product designers have an understanding of materials that graphic designers rarely process. In my opinion the power of design comes with collaboration. Tricycle Inc. out of Chattanooga Tennessee is a living example of this concept. Tricycle is a sustainable design company; it employs graphic designers, programmers, and product designers. And, the company partners with interior designers, all with the goal of encouraging the carpet industry towards reducing their environmental impact. Their success over the last several years has been stunning and Tricycle's model suggests that collaboration produces outcomes greater than could be achieved by each sub-discipline individually. WTT: Where to you see the most creative ideas and applications being implemented? In Europe? Asia? AS: There isn't one place where the best ideas in sustainable design are coming from. In different places around the world there are individuals making inspiring and innovative work that rethinks the use of materials and/or conceptually challenges an audience to change behavior. That being said, regulations and interest by many governments in Japan and many EU countries exceed what I see happening in the U.S. I would like to see more incentive based programs that would encourage innovation and new applications and I also think that design education has a role to play in preparing the next generation of designers to help solve sustainable challenges. 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.