in-depth research.

Today I’m researching about my topic of sustainability design more in depth. Then I came across to these interesting notes and quotes for my report:

• The fact that the number of magazines sold in Australia each month is over 18 million copies (Magazine Publishers of Australia n.d.), shows how changes to the specifications can make a huge difference, since the fact that it is only in Australia, who knows how many copies each month magazines company wasted on paper for the world. So, to solve this kind of problem, there is actually a way to reduce it. For instance, Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC), an outdoor retail and rental company in Canada, minimized the environmental impact of their printed catalogues by purchasing reduced weight and recycled content paper. MEC estimate that, for their 2007 Spring and Summer print run of over 600,000 catalogues (French and English editions), which is the specification of at least 30% post-consumer fiber saved the use of 1,483 trees, over a million liters of water, and reduced energy output and greenhouse gas emissions. (MEC, 2006).
  

• “The designer’s creative ability can help solve many environmental problems.” —Anne Chick (1992 p.32)

• Designers are trained to analyze problems and provide creative solutions, and clients seek professional guidance on issues surrounding their design job. As the expert, at least some of the responsibility for using sustainable methods must rest with the designer.
  

• “Clients depend on professionals’ expertise – that’s what they’re paying for.” —Anne Chick (1992 p.33)
  

• “Let’s face it – we are the last generation before everything goes to pot.” —Charles Purcell, Sydney Morning Herald, Oct 24 2007
  

• In Rick Poynor’s essay titled “Look Inward, Australia” he discusses the phenomenon of designers becoming less anonymous, and more concerned with achieving fame, with design as an expression of style rather than substance.
  

Ads of the day.

today i would like to post some of the global warming ads which I like. there are actually so many ads. around the world concerning about the global warming but it seems not enough of people understand and taking act. they just ignore it.

"Deforestation in China Threatens Giant Pandas"

Advertising Agency: The Name, Rome, Italy

Creative Directors: Francesco Taddeucci, Luca Albanese

Art Director: Emanuele Pulvirenti

Copywritier: Filippo Testa

Published: January 2008

"15 square kilometer of rain forest disappears every minute"

Advertising Agency: Uncle Grey, Denmark

Art Directors: Rasmus Gottliebsen, Jesper Hansen, Rasmus Dunvad

Creative Director: Per Pedersen

Copywriter: Michael Peterson

Published: April 2007

The poster is blank with a clear sticky coating over the headline and visual. Overtime, dust and dirty particles on the street get stuck on the poster, gradually revealing the message. In doing so, they let polluted air speak for itself. 

Advertising Agency: JWT, Hong Kong

Creative Directors: Steven Lee, Kwong Chi Kit

Art Directors: Fei Leung, Arthur Tse

Copywriters: Jesse Wong, Yee Mui Cheung

Production: Jimmy Pong

Released: September 2007

The external surface of the cup is printed with a second layer of heat sensitive ink that is revealed when hot water is poured into the cup.

Advertising Agency: Dentsu, Beijing, China

Art Director/Copywriter: Danny Tang

Released: October 2007

this mug is a souvenir for the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali last December. Made with a special ceramic coating, as a hot beverage was poured in, the graphic of the world's land mass vanished under the rising sea, symbolically showing the effects climate change may soon have if action isn't taken. 

Advertising Agency: Ogilvy & Mather, Beijing, China

Art Directors: Michael Wong, XiaoChen Li, Ahi Huang

Copywriters: Doug Schiff, Yue Song, Ashley Yang

Released: December 2007

Earth Hour.

today, 29th of March is the time of the year where we supposed to turn off all of electricity where we live from 8pm - 9pm for the international Earth Hour event. This event/movement is to promote electricity conservation and thus lower carbon emissions. This act is promoted by World Wide Fund for Nature Australia. The first Earth Hour event was held over in Sydney, Australia between 7.30pm - 8.30pm on 31 March 2007 and now in 2008 is planned to be an international event.

so did you guys participated? i know i did, i turn off the electricity for an hour from 8 - 9 pm today and while waiting for an hour without electricity, i decided to sleep :D

Green Fashion: Mark Liu Zero Waste Design

i think i'm going crazy with this eco-green madness! so, not just graphic designer who taking act of going green but fashion designer also tries to save the world. For example Mark Liu with his zero waste design project where he already showcased his line in London Fashion Week. His materials are recycled and light in footprint but substantial in style. According to Liu's word,

"Approximately 15% of fabric is typically wasted in the pattern cutting and sewing of each garment manufactured."

Therefore, Liu has created a method of cutting a jigsaw pattern from a single piece of fabric in order to create all of the components to be assembled in his design and create zero waste. Liu also believe eco-efficiency creates exquisite new products for the consumer. 

World Wildlife Fund Super Smart Eco Ad Campaign

while I was trying to find graphic design agency that is going sustainable, I came across to this founding of smart eco ad campaign and both campaign were design by the famous Saatchi & Saatchi. 

look at this interesting bathroom towel dispenser. it is very clever and symbolize the nasty environmental impact of disposable paper towels. this message of communication design is very clear that in every piece of paper you take is a piece of South America's rainforest. 

this would be my favorite billboard and it is from Saatchi & Saatchi also. This eco-ad demonstrate how global warming will lead to rising water levels with a shaped canopy and the shifting sun. Below is a YouTube video of this brilliant billboard in action.

Hypothesis.

It has been awhile that I haven't post anything here. So right now I feel the need to put my hypothesis of my design research proposal and I've sent the hypothesis to my lecture which she already gave me a feedback. From the tutorial that I have today, I think she accept my idea and I just need to do more research on books and get more deeper on my topic with more details. I also need to start making research on graphic design agency that is going green since in Malaysia, I don't think there is any agency that's going eco-friendly, yet. So here is my overview of the hypothesis.

"The theme that I have choose is "Design for Need/Sustainable Design". This topic is mainly concern about designing for different needs in social, cultural, physiological, psychological, biological and environment. I chose this topic because nowadays our Earth is under the weather of climate changes (Global Warming), which I am very interested in since I want to know deeper on how the designers around the world are taking act and participate to help the Earth from melting down. So, after doing endless research about the topic, I am settling down with a main topic of, Sustainable Design fro Graphic Design Agency and The Environment. I chose to be more focus on this topic because since I, myself is a soon-to-be designer, I want to know more on how the agency becoming sustainable, their point of view, the impact on them of becoming sustainable and how this will affect the environment. Therefore, my hypothesis for my research proposal would be somewhere around "Can A Graphic Design Agency Survive By Going Sustainable?" and I would organize my topic and research paper mainly with the positive and negative impacts of the agency going sustainable and what are the problems. Thus, for the field research, I think doing a survey and interview are the best way to collect information and internet would be and additional for my research."

Typo.

so many things to do, don't know which one should do first. 

here are some of interesting typography.