The most tangible way to practice green design is through print production oversight. This means engaging in a deeper level of involvement in the production of the print piece you’re designing. You can consider the paper the piece is being printed on (recycled content, certifications, bleaching process, etc.), the energy source used to manufacture the paper and print the run, the printing process and the composition of the inks being used, the shipping distance of the paper and finished products, the amount of trim waste, the binding method and adhesives being used, and the reusability or recyclability of the final piece. Each print project has unique challenges.
FYI
Cast Iron Design is now The Office of Ordinary Things. We relocated from Boulder to San Francisco, but otherwise we’re pretty much the same people doing the same things, just a bit more hardcore.